posted on March 21, 2002 04:29:06 AM new
I sent a question to the USPS "contact us" web site requesting information that we could all use.
Specifically, what publication should we tell the postal clerks to refer to when they insist on scanning the free eDC. Here's what they said:
<<
Dear USPS Customer,
Thank you for contacting us. Since the online labels are a new feature, some
USPS employees may not yet be familiar with the product. If this happens,
please accept our apology, and point out the "e" endorsement on your label
next to the Delivery Confirmation text. This "e" indicates that this item
qualifies for our Electronic Option Delivery Confirmation. The retail
associate should refer to our July 26th Postal Bulletin (page 17) for
further information. Please note that regular Priority Mail rates still
apply.
>>
For those who don't want to look online for this wonderful publication, here's the information:
<<
Coming Soon - Online Shipping e-Label at www.usps.com
The Postal Service has now made it easier for small-volume Priority Mail service shippers to use electronic option Delivery Confirmation service. This value-added feature will soon be available via the new USPS Shipping Web site at www.usps.com, and will provide mailers with easy-to-access information to meet their shipping needs. This site will allow shippers to print from their computers an Online Shipping e-Label that has sender information, recipient information, and a Delivery Confirmation barcode. Acceptance information is electronically sent to the Product Tracking System to meet electronic option requirements. Initially, the Online Shipping e-Label will be limited to Priority Mail service with electronic option Delivery Confirmation service. A future version will include Signature Confirmation service.
The Online Shipping e-Labels use the new Postal Service standard format with an "e" insignia before the USPS Delivery Confirmation text above the barcode. Customers apply the e-label to their Priority Mail package and can then use adhesive or meter stamps to pay for their mailing. If customers bring packages to the retail counter, the process for weighing and rating those pieces is the same as with other e-label Delivery Confirmation service pieces as discussed in the Retail Coaches’ Corner, Postal Bulletin 22052 (6-14-01, page 83). Retail employees do not scan the Delivery Confirmation service e-label/barcode; instead they merely weigh and rate the packages for postage only. Customers are not charged the retail Delivery Confirmation service fee when they use this new electronic label. Additionally, customers who require proof of mailing can bring the Online e-Label Record to the retail counter for a round date, like any other special service receipt.
Samples of the Online Shipping e-Label and the Online e-Label Record are on page 18.
Information Systems,
Expedited/Package Services, 7-26-01
>>
I printed this information out and brought it to the post office yesterday. Two clerks thanked me for it, the retail coach asked why I don't have the receipts stamped. It just goes to show you...
posted on March 21, 2002 06:46:51 PM new
Here's a different one for you. At my post office, they scanned the E/DC barcode and then credit me the .40 He explained that this get it in the system as accepted for delivery at the post office of record.
posted on April 1, 2002 07:17:04 PM new
So how DO they USUALLY handle the 12 cent media mail charge? My PO guy was totally *baffled* today when I insisted on paying the 12 cent fee for media mail Econfirmation. Finally he ended up adding 12 cents onto another stamp label and adding it to the package along with the media mail stamp label.
I told him I'd ask somewhere where they knew the answers and wanted to know how much I'd get for doing his job for him
He said his system wasn't set up to handle that 12 cents.
posted on April 2, 2002 12:02:28 AM new
rccomputers, did you ever look at the tracking results? The scan at the post office never shows up. When I first started using the E-confirmation that is how they did it. When I told them that scaning it didn't do anything they were happy to just do the priorty postage and ignore the barcode. It is much faster now.
posted on April 2, 2002 06:28:40 AM new
sapinton,what do you mean when you said it is faster now??
faster for you at the counter?or faster to arrive at destination?
DC is worthless when it comes to chargeback,if you send item using usps priority,it should get there in 2-4 days,by the time the customer needs to track,it should have arrived.
if he did not get the item,just showing the item has arrived at his post office means beans.
posted on April 2, 2002 07:41:52 AM new
Mr. Whining, I respectfully disagree.
Using e DC is not intended to show that a package has arrived at a post office. By USPS regulation it is to be scanned prior to actual delivery, ie placement in mailbox of addressee. A few post offices may scan packages en mass but delivery people have portable scanners and most use them.
As to it not being proof, for small value parcels, Paypal for one will accept a delivery confirmation number with delivery scan as proof of sending and deny a chargeback for non delivery.
As to the customer, if someone complains that their package has not arrived, I check the DC and if it shows delivery email them the info.
The key here is to suggest that they take this email to their local post office and make inquiries, and to let them know that I will back them up and file a tracer on this package if not found.
Nobody ever takes me up on it, because the package always miraculously appears. Whether they were trying a "it never arrived" scam or it was sitting on a shelf at their local post offfice, I will never know. I just know that my missing packages have dropped to zero since using e Delivery Confirmation.
Other sellers may have a different story to tell, but this is one service that is well worth the money, and it is free!
posted on April 2, 2002 08:59:40 AM new
stopwhining
>>"DC is worthless when it comes to chargeback,if you send item using usps priority,it should get there in 2-4 days,by the time the customer needs to track,it should have arrived.
if he did not get the item,just showing the item has arrived at his post office means beans."<<
You're right about that but a lot of folks don't know it and it has saved us a lot of hassles. If you would kindly not broadcast it at the top of your lungs, maybe, it will stay that way.
posted on April 3, 2002 04:18:34 AM new
Over the past 2 years, I've shipped around 2500 packages with:
1) Confirmed & Standardized Addresses
2) Bar Code
3) Delivery Confirmation (either FREE or $0.12)
NOT ONE item has ever been lost or damaged!
PLUS: the five or six clowns who tried to pull the "your item was lost in the mail" scam on me, immediately "FOUND" their packages after I offered to refer the DC Tracking Number to the Postal Inspectors
posted on April 3, 2002 07:29:42 AM new
stopwhining - a recommendation if you need a new (inexpensive) printer.
Brother has the HL-1440 laser printer. It does 15 pages per minute, single sided, has 2 MB ram, uses parallel port or USB. Sells for about $250.
I've been using it's big brother (the 1650, which does two-sided printing) for about 4 months now. I'm impressed by the quality and low maintenance factor.
Makes fast work of printing eDC and shipping labels...
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