posted on August 29, 2007 10:38:58 AM
I printed off a USPS label on Sunday and forgot to change the shipping date to Monday (obviously USPS does not ship on Sundays) so Sunday's date was on package. I delivered the box to a different post office than I normally do and I also had to buy some stamps, so I stood in line and waited. When I got to the counter the employee questioned my package that was dated on Sunday (instead of that day - Monday) and said because it was dated and insured for Sunday, the insurance was not valid because it was not sent on the same day as on label. I told him I'd never heard of that and because I'd paid for insurance, it should still be insured. He disagreed and said that because it was kicking around for a day and not in the possession of the PO, it wouldn't be insured. I sent the package anyway figuring he was not accurate and was probably just having a bad day. But has anyone else ever heard this before?
posted on August 29, 2007 01:21:11 PM
Technically, they aren't even supposed to accept your package if the date is wrong. Has something to do with the way they track how long it takes them to get items to their destination. It will now look as though it sat at the post office for an extra day. At least, that's the explanation I got from my postal worker. As for the insurance, I think he was off base and I wouldn't worry about it.
posted on August 29, 2007 03:14:29 PM
You can, and should, print a "date correction" from any of the paid-for services before submitting the piece to the USPS. It's a capability of Endicia's Dazzle software - and it simply prints a new date on another label that you can stick on it.
Now, that doesn't mean we haven't taken something to the P.O. the next day when we didn't get there the day it was printed... That's happened, too - and we didn't print a correction either.
However, the clerk you got must have missed the class (don't they have a lot of training to attend?) that explained that they can very easily print out a $0.00 postal endicium (that's the singular of "endicia" dont'cha know) and affix it as the date they received it at the originating P.O..... What a mortard!
When we ship internationally, I'll often take those packages in personally and not have them picked up (because I like to get the receipt to keep all the Customs #s handy if I need to track - which is still possible, btw) For those packages taken to the counter going out of the US, they print out a $0.00 endicium to provide proof that it was handled at "entry" by a postal employee.
Ahhh, the trials of dealing with government workers...
Wayne
Never explain -- Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
~ Elbert Hubbard
