Sep
22
USPS wants to rip you off
Filed Under mail | 5 Comments
The Consumerist reports (according to an anonymous tipster) that postal employees have been ordered to upsell pricey express or priority mail services to anyone sending anything more than a letter: “I was told yesterday by my supervisor (and I saw the written memo from the District) that stated we are not to offer first class, parcel post, or media mail. My advice is to always ask if there is a cheaper way to ship. Once asked we can tell you, but we won’t volunteer the information.” See the link for more details and tips on shipping.
Just one more reason why you should DIY — do it yourself. Buy a scale and weigh your envelopes and apply the postage yourself. Use the USPS website (”domestic” for First Class; “business” for Media Mail) or our U.S. Postal Rates sheet to calculate your postage. If you have a PayPal account you can use it’s shipping feature to ship any class, including media mail. (How? Log into your PayPal account, then use this link: https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_ship-now ).
If you must take your envelope/package to a postal counter, know the various options available to you and tell them exactly what you want: First Class Mail (which has different rates for letter, large envelope, and package), Media Mail, or Parcel Post. See the Zinester’s Guide to U.S. Mail for more info.
(Thanks to Nicole for the tip.)
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5 Comments so far
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Adobe, Inc. announced today it was purchasing the US Postal Service. Post offices would be eliminated gradually, replaced by free standing kiosks that would scan your outgoing mail and send it electronically. Incoming mail will be opened, scanned, and sent to you via email. Adobe’s profits were expected to rise.
I’ve noticed that they rarely (if ever) ask me how I want to ship something, especially if I have multiple envelopes. I realize that sometimes the difference is a penny or two, but they used to straight up ask me if I wanted it to send it the cheapest or the quickest way possible.
Thanks for the heads up on the USPS policy. What I usually do if I have something other than a letter is weigh it on the self-serve machine. It usually tells me all the options so I can make an informed decision.
It’s called upselling. If you’re savy you won’t fall for it, but if you’re not so much…
well than you will.
The post office has bills too.
And to be honest, by trade I’m in the freight industry and I upsell customers daily.
the USPS machines in their lobbies UPSELL you, too. They let you know the PRIORITY price and that’s it, unless you happen to notice that you can page back for “other options.”
Upselling, I believe, is dishonest… you are deliberately withholding valuable information…ok, I just realized that I am guilty in a variety of different transactions I have made…. hmmmm… i’d better think about this. Generally, tho, I think it’s dishonest as it causes one to distrust others.