That depends on which untrained idiot you happen to find behind the counter.
Yesterday my wife goes to send two Tubelab PC boards to Canada in a Priority Mail Envelope. Customs form #2676 was properly filled out and attached. Idiot #1 says that you can't send these to Canada. My wife gets me on the phone and I try to explain that I have been shipping these to Canada and the rest of the world for 8 years through your branch of the USPS. She then tells me that I need a different Customs form because the two PC boards weigh more than 4 POUNDS. Yo!....Idiot!....what does your scale say????? 8 ounces? Yes, what do I declare on the customs form?.....yeah, it says 0 pounds 8 ounces. Have you ever done this before? Then she tells me that I don't need a customs form because the declared value is $8.70. Hello!!!!...Idiot!!!!....that is the 8 from the weight in ounces column next to the 70 in the declared value column. She decided that she needs to get her supervisor.......
Idiot #2 and supervisor for Idiot #1 appears. This one tells Sherri that she does not need customs forms because there are only documents inside the envelope. I tell Sherri to explain that there are circuit boards inside...NO documents other than the invoice. The circuit boards are declared at $35 USD each and weigh 4 ounces each, for a total of $70 USD and 8 ounces. This is all explained on THEIR customs forms. Supervisor gets on the phone and I realize that I have dealt with her before. I ask her if she remembers an argument with a blonde guy who was not happy when she ripped the customs forms off the envelope and trashed them. You, me, and your boss all got out your IMM (international mail manual) and read the rules. UHHHHH. How did that turn out......Yeah, you wound up rewriting my customs forms.....Just send the damn envelope PLEASE! 45 minutes later Sherri successfully sent one Priority Mail envelope to Canada.....we think.
The people that are hired at our local post office are mostly loosers that couldn't cut it at the DMV office! There are a few exceptions.
Most of the time, my letter-carrier picks up the priority and express mail stuff. If I see a certain gal behind the counter when I take the packages down there I will go to the post office in the next town over.
I once made the mistake of putting a "Static Sensitive" sticker on a Priority Mail envelope and the USPS returned it here.
I once made the mistake of putting a "Static Sensitive" sticker on a Priority Mail envelope and the USPS returned it here.
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I mailed a couple small packets via first class international the other day and was informed of the new "manual entry" requirement.
The 80 year old clerk must have asked me at least 10 times if the packages contained lithium batteries. She asked what kind of "electronic components" the packages contained, to which I replied "operational amplifiers"..... she then asked again if that was any kind of lithium battery. :/
The 80 year old clerk must have asked me at least 10 times if the packages contained lithium batteries. She asked what kind of "electronic components" the packages contained, to which I replied "operational amplifiers"..... she then asked again if that was any kind of lithium battery. :/
Saturday I went to the same post office to send a board to Canada. The lines were much longer than usual. I went to the same clerk that I have gone to for 3 years. He is a ham radio operator who knows what a circuit board is. Well, guess what.....he gives me the same $&@% about customs forms. After everyone in the post office heard my WTF moment, the clerk turned his screen so I could see it. It suddenly became obvious. The efficiency EXPERTS have totally redone the computer systems. Those customs forms that we must hand print (3 layers thick, won't go through a printer) must be manually entered into their new computer systems. No wonder the clerks don't like international shipments and want to rip the customs forms off. Look for another rate increase next year to cover this crap.
And the bull**** continues....
No more online printing of Parcel Post postage (called Standard Post now). First-Class Mail International (now First-Class Package International Service) 1oz rate has doubled to $6.55.
So now I have to stand in line at the post office for all the domestic 1oz small envelopes I used to so easily just place in my mailbox for the postman to pick up. I imagine the lines there will be out the door now with this change.
No more online printing of Parcel Post postage (called Standard Post now). First-Class Mail International (now First-Class Package International Service) 1oz rate has doubled to $6.55.
So now I have to stand in line at the post office for all the domestic 1oz small envelopes I used to so easily just place in my mailbox for the postman to pick up. I imagine the lines there will be out the door now with this change.
Best technique is to take the international packages to the post office around 5 to 10 minutes before quitting time.
One of the guys behind the counter said that the computer asked him "what kind of transistors" to which I replied "silicon".
and you're right -- the new CN-22 customs form does not "through-ink" even if you press down hard with a ball-point.
You can ship 8 ounces in a large envelope via First Class International for just $8.00 (ran the rate for a shipment to Australia).
se
I have used stamps.com for my business mailings for years (electronic modules, software, etc). No waiting in lines, I just drop the packages into the chute at the post office or have the carrier pick it up. All the customs info is pre-printed on the label and bar coded. Works for all the international stuff as well (first class, priority, express).
Most of the boards that I ship are 4-6oz in a bubble mailer, which costs anywhere from $4-$6 anywhere in the world.
Most of the boards that I ship are 4-6oz in a bubble mailer, which costs anywhere from $4-$6 anywhere in the world.
Yes, but the competition isn't staffed by federal employees.
And the competition isn't tasked with delivering first class mail to every address in the United States six days a week. The FedEx and UPS drivers just stop at addresses that have FedEx and UPS deliveries. Our carrier walks his entire route every day, six days a week.
Nor are they forced by congress to fully fund their pension plans for 75 years. That's over $3 billion a year out of their revenues each year.
se
Last I checked, First Class International was not available to all countries and where it was available took forever to arrive at the destination. In addition, first class international is (at least to my knowledge) not available on-line, thus, requiring you to stand in line at the post office. Further, the shipping charge needs to cover the cost of shipping materials as well.
I use Priority International as shipping supplies (quite nice padded envelopes) are provided and it allows me to print the postage and customs documents at home and just drop off the envelope in a mailbox on my way to work. I can't afford spending 15~30 minutes in line to mail a board. Now, if you want to pay me $100/hour to stand in line, I'll gladly do it. But then it'd be more cost effective to use Priority International...
~Tom
I use Priority International as shipping supplies (quite nice padded envelopes) are provided and it allows me to print the postage and customs documents at home and just drop off the envelope in a mailbox on my way to work. I can't afford spending 15~30 minutes in line to mail a board. Now, if you want to pay me $100/hour to stand in line, I'll gladly do it. But then it'd be more cost effective to use Priority International...
~Tom
Yes, but the competition isn't staffed by federal employees.
Have you ever mailed a letter through any of the competitors? I have. I mailed a letter from Seattle to Texas using UPS. Cost: $17. USPS would have charged $5 for a similar service. Probably $1.50 for 1st class mail.
I continue to use USPS because they provide a cost-effective product. I just refuse to stand in line at the post office as that ruins the "effective" part rather quickly.
~Tom
I never could understand the logic behind that. 75 years? WTF is wrong with congress to require that. If that were applied to private business they'd fall like dominoes.
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