Package returned for 7g overweight! Seriously USPS?

[dw171]

So I mailed a package yesterday and found it back in my mailbox today for being 7 grams overweight with 8 cents postage due. I've received so many items that are way overweight and mailed media mail and not media, but when I send something overweight they want more money. I'm thinking about just dropping all my mail off in a different city because this is getting ridiculous. Second time this has happened too. Does the post office have no tolerance for a few grams extra. I doubt its going to affect their operation. Anybody else had problems like this?

 

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[gino22]

Had no idea US postal scales could even register grams. I always overestimate weight for fear of this happening, but I have hugely UNDERestimated weight in the past with no problem. Luck of the draw, err on the side of caution.

 

[gino22]

If it makes you feel any better, the amount of time/fuel the post office spent getting the package back to you to collect eight cents almost certainly cost them several times that.

 

[palidin20603]

always use a postal scale... USPS is no joke and you don't won't someone openning a case because it took too long to get there

 

[mojjax]

If it makes you feel any better, the amount of time/fuel the post office spent getting the package back to you to collect eight cents almost certainly cost them several times that.

It actually cost "We" the taxpayers several times that .

 

[tcornel]

We have one person at the local office like that. Even her coworkers call her the "Postage Nazi" !

 

[JustinNH]

Wow... that is just a waste. Someone at the PO does not know what a materiality threshold is. I know you are supposed to round up, but come on... 7 grams?
I know I have shipped some that were a few tenths over, but I have also shipped others paying for an ounce more by mistake.

 

[Baltimore]

Wow, I'm shocked! I've definitely sent first class packages out that were 8.1 oz but had postage for 8 oz & the like, I had no idea they'd return for something so small. I think the post office is pretty unconcerned with stuff like that here, I went almost 8 months and 100+ orders shipping first class packages in priority mail boxes (At the time I didn't know that that was not allowed), it took a post office in Seattle returning my package three times for me to stop doing that, my post office never noticed.

 

[Keppy]

Had no idea US postal scales could even register grams. I always overestimate weight for fear of this happening, .

I always overestimate the weight also then i have no problems.. If it scales out at 5oz i will print up the ticket at 7oz .. i always go 2 oz over never got any thing back……… It might cost a few more pennies but then i have no headaches ..

 

[Joe777Cool]

I always round up to the next oz. Have never had an issue and often there isnt even a price difference.

 

[meanpc]

I have a very accurate scale that cost $17 shipped from ebay. When I have something that weighs 10.0 ounces on the money, I go ahead and pay for a 10 ounce First Class package. The label adds one or two tenths of an ounce and I have never had one come back or had the USPS ask a customer for money on their end. Returning something for a 1/4 ounce is crazy. There ought to be a director of common sense in every post office that can make rulings on things like that.

 

[meanpc]

I always round up to the next oz. Have never had an issue and often there isnt even a price difference.

There usually won't be a price difference on priority, but there is always a price difference on first class.

 

[Joe777Cool]

There usually won't be a price difference on priority, but there is always a price difference on first class.

I could be mistaken, but I have on several occasions been in between ounces and plugged the weight into ebay and the price came up the same. This is first class, eBay online pricing.

 

[diggummup]

I've never had a package returned for being overweight, and there is a price difference per ounce for all first class parcels.

 

[mugsisme]

ONE TIME I had a postal worker refuse my package. (Of course, I had sent my daughter in to get a receipt, and it was during lunch time rush.) My DD came out and said that the woman said I owed like $0.05 postage. Really?? What about the times I over estimate? Do they give it back? Every since then I also round up. 1-3 grams is the same on First class. After that it is a couple more cents for each gram you go up. USPS is one of the biggest scams in this country. Yeah, you can send a letter for under a buck. BUT, USPS does NOT promise to get the item delivered unless you take insurance. Name one other company that can get away with that. You HAVE to have milk in that milk carton; you HAVE to have OJ in that juice container. It's not like, OH, you didn't take insurance, today you get water or an empty container or nothing at all. Nope. You get what you pay for, except with USPS.

 

[jerseyben]

Wow, horrible thread... Seriously... bashing the post office?

And for what? Because they charged you the actual published rates?

Do you people want something for nothing? Good grief...

 

[JustinNH]

Wow, horrible thread... Seriously... bashing the post office?

And for what? Because they charged you the actual published rates?

Do you people want something for nothing? Good grief...

We have as much right to complain about the post office as you do complaining about us.

 

[2ndisbest]

I have worked for the USPS on three different occasions. I drop off my packages at the facility I worked at twice. Complete incompetence is the standard. My dad is a retired mail carrier. I know a lot of postal workers. Most are drunks, most incompetent. And the sad part is it is getting worse.

My own postal carrier is a useless $%^&. A couple of times I had packages returned to me after a month postage due. (smart post by fedex makes this possible) He writes out the nobody was home slip in his truck, puts the slip in the door rings the doorbell and runs back to his truck.

I have gotten to know my neighbor a block over because usually a few times a week I am walking over mail, she does the same for me.

Incompetence is the standard because they can't get fired and to bury the worst employees they promote them to supervisors. So you find the most useless carrier you can and knowing you can't fire them you instead promote them so hopefully their replacement can actually deliver the mail.

New carriers who know how the system works, pass their 90 days, then claim they got hurt and are put on light duty. They basically sit on their asses all day misorting mail cause they really don't care, they can't get fired.

Now the scary part for all us ebayers. When sorting packages, there would be a gurney for every route (like a big laundry gurneys on wheels) To be most efficient they would play basketpackage with anything they could toss into the gurneys so they didn't have to walk over and put it in. I worked in a post office with around 50 routes, the gurneys in the back were easily 30 feet away. Sometimes they would miss and the package lands on the floor, other times they miss and it lands in the wrong gurney. Sometimes they would put it in the right gurney sometimes not.

Now the worst thing that can happen to your mail is it is missent. This enrages you average postal worker because that individual just got more work because of somebody else's screwup. And they usually take that anger out on your package or mail.

I overpack everything I send. I think I have only had one damaged item in the last 2 years. Basically I pack my stuff so it will bounce if dropped or thrown.

 

[dieselram94]

I asked my local post office about how fussy they are with the weight. They said an ounce overweight and they won't kick it back. That being said two of the three attendants are great. One, the post master is a real you know what. I swear he is bi- polar as some days he is great and other days he has a toilet plunger shoved up his butt..

sent from a potato with gravy!!...

 

[cyberdan]

We have one person at the local office like that. Even her coworkers call her the "Postage Nazi" !

I had to check your profile to see if you live in my town. Must be more than one of them.
I had a carrier roll up a college book to fit in the box. it broke the spine or a $100 book. I called the lady postmaster to complain and the 1st words out of her mouth were "I am so sorry" (oops wrong company) she really said "did you have it insured?" she would not foreward my call to the main postmaster.

Now on the other hand I have a company P.O. box in another town because I can't stand my local PO.
The other day my postage came to around $26 and their machine would not accept my credit card. Then the other two tellers said they had the same problem. The system was down. My packages were stamped and tossed in the bin, but I couldn't pay. (no cash or checks on me) So what did the teller say? Just give me an IOU. I thought he was kidding, no he scribbled something on a piece of paper and I signed it. I brought him the cash later that day. We are all on first names at that PO. It is a very small town PO. So small my GPS can not even find it.