usps bulk rate ?

[eljefe]

On another bulletin board, I listed some reloading components for sale. Since I was new there, I offered to ship the items and have payment sent to me after receipt of the items from the purchaser. As it turns out, this may not have been wise.

One of the two purchasers acknowledged receipt of his purchase and sent me his check. The other says that he did not receive it...both shipments are usps bulk rate packages. Of course, I did not ask for receipt confimation...that would have made my life too easy! The reason I question it is that the one denying receipt had his package mailed first, and they were mailed on subsequent days from the same postal clerk at the same post office.

It's not a terribly large amount of money, and I did a few things wrong, but I was wondering if any of you folks have any suggestions. Should I just chalk this up as one of life's lessons? I know I can't prove he received it, but I would think that it would have been returned to me if undeliverable. Any feedback is appreciated!

[Oldfeller]

Me, I save the reciepts that I get when I mail something by United States Postal Service. Once faced with a reciept, you will be amazed to find that they can manually track a package from postmaster to postmaster all the way to the destination, especially if they are being asked to do so by both ends of the delivery chain at the same time. USPS has NEVER lost anything I have ever shipped, sometimes it goes off into limbo for 2-3 weeks (slow delivery burros or something) but it always arrives.

They always arrive, especially once the asking of the postmasters starts.

As you may have heard, we have very very few skunks around in this list's woods. None, as a matter of fact. I've had to send somebody a scan of when I sent the package (a copy of the Post Office reciept) and we'd cooperate to find that sucker through our postmasters on both ends.

NEVER had anyone take something and not pay for it, ever. Never had a bounced check either.

Oldfeller

[eljefe]

Thanks for the tip on the receipt...I think I still have it.

You are right; this board is top drawer when it comes to swapping and selling. I have only had one experience here, as a buyer, and it was very positive. I also appreciate the civility displayed here. That is a rare commodity on bulletin boards these days. Although I don't post often, I read every day, and have learned a great deal.

[NVcurmudgeon]

I have bought and sold, mostly by US Mail, all my long life. My volume of "business" has increased considerably since my cyber-life began in 1999. The much-maligned USPS has never lost anything in either direction. Never have I failed to receive payment for what I sold, nor have I ever not received goods purchased. OTOH, I have occasionally been told that goods I was offering would be purchased "as soon as the buyer raised the money," or "when I find my trade goods." And I have deat with people who were as difficult to deal with as nailing Jell-O to the wall. So the worst I can say about my gun compadres is that some of them are flakes with impeccable morals, and others are harmless tire-kickers! Thanks, gun guys, I would that all humanity were like you!

[redneckdan]

i haven't been so fortunate. I have a couple of packages that are still lost in the USPS system, one is goin on a year now. I'm currently dealing with a lead shipment that got thrashed enroute.

[StarMetal]

Bill Curmudge,

What do you sell, that is, besides what stuff we do here on the forum? I agree with you about the USPS. UPS certainly has gone down hill.

Joe

[44woody]

Eljefe first of all get Insured mailif they loose it you can get reinbursed for it second get a delivery confirmation receipt for your package third thingis pack it in such a way that it can not come out of the box yoy sent it in reason why I have lost parts of 2 shipments one was parts to a Magma 40 lb pot that I sent back to Magma to have fixet the second was 1400+ 38 cast bullets that I had sent to a gentleman in Las Vegas I am still fighting them on that one don't get me wrong flat rate postage is a good thing and has saved me alot of money you just have to pack it right and get the receipts I have sent quite a few thing to menbers of this board before I have received the money and have yet to have a problem this is the best board I have been on 44Woody

[versifier]

eljefe, we have a good bunch here, no question. But out there in the big bad world, it's a , well, a big bad world. Delivery confirmation with a signature is cheap insurance for both buyer and seller. BTW, what's your springer's name?

[eljefe]

Versifier, his name is Snoopy...I didn't name him! Probably a million dogs go by that name. He is just over a year old, a great dog. We have mainly worked on obedience, but have done a little bird work. Best dog I have ever had!

I take it by your avatar you are also a springer owner?

[versifier]

Freddie lives on in my heart and in my writing, and I was honored by her friendship for almost fourteen years. I will be in a place where it is safe to have a dog in another year, then I might even get TWO. Few things in life suck more than partridge hunting without a springer, or for that matter, doing anything without a springer. After almost five years, I'm still putting plates down on the floor and saving the last bite of sandwitches. No matter how hard I try, the damned cat just won't quarter properly.

[NVcurmudgeon]

Joe, didn't mean to give the impression that I am in any sort of business. More like buying or selling one or two odds and ends a year.

[StarMetal]

Oh, okay Bill, thanks.

Joe

[Buckshot]

.............Re: Postal Insurance. Read the fine print. You cannot collect on the postal insurance unless you can produce the broken, ruptured or otherwise traumatized shipping carton. If it never arrived, how'ya gonna do that? If/when I ship something insured I always get a delivery confirmation also. A delivery confirmation only costs I think 60 cents. If you do click and ship online the conf fee is waived.

If you do any selling I'd suggest signing up at the USPS online. It's simple, and very convienient. I bought an electronic postal meter accurate to 1/10 ounce and the PO only goes by full ounces so it's pleanty accurate enought. It wieghs to 50 lbs and cost me $24.

The PO will even ship you boxes, envelopes and labels for FREE! Sticky backed mailing labels you print out cost, but you can print out on plain paper and tape it to the carton if you want.

Best of all for the group buy honchos is you can call for a free pickup. That way you don't have to go to the PO and you're not in line with 42 cartons to ship, and everyone behind you wishes you were dead.

................Buckshot

[NVcurmudgeon]

Rick, a fifty lb. scale accurate to 1/10 oz? For only $24? That sounds like the cat's meow for weighing alloys and guns. Where do I get one of those?

.............Re: Postal Insurance. Read the fine print. You cannot collect on the postal insurance unless you can produce the broken, ruptured or otherwise traumatized shipping carton. If it never arrived, how'ya gonna do that? If/when I ship something insured I always get a delivery confirmation also. A delivery confirmation only costs I think 60 cents. If you do click and ship online the conf fee is waived.

If you do any selling I'd suggest signing up at the USPS online. It's simple, and very convienient. I bought an electronic postal meter accurate to 1/10 ounce and the PO only goes by full ounces so it's pleanty accurate enought. It wieghs to 50 lbs and cost me $24.

The PO will even ship you boxes, envelopes and labels for FREE! Sticky backed mailing labels you print out cost, but you can print out on plain paper and tape it to the carton if you want.

Best of all for the group buy honchos is you can call for a free pickup. That way you don't have to go to the PO and you're not in line with 42 cartons to ship, and everyone behind you wishes you were dead.

................Buckshot

[nighthunter]

The only lost shipment I have ever experienced with the usps was to a guy on this board. It was WW shipped to a guy in Alaska that wanted to get started in casting and supposedly had no lead sources. Upon arrival he was to send me payment at a very very low price. He said he never got it and I had no insurance on the package so for all it was worth I didn't hassle the usps. I learned a lesson and I hope he enjoyed the free WW.
Nighthunter

[BD]

Seems like you guys are a lot luckier than I. USPS managed to lose at least one package a year during the years that I had the tannery. And they were insured, return reciept packages. UPS lost about twice as many, but it was much easier to collect the insurance from UPS. We once recieved a package in Anguilla that had been mailed two years earlier from France. The chocolates inside where in pretty rough shape after the trip via the Seychelles, Angola, and then Antigua.

Years ago I bought a Soderin aperture sight for one of my swedes from a guy in Finland. I sent him the money and the sight never arrived. We went back and forth a little then tried tracing it from both ends. Finally he sent me another one. I think it took him the month of dealing with me before he trusted me not to be pulling a trick on him.
BD

[waksupi]

The only lost shipment I have ever experienced with the usps was to a guy on this board. It was WW shipped to a guy in Alaska that wanted to get started in casting and supposedly had no lead sources. Upon arrival he was to send me payment at a very very low price. He said he never got it and I had no insurance on the package so for all it was worth I didn't hassle the usps. I learned a lesson and I hope he enjoyed the free WW.
Nighthunter

Nighthunter, I also lost a package of WW's shipped to Alaska, to a reliable recipient. I must say, I was a bit of an overachiever, as far as package weight goes, however.

[drinks]

I have had some long delays, 3 months from Trinity to Galveston,[150 miles], 23 days to Alaska for a 6x9 padded envelope, 3 weeks to Phoenix.The only one I never expect to see again, is the 10x14 manila envelope of braille patterns sent to N.C. in May of this year.
It went 1st class, too!
I have about decided to get delivery conformation on anything.

[fatnhappy]

I once had a falling out with a creditor over a cashier's check I sent. I accused them of "creating" a late payment with the intent of changing the loan terms. A shady but not unheard of practice. When all was said and done I paid the loan in full, cash, so I wouldn't have to deal with the company again.

About 2 or 3 years later I received a letter with the check in it. The original envelope had a rubber cancellation stamp from the post office that said "found in supposedly empty machinery."

I felt like a fool for maligning someone else unjustly.

[Buckshot]

Rick, a fifty lb. scale accurate to 1/10 oz? For only $24? That sounds like the cat's meow for weighing alloys and guns. Where do I get one of those?

..............Bill got it off E-Bone. Just search 'scales'.

..............Buckshot