$11 shipping for a poster?

[Andre81]

The sad thing is, eBay does no longer care, since they also charge fees for shipping...

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 160723530997

[Rex Dart]

It does say Expedited, whatever that might mean to this seller.

[+poobah]

It says expedited "USPS First Class Mail" in the shipping tab

[boog]

They probably need to buy a poster mailing tube also... might be figuring that into their shipping cost?

[oldjd]

Why dont you contact the seller and ask him if he would ship media mail?

That is allowable under post office guidelines,and the seller may not know

[Zwackery]

Why dont you contact the seller and ask him if he would ship media mail?

That is allowable under post office guidelines,and the seller may not know

 

This is incorrect. This poster is essentially an advertisement for the game, making it ineligible for Media Mail. And just to take things further, last month an eBay seller sent me a poster Media Mail, the PO opened it, and charged me almost an extra $3 to hand it over to me. (I reported this to the seller and the seller did issue me a refund.) I would not consider shipping any poster via Media Mail.

[Atari_Bill]

Why dont you contact the seller and ask him if he would ship media mail?

That is allowable under post office guidelines,and the seller may not know

 

This is incorrect. This poster is essentially an advertisement for the game, making it ineligible for Media Mail. And just to take things further, last month an eBay seller sent me a poster Media Mail, the PO opened it, and charged me almost an extra $3 to hand it over to me. (I reported this to the seller and the seller did issue me a refund.) I would not consider shipping any poster via Media Mail.

 

How does the PO have a right to open something being sent to you? That's rediculous! No wonder they're going under fast. Horribly managed with poor service, just like any other government operation.

[kheffington]

The post office has the absolute right to open Media Mail packages, that is one of the conditions of the Post Office accepting it as Media Mail. The reason they have to do so is due to people ripping off the post office by mailing items as media mail that they know are not qualified for media mail. That drives up the cost of regular mail by the way.

 

Has nothing to do with Horribly managed poor service. I disagree, the post office offers great shipping service. How many packages do you know of that they lose?

Edited January 28, 2012 by kheffington

[Atari_Bill]

The post office has the absolute right to open Media Mail packages, that is one of the conditions of the Post Office accepting it as Media Mail. The reason they have to do so is due to people ripping off the post office by mailing items as media mail that they know are not qualified for media mail. That drives up the cost of regular mail by the way.

 

Has nothing to do with Horribly managed poor service. I disagree, the post office offers great shipping service. How many packages do you know of that they lose?

 

I have actually had 3 packages lost in the last 2 years, so yeah, I might have a different perspective than you.

[kheffington]

I have mailed over 1,000 packages in the past 4 years and not one has been lost by the post office. I have also in that same time frame received around 400 mailed packages, also not one lost.

 

Sure it happens but based on my experience not often.

Edited January 28, 2012 by kheffington

[SpendTooMuchOnAtari]

I print my labels through PayPal even if I didn't receive payment for an item through them. It is cheaper than going to the post office and waiting in line and you get a Delivery Confirmation number. I've never had a package go missing.

[Atari_Bill]

I have mailed over 1,000 packages in the past 4 years and not one has been lost by the post office. I have also in that same time frame received around 400 mailed packages, also not one lost.

 

Sure it happens but based on my experience not often.

 

I must have the most amazing run of bad luck then since I have probably only dealt with maybe 50 packages in those 2 years and lost 3 of them.

[Zwackery]

How does the PO have a right to open something being sent to you? That's rediculous! No wonder they're going under fast. Horribly managed with poor service, just like any other government operation.

 

Since the reorganization in 1971, the USPS has been a (semi-)independent agency of the US Federal Government, and since about 1982 has not received any taxpayer money (except for some subsidies such as to help the disabled). Mismanaged yes, but hardly the fault of the government.

 

As for what the USPS, and other shipping agencies like UPS and FedEx, has the right to open and not open, it probably would be useful to read their policies about this. They're basically not going to read your personal correspondence, but looking for violations of their shipping policies (whether it is something relatively innocuous like Media Mail or something more serious such as chemicals) gives them the right to inspect the packages.

[Atari_Bill]

How does the PO have a right to open something being sent to you? That's rediculous! No wonder they're going under fast. Horribly managed with poor service, just like any other government operation.

 

Since the reorganization in 1971, the USPS has been a (semi-)independent agency of the US Federal Government, and since about 1982 has not received any taxpayer money (except for some subsidies such as to help the disabled). Mismanaged yes, but hardly the fault of the government.

 

As for what the USPS, and other shipping agencies like UPS and FedEx, has the right to open and not open, it probably would be useful to read their policies about this. They're basically not going to read your personal correspondence, but looking for violations of their shipping policies (whether it is something relatively innocuous like Media Mail or something more serious such as chemicals) gives them the right to inspect the packages.

 

While I'm sure that you're probably right, I just don't agree with the policy in the least (not that that matters). Government interference in all phases of life has just become too prevelent. I know that this is not the place to discuss this however, so I will bow out keep my ramblings to myself. Thanks for the explanations on this.

[qix_maniac]

I think $11 is excessive but $8 or $9 is probably fair;

postal rates did go up; buying a tube to mail the poster probably cost $2;media mail is unreliable as I've had bad problems with that too so best sending parcel post or first class

 

I think we all like the idea of not paying for shipping but the bottom line is nothing is free and sellers rather throw stuff out then lose money it's not like the guy has 48 rating and trying to get a "blue" star...he has almost 20k feedback...

 

lets face it ebay is no longer worth it to sell cheap items under $20; try craigslist or gamegavel or here of course...ebay is probably worth it for items of $100+

Edited January 29, 2012 by qix_maniac

[+poobah]

Since the reorganization in 1971, the USPS has been a (semi-)independent agency of the US Federal Government, and since about 1982 has not received any taxpayer money (except for some subsidies such as to help the disabled). Mismanaged yes, but hardly the fault of the government.

 

USPS has also borrowed $15 billion from the Treasury

[Zwackery]

Since the reorganization in 1971, the USPS has been a (semi-)independent agency of the US Federal Government, and since about 1982 has not received any taxpayer money (except for some subsidies such as to help the disabled). Mismanaged yes, but hardly the fault of the government.

 

USPS has also borrowed $15 billion from the Treasury

 

Well, they are just like the American car industry and Wall Street in that regard.

[Crazy Climber]

I just mailed a poster (well 5 to be exact) the shipping was $9 priority mail, I used a recycled tube (one that had posters shipped to me in it) but that probably would have cost a few bucks as it was virtually bullet proof! I could have shipped them cheaper in a crappy tube but they would have surely arrived damaged. Not saying $11 is justified but I am saying for $11 they better arrive un harmed Also from someone who ships around 10 packages a week (me) yes, postage has DEFINETILY increased in price

[Chuck D. Head]

I have mailed over 1,000 packages in the past 4 years and not one has been lost by the post office. I have also in that same time frame received around 400 mailed packages, also not one lost.

 

Sure it happens but based on my experience not often.

I second this, Probably 1,000 eBay transactions going both ways in the last ten years, most of those shipped USPS, none lost. A few did experience worrisome delays, however. I have not had any missing packages with UPS or FedEx, either, but I have had 4-5 packages damaged severely in transit. I had a conversation (i.e. shouting match) with an asshat UPS driver at work a while back, due to the way he was handling packages while looking for the ones he was to be dropping off. I also had a conversation with his supervisor and he was apparently dissapeared shortly after that.