Our friends at USPS trying it again.

[earthdog]

Today I got a small flat rate envelope from guy in Utah, couple nice slabs I bought from Ebay.
I had been watching the tracking number all week. It said on the 23rd that it was out for delivery. Didn't get it.
Christmas eve it said it was on hold at the post office but they did deliver a few other boxes and some mail.
We live in an old farm house about a mile from the city so we get rural delivery so once in a while something gets screwed up.
The flat rate envelope is two day priority, for $5.75 anywhere in the country. Slabs weighed only 1.85 pounds and that was with the 6 ounces of free rocks he threw in.
Now the part that gets me is it was on hold for extra postage due. The rural delivery driver taped an envelope on my package saying I owe another $7.25!
Trying to say the shipper only paid $4.95 for the shipping..
Below are pics showing the stuff.
I'm heading to the post office Monday morning...

[Intheswamp]

Hmm, that's kinda...messed up. I'm interested in hearing what they have to say.

[txrockhunter]

Hopefully they aren't changing their flat rate policy or adding provisions! let us know how that ends up!

BTW, just noticed you are in Beloit.....I work for ABC.

Jeremy

[Fossilman]

Not good!!!!!!!

[earthdog]

Jeremy, Where do you work for them at?
I used to work for ABC Express years ago before they changed their name to Blackhawk.
Ken Hendricks the one that started ABC, I have a few stories of him way before he started ABC.

[txrockhunter]

I've been with the company for 10 years now and I run an ABC Supply branch, just north of Houston. I use Blackhawk for all of my shingle loads. I didn't get to know Ken very well before he passed away, but have heard many good things about him. I would love to hear some of those stories! I've only been on RTH about 6 months, but based on your recent threads, welcome back!

[Sabre52]

Hmmm. I wonder if they are doing that thickness thing again. I don't use the envelopes because sometimes they use this slotted box to check for thickness. They apparently do have a rule that large envelopes have to be under 3/4" thick but I don't know if that's just regular envelopes and not flat rate priority ones. According to their site, if it's too thick, they charge regular package weight prices. Seems weird they would not make this adjustment, if necessary, at the shipping end though. They usually tell me if there are any problems when I go to mail the parcel.....Mel

[rockjunquie]

Good Heavens! That Penny ain't got no cents!

[rxscram]

Eager for an update!

[johnjsgems]

Flat rate envelopes can be anything that fits without altering shape (like adding a section). I think the non-padded ones are $5.05 online. I mostly use the padded ones for $5.70. Only extra charges are things like insurance, signature required, etc. Auto insurance is $50. Anything above that adds to price.

[earthdog]

Well, I went down to the post office today, the woman clearly saw the envelope wasn't altered in any way. She did say that since he folded the flap a 1/2 more than it was supposed to be that makes it a parcel and not a flat rater.
If you look at the pictures in my first post you can see it wasn't altered at all and the only tearing was from me opening the envelope.
In these next pics, the first one is how he had the flap folded with that sticky tape that comes on it. Notice how he folded it below the second red line.
The second pic is how it should have been folded, between the two red lines.
The thrid pic shows how far off he was with his folding the dumb flap, 1/2 inch off and they want to charge $12.20 for shipping because some fat ass lady says that 1/2 inch makes it a parcel. I called the national customer service line and the woman there filed a dispute for me to the postmaster at my office that they dismiss the extra charges, they have 72 hours to get back to me.
If the seller on ebay won't refund me the extra shipping charges because of his mistake I will file a dispute through Paypal.

[Rockoonz]

Well that's a big Whiskey Tango.
Making it SMALLER in a problem?

[bhiatt]

That seems pretty insane!

Thanks for the explanation and extra photos.

[Intheswamp]

Are there instructions on the envelope telling the user where exactly to fold the flap? Does it tell the user that if they don't follow the directions that they will get a check-mark beside "Does Not Follow Directions Well", that they will have to pay a fine, and thaty they will be put on the closely guarded disgruntled postal employees' hit list for the next twenty years?

This indeed seems more like an over zealous postal employee...probably one who has dumped peoples' mail in their own personal garbage on occasion.... Not much common sense being exhibited by the local   PO'd   PO employees.

[Intheswamp]

This is a pretty good little write-up, a bit aged, though, from 2011...

Thick or Lumpy USPS Flat Rate Envelopes

[captbob]

Dec 28, 2015 23:06:02 GMT -5 earthdog said:

If the seller on ebay won't refund me the extra shipping charges because of his mistake I will file a dispute through Paypal.

That's an overflowing crock of piss and moan right there.

Did you know that a FRE could be incorrectly sealed or that by folding the flap over too much before sealing the envelope (actually making the envelope smaller not larger!) would result in increased postage?

Obviously not, or this wouldn't have surprised you.

This is a battle between you and the Napoleon wannabes at the post office. Enjoy the battle, beating those minions behind the counter - which are being paid by you, yet working against you - may be the high point of your week!

The (incorrect) decision of some little tin god hiding behind a Postal Service badge isn't the sellers fault.

[earthdog]

It's not "an overflowing crock of piss and moan".
I was charged a certain amount for shipping, I shouldn't have to pay another $7.25 for shipping because the post office won't do anything about it or because the seller screwed up.

[captbob]

The "mistake" I see is that the seller tried to save his buyer a few bucks on shipping. If the Post Office won't change their tune (bet they would if you fought it), then yes, you would have to pay more which you "shouldn't" have to.

Had the seller gone ahead and used a medium flat rate box, which maybe he should have instead of trying to save you a few bucks, the postage would have been 45¢ more than this adjusted rate the P.O. now wants.

Would you have not bought the whatever it was had the seller charged for a MFRB?

He tried. Maybe it didn't work - because the P.O. is/are being buttheads. Still think they (P.O.) are in the wrong after reading that linked information that Ed posted on page one here.

I wouldn't care about $7.25, but I'd still be fighting the P.O. on this one for the principle.
Squeaky wheel gets the grease - Go get 'em!

I don't believe your seller "screwed up". Doubt he even considered this could happen. Maybe even ships like this all the time and this is the first time some little peon at the P.O. tried to squawk about it.

Whatever... hope it works out to your liking.

[Intheswamp]

It sounds like the flaps must be able to be folded at the intended/pre-pressed fold...I don't think it says it *has* to be folded there, just able to be.

It sounds like your PO folks are being very hard to deal with...I wonder what put a burr under their saddle?

[Rockoonz]

Sounds like my mail carrier who will leave a nasty note in the mailbox if there's a car parked within 10' of my mailbox but who always gets out of the truck to walk the mail to the box at the section 8 obvious meth head house a few doors down without a complaint.