Get Stuff Where You Want It... FAST!!!
Written: Jun 29 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Fast, efficient, great bargain
Cons: None
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| dance4joy's Full Review: US Postal Service Priority Mail |
When I first began selling items on eBay, what a mess trying to weigh everything, calculate the correct postage, find proper packaging, keep enough strong tape on hand, etc. Then I decided to try USPS Priority Mail.
Wow! Did my life just get easier, or what? First off, my postal scale is very old and does not calculate actual postage and it's hard to get an exact reading; so I was always doing a lot of "guesstimates" and often did not charge people sufficient postage, as I was careful not to "cheat" them. I planned to buy a new scale, but with Priority Mail I find I don't need to!
With Priority Mail, you can send up to two pounds for $3.20, regardless of weight or content. After that, it goes up in increments based on weight... $4.30, $5.20, $6.10, etc. Better yet, their website at www.usps.com is excellent, and has a rate calculator for most all types of mail, so you can quickly check the postage on your individual items. I now ship all items by Priority Mail except books, for which I give people the option of Special Fourth Class (aka Book Rate). For most items, I find Priority Mail to cost only about a nickel more than regular rate mailing... and you get free supplies!
Free supplies? Yes... all you need! You can order them from their website, and they are shipped straight to your home (or wherever you desire) completely free. The only requirement is that you fill out a form promising to use them only for US Priority Mail... which in my opinion is quite reasonable. You can order a wide variety of boxes in different sizes, as well as mailing envelopes, different types of labels, stickers and even tape... all free.
The only "down" side of this is that you have to order stuff in fairly large quantities... usually at least 25 to 50 of each size box, etc. I have boxes stashed all over the house! But I also shared some of them with my office; but if you share them, make sure the people are only using them as they are supposed to, because you are responsible for their misuse. Using them other than promised is a federal offense... and okay, you may not be likely to get "caught" but it is still dishonest... and you could be the "lucky person" who gets caught!
Another advantage to USPS Priority Mail... at least here in Fort Lauderdale... is the fast, friendly service I receive at my local Post Office. I'm sure we've all heard a lot of complaints about the Post Office, but this one is hard to beat! They almost always have a whole line of clerks, all working very hard and very polite and helpful. They are quick to assist... and very patient... for people who walk up with Express Mail tape on Priority Mail packages, etc... quickly grabbing tape and redoing it for them, and helping in whatever way necessary.
I have sold literally hundreds of items on eBay so I am often at the Post Office several times a week. Of course by now they know me! Often I don't even have to ask for an itemized receipt... most of the clerks just automatically give it to me. And they offered me a mail tub to keep with me, to make it easier to haul in the packages.
The Post Office will also pick these up for you for a charge; this might be beneficial if you have a lot. I've never used this aspect of the service, but would assume it is probably as reliable as the rest!
Among these many items mailed via Priority Mail, I have never had one missing or delayed! In fact most of them arrive earlier than the three-day estimate... quite often people tell me they received them the next day!
All-in-all I've found this to be a great service at a great price! A rare bargain in today's world! Try it... you'll like it!!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
dance4joy
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Location: Seattle, WA
Reviews written: 105
Trusted by: 35 members
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