USPS ,can somebody explain ?

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Roofuss

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Recently I sold a NOS magazine and the buyer sent payment through the US Mail. Because of forecast bad weather here in western Montana I decided to go ahead and ship him the mag ahead of time. I packaged it up, then dropped it off in a US Postal small "flat rate " box at my local post office. Flat rate for this small box, that weighed almost nothing was $11.00 to send. When the buyer picked it up at his local post office, they then charged him an additional $3.35 for it. WHY ?????
I paid the original cost to send it, it took well over a week to get there, and then they have the balls to tack on more money ...total BS !
 
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Flat rate means exactly that. I believe you can ship up to 70lbs. in a small flat rate so 1 pound or 70 is the same $11.00. I've never heard of any additional fee being charged. I've used the various size flat rate boxes a lot and it's never happened to me. The recipient needs to go back to the PO and speak with a manager.
 
I told the buyer exactly that when he emailed me what had happened upon picking up the mag. No way should he have paid extra . He said he tried to get an answer from the postal workers he talked to and was " like trying to herd cats", so he paid it and left. I told him it was 100% BS !!!!
 
Roofuss said:
I told the buyer exactly that when he emailed me what had happened upon picking up the mag. No way should he have paid extra . He said he tried to get an answer from the postal workers he talked to and was " like trying to herd cats", so he paid it and left. I told him it was 100% BS !!!!
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Get in touch with your congress persons office and ask them that question!
 
Well, I'm going to let the buyer who paid the additional fee run with this, if he's inclined to do so. Just thought I'd see if anyone here might have had a similar experience or an idea as to why.
 
The only extra fee I've ever run into on flat rate shipping is if you overstuff it and the package/box gets distorted. They will charge you an extra fee and as I recall it was close to that amount. Doesn't sound like that would happen with a magazine.
 
glenwolde said:
The only extra fee I've ever run into on flat rate shipping is if you overstuff it and the package/box gets distorted. They will charge you an extra fee and as I recall it was close to that amount. Doesn't sound like that would happen with a magazine.
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No, there was plenty of room to spare, and weighed very little .
 
If you specified that the buyer must sign to receive shipment or added insurance above the standard amount the PO would have charged above the standard flat box rate.
 
For that small of a town, i'd suspect to be able to speak with its Post Master. I had a package mis-delivered in such a small town. I spoke to their PM, and she spoke to the carrier, and got it all straightened out.
Good luck!
 
USPS can't explain why they do what they do most times. But if I was the receiver of a flat rate package and they told me I had to pay any extra fees I'd not leave the post office until the postmaster for hat site came out and explained some good reason why they were trying to tack on an extra charge.
 
I 100% agree, but it's up to the buyer, and I relayed to him my thoughts. It's in his hands.
 
Where did you get the $11 fee for a small flat rate box. Did you buy it some time ago? I think a small flat rate box is now more expensive than $11.
 
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