Feedback question …

[kickin.assets]

Normally this isn’t an issue, either a transaction was great where positive feedback is left or it was meh, I leave no feedback, and just move on from it.

Decided to try some off brand thermal labels. Bought said labels (which work awesome with my rollo btw ❤️)! Sellers shipping/service/product was excellent. So what’s the problem you ask?

Seller used a Priority box “hidden” inside of a poly bag, utilizing USPS ground and not Priority. I understand why they did this as labels were $22 with free shipping. Box was heavy (2000 labels), so more than a few pounds.

Now I know many think, no big deal, you received what you purchased and loved it so this should just be a carry on, let it go thing … but … I use priority padded flat rate envelopes almost every day and do not want these free supplies to go away because of the abuse.

Think if it was a unknowledgeable new seller or very small seller, I may have let this one slide but it is a BIGGER seller (1300 pos feedback/12 neutral/2 neg last 30 days). So is this a leave nothing, move on and forget it or 🤔. I really shouldn’t be this po’d as I received better than expected product/deal. Help! Lol

Many thanks for thoughts on this matter!

Kiks

[kickin.assets]

@gurlcat 

Oh yes, I had those thoughts also … I like the product, shipping time/service was excellent and I will burn through the labels always quicker than I think I will. So there’s that.

But here’s a little tid bit about me … although I went into the entertainment field as a teenager, I grew up in a very military/police environment. So although I was the wild child who always kept my parents frazzled at best, I have a very strong need to do the right thing.

Yes, there’s a lot of people who say screw USPS as they’re only raising prices, making the selling environment tougher with every hike, but on the other hand, 99.9% of the time they have got my packages from point A to point B and I have used the free shipping supplies for many many years, saving me money in the long run.

I do believe, for environment purposes, people should be able to use (used/old or shredded) materials, but this BIG seller used a current new priority box inside a poly bag and shipped ground. And yes, supplies can be/get expensive but I don’t believe abusing the system is okay nor the mindset of “everyone is doing it” makes it okay.

If that’s an unpopular opinion, so be it.

People wanna be “outlaws”, I get that. I’ve lived much of my life in that crowd (much to my parents dismay, lol) and I’m far from perfect, nor would I ever claim to be, BUT it’s still abusing a system that may very well go away if we continue to turn a blind eye.

I’d never neg someone, but I’m on the fence with a neutral. I realize if I do that, the seller will likely block me and that’s their right. I won’t lose sleep over it.

[kickin.assets]

@christworks 

Has your account been hacked? Are you okay? This isn’t the usual, diplomatic response you normally give. 

All I can say to that post is exactly what @mommaknows just did … WOW …

[krazzykats]

This rant seems to have laid everything out, and a lot of time was spent defending different perspectives.

Just do your thing, whatever works for you. If gaming the system is your choice, go for it! 

I recently returned almost all my priority boxes to my local post office. I had ordered them right before the last price hike and now I realize I’ll hardly use them now. 

One request though—please only donate clean, unused boxes. I picked up some from the post office a couple months ago that smelled like a dumpster. Someone must have donated those smelly boxes.

So please, only donate fresh, clean ones. Thanks!

The cat's nose knows.  🤣

[redlinear]

Maybe we're just not all on the same page 
I shipped a vehicle WINDSHIELD couple weeks ago.
UPS Ground.
And it made it across the country and arrived unbroken and in good shape.
   That buyer did not complain one bit about how I managed to get that done with a couple of refrigerator boxes, Several rolls of three different kinds of tape,  8 small flat rate boxes, and two secret ingredients.
All done for a "feasible" cost?  (so that myself and my buyer could afford it).

I don't get free USPS boxes to use as packaging.
I never did.
I got them to use for their intended purpose.
Then they changed their rules. 
So, I'll use them for something rather than waste them. 

  

[christworks]

---

@mommaknows wrote:

@christworks WOW! Where are you taking this....

The bottom line is wrong is wrong and to call out people, myself included, for making that point, well is amazing to me especially with your name "christworks." This isn't about anything but what was posted and not any "worse things to report." Hopefully you will be better. 

Ps. No, we don't  "all do things like that."

---

Wrong is wrong. I never said it wasn't. I agree with that 100%. In fact, I mentioned in another thread yesterday the reason why I need Christ is that I know my list of sins is insane. But my Bible also tells me "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." You do not have to believe it. That's fine. It doesn't make it any less true. You want to say it is wrong to misuse USPS Priority Mail boxes, I have no problem calling wrong where there is wrong. 

The behavior I am calling out is casting stones at people when you do not know their story, their situation, or anything else about them. It is pretty easy to call people out whilst you hide in your own filth where nobody can judge you.

There are young women with children whose husbands up and leave them, who suddenly can't make ends meet. They may resort to reselling, and cannot afford to buy boxes or maybe don't have access to easily get free ones. I think about people like that.

When I was a kid, we went through periods after my dad left where we had no electricity or food. In the hot summer, we could go to businesses that had A/C just to stay cool. We were not buying anything, but we sure took advantage of their air conditioning. I guess that was wrong, too. How about when we didn't have any money for food one weekend and it just happened to coincide with a home show where there were businesses who were giving away food samples. We ate lunch and dinner 3 days in a row by getting samples because we were hungry and had no help. I guess that was wrong, too. 

Right is right. Wrong is wrong. That's how I see the world, too. I just don't make a federal case out of things that do not impact me, and when I do not know someone's situation. I am blessed to be able to buy my boxes, but I also understand some people aren't in my shoes but are aiming to get there. 

[mommaknows]

@christworks What the....! Your reply makes me sad.

I think you need another bag of those stones you profess others are casting. I believe you cut in line.

Be well.

[christworks]

---

@kickin.assets wrote:

@christworks 

Has your account been hacked? Are you okay? This isn’t the usual, diplomatic response you normally give. 

All I can say to that post is exactly what @mommaknows just did … WOW …

---

No, it's me. You know I love you all. ❤️ We can disagree, and I'll still feed you a good meal if you visit. Read my follow-up to @mommaknows and you'll see where I'm coming from. I believe in following the rules. I believe grace is out pacing that. The reactions here do not coincide with the "crime" committed. 

As someone who has done work for the USPS (not as an employee, but as a contractor) I can tell you that, for the most part, they do not care if someone uses those boxes as internal packaging on occasion. I am very familiar with the rules, but there are the rules and then there is reality. Some local USPS offices may want some back, but others don't have the space for them. 

This may be even more of a shock, but you can actually sell USPS Priority Mail boxes that are retired designs. Yes, it is legal to do so. So there could be situations where a seller uses old boxes that are unused, because USPS does not use the design anymore. Of course, nobody here thinks about things like that. They just rush to report or leave a negative -- all over what? Something that has little, if any, impact on them? Life is too short, especially for other sellers to be spending time on things like that. 

[hotwheelsbum]

Honestly, none of your business how that Guy, that Seller, operates his business. Doesn't matter whether you agree with it or not, it's truly none of your business whatsoever. 

This comes up in Facebook Groups all the time. People are always 50/50. You have the naysayers who want to whine about it, execute the seller for breaking such minor trivial ways of using "Free" postal supplies, so on. Then you have the people who just don't care, don't give a hoot. You do YOU, let that Seller do THEM. You have no power to punish Seller for doing something wrong, only the Post Office has that power. It effects you no way whatsoever. If you want to try the "Post Office is going raise rates over this" cover to justify your disgust with this, that's Bull. Post Office is going to raise rates regularly no matter what. Doesn't matter if people misuse Postal Supplies or not.

And for anyone to leave a Negative or Neutral over something they don't agree is, well, Petty. 

Take a word from Joey Swolls. You need to do better. Mind your own business. 

[gurlcat]

Great now I won't be able to stop trying to guess what the 2 secret ingredients were. 
This was the toughest thing I ever had to ship, 4 feet long, glass, and parts of the carved wood edges already crumbling a bit.  My secret ingredient was adult diapers.  The buyer LOVED it, said he got the biggest laugh when he cut the cardboard open, but also said he would use the diapers to stuff his Halloween scarecrow.  So they served 2 whole (unintended) purposes, ha.  

[mommaknows]

@gurlcat What a great idea! 

[kickin.assets]

@christworks 

Glad you are okay. That’s all that really matters.

The post just wasn’t “normal” for you and that was concerning. Any of us hanging out on the boards for any length of time certainly realize that some subjects will hit a nerve and where things will suddenly go left.

Was just looking for some advice because I was truly torn. I always leave positive feedback or nothing and this one really has me divided. I wouldn’t leave a negative, but was actually considering a neutral. If I don’t leave something, eBay now will. 🫤

[redlinear]

---

@gurlcat wrote:

Great now I won't be able to stop trying to guess what the 2 secret ingredients were. 
This was the toughest thing I ever had to ship, 4 feet long, glass, and parts of the carved wood edges already crumbling a bit.  My secret ingredient was adult diapers.  The buyer LOVED it, said he got the biggest laugh when he cut the cardboard open, but also said he would use the diapers to stuff his Halloween scarecrow.  So they served 2 whole (unintended) purposes, ha.  

---

YIKES!!!!  Was that a Gold Leaf frame?

[gurlcat]

I agree .... mostly.  I do think there's such a thing as gross abuse of these things, like if someone uses dozens of bubble padded envelopes when they could have just as easily used wadded newspaper or whatever.  

@kickin.assets  I wouldn't actually tell you to mind your own business, LOL.  But on that point, the business you did with this seller only showed you the misuse of ONE (1) box.  Just because they are a big seller doesn't mean they do this routinely.  You literally only know about your one purchase.  

[gurlcat]

Thanks.  They were free-ish (I found them in a storage unit I won at auction) but the bag was open with 1 or 2 missing, so they weren't sellable or donatable, and they sat in my garage waiting for their time to shine -then it came!    

[gurlcat]

I don't think it was gold leafed, just painted wood.  From the 60's or 70's, I'd say.  Every time I look at that picture I regret selling it.  It's one of only 3 or 4 things like that, out of thousands of sales.  It was only $8 at a local second hand store.  I think it sold for $125.  

But you know what?  I'd regret it a lot more if the buyer hadn't been such a sweetheart, and I think he probably loved the painting even more than I, so it went where it needed to be and I had a great experience from it.