Has there been a change in USPS rules about dropping off pre-paid packages at a post office?

[orman1]

I normally drop off my prepaid USPS packages at a contract branch.  Until recently, they had a large wheeled bin for dropping off pre-paid packagesplaced right outside the counter.  No need to wait in line just to drop packages.  Today there was no bin and I was informed that I need to wait in line to drop off a package.  They told me the rules changed and I must hand the packages to an employee.

Are you guys seeing this or is this just my local branch?  I searched and couldn't find any mention of this change here or elsewhere.

[sam9876]

They are lying to you.

[nc-daydreamer]

It is my understanding that while many people are honest, many others are not. The PO has found many pre-paid parcels with less than adequate postage by understaing the weight. So now, they want to weigh everything while you wait to be sure the payment is right and they are not being taken advantage of.

[lintbrush*]

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@nc-daydreamerwrote:

It is my understanding that while many people are honest, many others are not. The PO has found many pre-paid parcels with less than adequate postage by understaing the weight. So now, they want to weigh everything while you wait to be sure the payment is right and they are not being taken advantage of.

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They do that at the sort facility now - APV program.  Short?  Your seller gets a bill for that.  My PO has stopped even looking at the weights for a match - they say they no longer have to (words from above)

[ryanrobyn]

Ifthis is true they will have to locck all their drop boxes.

My post office makes either way very difficult for people who work. Opens the front door at 9 AM and closes it at 5 PM and this a a major city in Hawaii. This doesn't work if you ship items within 24 hours. 

[tofu107]

anyone can drop anything into that box-cat,dog,trash,bomb.

they want to see you and what you are dropping off.

[missjen831]

Sounds like your local branch changed their rules. They are allowed to do that.

[penguins_dont_fly]

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@tofu107wrote:

anyone can drop anything into that box-cat,dog,trash,bomb.

they want to see you and what you are dropping off.

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I'm betting that's exactly what happened at the OP's branch 😞

One too many McDonald's wrappers or other pieces of garbage in the bin, or packages that didn't have prepaid postage affixed ... or FedEx/UPS packages 

One or two bad apples ruin the barrel 😞

[couldabeenworse]

I don't know if each local PO can make it's own drop-off rules, but it would make sense if they could.  I would talk to the manager or postmaster; I'll bet other options can be arranged.

FWIW, you're aware that there is no insurance if the parcel gets disappeared before the acceptance scan?

[kensgiftshop]

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@orman1wrote:

I normally drop off my prepaid USPS packages at a contract branch.  Until recently, they had a large wheeled bin for dropping off pre-paid packagesplaced right outside the counter.  No need to wait in line just to drop packages.  Today there was no bin and I was informed that I need to wait in line to drop off a package.  They told me the rules changed and I must hand the packages to an employee.

Are you guys seeing this or is this just my local branch?  I searched and couldn't find any mention of this change here or elsewhere.

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Don't know if they changed anything, but I woudn't drop a package in a bin that anyone had access to before getting it scanned.

[partial*eclipse]

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@orman1wrote: ... I was informed that I need to wait in line to drop off a package.  They told me the rules changed and I must hand the packages to an employee.

Ask them to show this new policy in writing. They won't be able to, because they made it up. Or maybe they misread something.   Such a policy would only make more work for the retail counter staff, which surely is something USP would want to avoid.

[missjen831]

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@partial*eclipsewrote:

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@orman1wrote: ... I was informed that I need to wait in line to drop off a package.  They told me the rules changed and I must hand the packages to an employee.

Ask them to show this new policy in writing. They won't be able to, because they made it up. Or maybe they misread something.   Such a policy would only make more work for the retail counter staff, which surely is something USP would want to avoid.

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That’s weird because not all POs have a package drop off bin. There are 3 POs in my city and at all 3 have to stand in line to drop off a package—of course sometimes if the lines are long they will call out to anyone dropping off or picking up and let them cut the line. At the PO I go to, there is a “packages” slot in the wall but it’s not that big, I think a large FLRB slightly too big to fit through the slot.  The other POs don’t even have that, just a slot for letters that’s big enough for a padded FLRE to fit through. So you have to stand in line. 

[partial*eclipse]

But the OP's Post Office seems to be claiming that they were told to remove the bin because of a new policy that all packages must be handed over the counter. That's not the same as a PO's that never had a bin in the first place, possibly because there just isn't room for one.

 I'm suspecting that there is some confusion based on misreading the rules for  packages that are international or maybe domestic  ones over 13 ounces paid with stamps.

[orman1]

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@partial*eclipsewrote:

But the OP's Post Office seems to be claiming that they were told to remove the bin because of a new policy that all packages must be handed over the counter. That's not the same as a PO's that never had a bin in the first place, possibly because there just isn't room for one.

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Yes and before they started putting out a wheeled bin, I could usually drop a package off on the counter.  There are three poitions at the counter and usually no more than 2 are staffed.  So I would just place my package(s) at the unstaffed position and smile and wave at one of the employees.  I tried that today and was told that I had to wait in line and hand the package to an employee.

[orman1]

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@kensgiftshopwrote:

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@orman1wrote:

I normally drop off my prepaid USPS packages at a contract branch.  Until recently, they had a large wheeled bin for dropping off pre-paid packagesplaced right outside the counter.  No need to wait in line just to drop packages.  Today there was no bin and I was informed that I need to wait in line to drop off a package.  They told me the rules changed and I must hand the packages to an employee.

Are you guys seeing this or is this just my local branch?  I searched and couldn't find any mention of this change here or elsewhere.

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Don't know if they changed anything, but I woudn't drop a package in a bin that anyone had access to before getting it scanned.

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The bin is in full view of the counter and it is not a high crime area, so it is a risk I am willing to take.   Of course the USPS might not like the risk of the packages being stolen when people think they have been placed into USPS control.   I guess I can understand it, if that is the reason.  Maybe some packages were stolen.  I would have thought that they could have told me that if that was the case.