eBay

alpenglow_wares · ‎04-28-2020

I'm curious as to how people who work full time, as I do, deal with shipping stuff out fast and dealing with the post office hours. I'm just getting set up to sell within a few weeks, and have been looking at threads and videos about shipping. I want to use USPS, but there are these problems:
* PO hours are 9-5:30. I work 8-5 with a 35-minute commute. There's no way I can get to the PO during their working hours, on any weekday.
* Even if I could get to the post office, I don't think I want to stand in line anyway, amidst COVID-19.
* I know about scheduling pickups. But most of my stuff won't fit in my mailbox. Does your mail delivery person pick up from the porch? Which leads into the next concern: I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable about regularly leaving a bunch of valuable stuff in boxes on my porch. Seems like I'd be making myself a great target for porch pirates.

So what does a busy person with a full-time job do? I'd like to get some input on this from people that are in a similar situation.

oldtownrhoda · ‎04-28-2020

Yeah, I get that.... there is a high probability that your full time job will not be happy that you're "moonlighting" on their time. Even if it's just to ship out stuff.

lja440 · ‎04-29-2020

I'm a mail carrier, I really like waistingtimes links, love the first one and will probably get one from my daughter as she is buying her first home. First time any of us will be living in a town and it will double as a place to sit taking off or putting on shoes.

My husbands uncle lives up in Cleveland in a pretty densely populated area. He has always had a couple chairs on his porch with a old army trunk between for a table and place to put packages. 2 packages remained safely tucked inside the day his next door neighbor had a package stolen from her porch. So the concept works, you will just have to let your carrier know where they are.

Another good option is to give them to a trusted neighbor that is home during the time your mail is delivered. You can even note this on your scheduled pick up "Please pick-up these packages from next door neighbor Mrs. Jones 123 Main st".

I have people that I pick up packages often that just leave a note in their mailbox , but I am a rural mail carrier. If you are on a city route it's always best to schedule a pick-up on line.

karthok.of.daolodus · ‎04-29-2020

@alpenglow_wares wrote:
Alcoforever, I considered the drop box at the post office, but then read other things on the Net that were telling me not to do that, because "you always want to make sure to have them scan your items when you take them to the PO."

OK, I can see the reason you'd want that insurance, so it doesn't just get put somewhere and then scanned whenever they get to it. But it makes things pretty darned inconvenient for a guy that works long hours at his regular job.

i would not worry about them scanning in - for every one person who says that there are many more who don't worry about it - the packages get scanned at the PO or the sorting center, either one is fine. i work full time 12 hour shifts and just drop the stuff off in the evening after work, put it in the drop box and thats it. i believe in not adding complications as its tough enough to get to the po working regular hours.

cream_couture · ‎04-29-2020

I work full time and sell. I ship within 1 business day. I stand in line and get my packages scanned in.

Every city I have ever lived in has a "main" post office, usually on the property of or close to the airport with extended hours. Additionally I am always able to locate other post offices that are open to 6 or 7 pm, but they might require more travel. I use these post offices.

I have flexibility with my company, so if needed, I can go later or leave during day/lunch to go to the post office too. Maybe this is an option for you.

If you don't care about getting a receipt scan (I don't recommend, but many people don't wait in line to get scan) - Most post offices I encounter also have drop bins open 24/7 inside their lobbies. Several UPS stores accept USPS mail also, and they have later hours.

wastingtime101 · ‎04-29-2020

@lja440 wrote:
Another good option is to give them to a trusted neighbor that is home during the time your mail is delivered. You can even note this on your scheduled pick up "Please pick-up these packages from next door neighbor Mrs. Jones 123 Main st".

I don't know if it's a regional thing, but my carrier and other carriers that sub the route do not read those notes. It's been a point of frustration for sure - and yes, I have spoken to the carriers about it. I don't want to escalate to the post master and potentially create friction or issues with my regular carrier so I'm still trying to work it out with him directly - and giving extra slack because everything is so stressful right now.

GLORIOUS!

yuzuha · ‎04-29-2020

For me, there's a post office about two blocks down the street from where I work. I normally work 10-6 and the PO opens at 9, so I just drop them off before I go in; if I'm running late and can't drop them off before work, I take a walk on my lunch break and mail them then.

If there's a PO near where you work, going on your lunch break is always an option.

alpenglow_wares · ‎04-29-2020

Thanks for the discussion. Having a porch "storage bench" and scheduling pickups sounds like a good idea, at least when I can't get to the post office, which might be often. I can definitely see the advantage of knowing that they're scanned in right there when you drop them off, but I think that a lot of times I won't have that luxury of being able to stand in line and get that done. I'll probably just have to do the drop box thing or schedule pickups. Maybe augment with weekend runs to the PO when I have to.

lja440 · ‎04-30-2020

@wastingtime101 wrote:
@lja440 wrote:
Another good option is to give them to a trusted neighbor that is home during the time your mail is delivered. You can even note this on your scheduled pick up "Please pick-up these packages from next door neighbor Mrs. Jones 123 Main st".
I don't know if it's a regional thing, but my carrier and other carriers that sub the route do not read those notes. It's been a point of frustration for sure - and yes, I have spoken to the carriers about it. I don't want to escalate to the post master and potentially create friction or issues with my regular carrier so I'm still trying to work it out with him directly - and giving extra slack because everything is so stressful right now.

It's not a regional thing I don't think, more of you have a carrier that is careless. There are some in every business. If you have talked to them then it is time to take it to the Postmaster. Mind there are also customers that can be real PITA's too (I have a couple)it could be that they are painting all customers with that brush. It's not hard to get soured on a job when people are unreasonable. (LOL I once had a on-line complaint from a lady that said that I got her mail wet and it ruined a card from her grand daughter. That day it was snowing, everything was closed and I had around 2" of snow on my lap through my open window). Talk to the Postmaster, see if there is anyway you can work it out with the carrier and sub. Ask if there is something that is in their way that prevents them from picking up or something you can do to make a pick-up easier. Sometimes what doesn't bother you is a problem for us, like where you can turn around your car in the driveway, my Jeep loaded down with visibility blocked by packages is a issue.

To sum up my ramble. Talk to the Postmaster.

collectionstudios · ‎04-30-2020

The lobby of a post office usually opens around 06:00, you can drop your packages off on the way to work. And yes, USPS will pickup at your front door.

wastingtime101 · ‎05-03-2020

Thanks, I guess I'll have to speak with the Post Master. I'll probably wait until things semi-normalize with all this C-19 stuff.

GLORIOUS!

lja440 · ‎05-04-2020

@yuzuha wrote:
For me, there's a post office about two blocks down the street from where I work. I normally work 10-6 and the PO opens at 9, so I just drop them off before I go in; if I'm running late and can't drop them off before work, I take a walk on my lunch break and mail them then.

If there's a PO near where you work, going on your lunch break is always an option.

You work from 10-6 AND get a lunch break !!! Lucky you.

I leave for work at 5:30 and get home between 4:30 and 5:30. My break is stopping at the Cheese House to use the rest room (5-10 minutes) I may snag a cheese cube from the sample tray on the way out for lunch, but right now they can't put out a sample tray but at least they haven't closed the rest room like most places have.