USPS employee asked me to change the zip code?

[jmr1068215]

I do Ebay sales on the side of a regular job. I went to the local post office that is near to me (about 3 miles away), but it is in another city. I print my labels off from Ebay and the to/from addresses are already filled in, of course. When I went the other day, they were open and I asked the lady for a receipt for dropping them off. Her reply was that I "didn't need a receipt because when you print the label, it shows up the tracking information." The receipt that I wanted was to make sure that the USPS is actually scanning them in and not making them disappear, so yes, I DO need a receipt. She said, "See this zip code at the top? Can you change that to our zip code so that we get credit for it?" That zip code is MY zip code. Ebay puts that at the top of the label just to the left of the large P (Priority Mail) saying "From zip code xxxxx". It gets it from my address, so if I changed that to the post office zip code like she's asking, the zip code would be wrong if it needed to return to sender. I don't understand what "credit" she's talking about, either.

I honestly wonder if that isn't the Postmaster. She had the other guy out there cleaning windows and nobody else was in there. I remember going in there asking for a receipt a couple of years ago and a lady that looked like her kind of laughed and scoffed when I asked for a receipt and say, "Booooy, I'll tell ya what..." as if saying that to another coworker and complaining about me asking for a receipt. I also get mistake for being in my late teens or early twenties, but I'm actually in my mid-30's and just look really young. Is this fraud? Should I report this?

[dougsue123b]

Complain the the postmaster general, believe it or not you will get results. I have done it a few times.

[couldabeenworse]

That zip code is MY zip code.

Your ZIP code belongs in your return address.  The "From" ZIP code is supposed to be the ZIP of the Post Office where it's being mailed.  When you print your labels, there should be an option to change only the "From" ZIP code.

This is a USPS requirement, not only to credit the proper post office for handling your mail, but to charge the correct postage in the unusual situation where there is a difference.

I've never heard of a post office refusing to accept these mis-labelled parcels, but they are correct to ask you to print your labels properly.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@jmr1068215 wrote:

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 ... That zip code is MY zip code. Ebay puts that at the top of the label just to the left of the large P (Priority Mail) saying "From zip code xxxxx". It gets it from my address, so if I changed that to the post office zip code like she's asking, the zip code would be wrong if it needed to return to sender. I don't understand what "credit" she's talking about, either.....

If your package is returned, it will be returned to your return address.  That has nothing to do with the "Shipping from"  ZIP Code, which is supposed to be where you're shipping from.  It's easy to change; there's a [change] link on the label preparation form right next to your return address.  

You're supposed to change it if you are shipping from a different ZIP Code, in case the change affects the postage calculation, although that can't  happen for non-zoned services (such as Media Mail or First Class) or if you're using a Priority Mail flat rate box.  Also if the first 3 digits of the two ZIP Codes are the same then the calculated postage will be the same.

There's no reason not to humor her and change it. Especially if the first 3 digits of the ZIP Code for that PO don't match your own.

[dbmm-media]

you are supposed to use the post office zip code of where you are shipping from.

on other postage sites, you set the zip code of the post office you are shipping from.

i have never used ebay for postage, so i can not say for sure, but there probably is somewhere to enter the post office zip code. 

your return address with your zip code is not the issue.

[jmr1068215]

30032 vs 30002. No difference and they were flat rate packages. I don't see how one gets "credit" vs another seeing as how they're all USPS. Are they franchising now and each location has certain sales dollar amounts? It isn't like I'd ship it from my city and drive 400 miles away to ship from another zip code.

[nobody*s_perfect]

When USPS reallocates staff, especially in response to budget cuts, the total volume of mail handled by each post office is a major consideration.  However, I'm pretty sure this is based on acceptance scans, not on the the ZIP Code  on the online postage purchase.

Nevertheless, it takes just a moment to change it (especially when it's just one digit), and it usually carries over for future packages.

 Postal zones are based on the first 3 digits of the ZIP Code; you never know where the border is going to be. I live on the east coast and frequently take packages when I'm visiting my daughter 100 miles west of me; it lowers the postage cost about half the time.  

[couldabeenworse]

I don't see how one gets "credit" vs another seeing as how they're all USPS.

The number of pieces handled by each location is an important factor when downsizing or allocating funds.

I don't know how much weight USPS currently gives the label data vs acceptance scans.  I do know that you are doing it incorrectly, and your postal worker should not be blamed for asking you to do it correctly.

[multimedea_media]

I would have said, "I am an United States citizen sending Us mail through a US post office, and I pay your salary through my US tax dollars. That's the only credit you need to be concerned with."

[couldabeenworse]

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@multimedea_media wrote:

I would have said, "I am an United States citizen sending Us mail through a US post office, and I pay your salary through my US tax dollars. That's the only credit you need to be concerned with."

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LOL.  That would seem quite inconsistent with all three parts of your "Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly." signature.

[buyselljack2016]

I have been told that the financial credit goes to the office that is selected when printing/paying for the label.

I have also been told that the credit goes to the office scanning acceptance.

Either way, I try to do the "shipped from" Zip fo the office that I am going to drop at if it is a day where I do not just put it out for the carrier.

[johnrj1226]

I've done the same thing before and never had any issues when they  scanned the package.  These other PO have  different zips than  my home base adn aare within 6 miles of my home PO, no worry about a postage difference we are not near any postal zone line.

Yes I believe the USPS employee asked a bit much for you to go home and print a new lable with their  zip code and drive back and hand it to them so they could get "credit" - seems a bit tacky to me.   Kinda' like begging  or asking someone to  jump thru  hoops for  postive FB.

[buyselljack2016]

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@johnrj1226 wrote:

I've done the same thing before and never had any issues when they  scanned the package.  These other PO have  different zips than  my home base adn aare within 6 miles of my home PO, no worry about a postage difference we are not near any postal zone line.

Yes I believe the USPS employee asked a bit much for you to go home and print a new lable with their  zip code and drive back and hand it to them so they could get "credit" - seems a bit tacky to me.   Kinda' like begging  or asking someone to  jump thru  hoops for  postive FB.

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I don't think they were bring asked to go home to reprint the label.

It sounds like this is a routine drop location for the OP.  If it is done on a regular basis there is nothing wrong with the employee asking that the correct "ship from" Zip is used. The OP was not refused service.

I once dropped at an alternate office, and apologized for not having the correct ship from.  The clerk stared at the label clueless as to what I was saying.

[johnrj1226]

C'mon man,  what  difference would one package every now and then really make make in the evaluation  of a PO for down sizing or funding?  I know  one might reply  "but what if every body did it"-  my my response would be  "highly  unlikely".

How many demerits  should a carrier get when they continually missdeliver mail.  Our new(er) carrier since January has  misdelivered 10 pieces of mail  addressed to  our  home that were addressed to different last family name that lives on a different street name (spelling not even close - Deep Step vs Eastwood Forest) and about 1/3 of a mile from our house but our house number is the same.   Plus the carrier has mail delivered our mail to another house that has nothing similar other than being in our neigborhood or  54 homes.  Yes, I have talked to the carrier, always write on the evelopes/packages  "delivered to the wrong address" put  back  in  our mail box with red flag up but no change  and then I called the Post Master -  twice - but the "beat goes on" as late as two days ago.