USPS fragile sticker

[qrtrhorsejane]

I confess, I msged USPS via FB maybe 10 hrs ago - supposedly they answer w/in an hr (yep, no reply - called, too, hold time was going to be almost 2 hrs!)  I figure you all know more anyway!  I don't have a business, just getting rid of some stuff.  I went to ship something today and the USPS employee asked me if I wanted to pay $10 for her to indicate that it's fragile.  I had fragile written all over the box in red, the item is prob 15-20% of the box - rest was peanuts, bubble wrap.  I asked her why I needed the USPS "fragile" considering my packing, marking, and that when prompted whether it was fragile, I had selected "yes" via their system.  She replied, "So it won't be crushed."  I asked why all of the aforementioned (and I sent it priority, w/ insurance) wouldn't keep it fm being crushed.  She wouldn't answer me at all!  Is this just a scam to get people to pay more?  I've shipped other fragile stuff via a different post office, no one ever tried to get me to spend $10 for the USPS "fragile."  Thanks for the advice.

[couldabeenworse]

Using the 10 buck Fragile sticker supposedly gets the package special handling; manually writing "fragile" on the box just makes people feel better.

[southern*sweet*tea]

When you pay $10.95 (I think that's what it costs) for the special handling sticker, that package is loaded last, taken off the truck first, and unless I'm mistaken it bypasses the conveyor belts. It's really for things like baby chicks, live bees, etc. If you package correctly you don't need special handling or fragile markings of any kind.

[partial*eclipse]

That was a totally inappropriate "upsell", bordering on a threat.  The Special Handling sticker is not warranted for ordinary fragile items if they are packaged properly.  

[couldabeenworse]

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@partial*eclipsewrote:

That was a totally inappropriate "upsell", bordering on a threat.  The Special Handling sticker is not warranted for ordinary fragile items if they are packaged properly.  

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I think they're supposed to offer the sticker whenever the customer clicks "yes" to the fragile question on the checkout terminal. 

I don't think they're supposed to imply that they're going to run over it with a truck if you don't buy the sticker.

[partial*eclipse]

What's a checkout terminal?  Anyway this sender clearly thought that the package was fragile, since they had already marked it.

[richard1rst]

Like this?

[dlw7_26]

Writing "fragile" on the box doesn't mean a thing since most machinery can't read.

[ericlovescameras]

guy in front of me at the post office was really struggling with this today. 

i found it confusing at first as well. post office employees are not trained to explain it well.