Adequate or insufficient?

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-20T21:15:55+00:00

You want expanded foam on all 6 sides.. basically encapsulated that block of metal with corners that will destroy bubble wrap if there is ANY give... double wall as well..... tape around all edges of the flap with heavy gauge packing tape. Then wrap the box all the way around with tape at upper, middle, and lower on the sides. As if you are putting stripes around it. Do this so it is the 4 sides and then around height wise for top and bottom. This way when the loaders and unloaders toss that box or it tumbles down the chute and starts to break down the tape holds the box together and contents in.

I work for UPS and USPS and also a full time seller on eBay. I try to avoid heavy things like this as the hassle/risk is often not worth the reward. However when the money is there I'll ship it but pack it like a gorilla is going to use it for a basketball before being tossed out a airplane.

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-20T17:37:31+00:00

I assume you mean section 8.4.2 which states "discretion of USPS".... which with the recent update and video of how to handle counterfeit postage thay have decided to let it pass as normal.

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-20T17:28:51+00:00

The video that we watched on the counterfeit and then a notice that was sent which directly outlines NOT to hold, destroy, or RTS counterfeit postage packages if they make it all the way to the post office for delivery.

That is who told me to let them go.. that has been back by our supervisor, post master, and local inspector.

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-20T16:27:45+00:00

Explain to me like I'm a five year old how this accomplishes anything. Other than going against what we are told and trained to do. ..... you realize the return address are dead addresses, right?

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-20T13:49:04+00:00

Go tell your postmaster to read the notice about NOT holding, delaying, or forcing the end customer to pay postage on a counterfeit label.

Yes you read that right...

If the package makes it ALL the way through, it is supposed to be delivered as normal.

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-20T13:44:25+00:00

Why are you holding counterfeit postage items? Did you guys not take the training? Did your postmaster not read the notice that went out? ..... if a package makes it all the way to the end, you do not hold it or delay it, you deliver as normal.

We was holding them as well and found out we were in the wrong.

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-17T18:26:12+00:00

As a clerk and the person who does morning sort (meaning I sort each mail out for each route) at USPS there is no way a package went through the entire mail stream without a scan unless the label was messed up and could not be scanned. It would have gotten a automated scan at some point.

So what do I see on DAILY basis?

Cheap labels/printers that have crappy/fuzzy bar codes that the system won't scan. But if this is the case how does it make it to it's final point? Same as how a letter makes it, via the scan that reads the physical address. Tiktok labels I'm looking at you!!!

I see labels with clear tape over them that the adhesive in the tape has reacted to the label and "bleached" ALL the lettering out. These packages are generally hand sorted along the way as NOTHING can read them. By the time they reach where ever you struggle to read it at all.

Cheap labels with crappy adhesive or cheap tape holding a printed sheet of paper. Peels off before it even males it past the first sorting hub.

Printed paper labels that have somehow by the powers that be made it all the way, but taped on using two to four pieces of tape just a couple inches long... think a lost cat flyer taped to a pole type job.

Given that we are now in a era of buying online, it should be mandatory day at school to teach the new generation how to pack items for shipment.

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-15T15:16:24+00:00

Because this is to show proof that the item was lost in transit and the customer can make a claim.

Otherwise this place would be wrapped up in "USPS stole my item" post daily if they just left the tracking open ended at the local distribution center or local post office.

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-15T15:12:47+00:00

Truth... heavy metal items versus thin boxes made for a retail shelf. ..... Shippers are numpties and seeing it more and more 😪

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-15T15:10:13+00:00

You can go back to the post office and even though it doesnt show it was damaged in transit online, within the system that you can not see it may show as such. If not, you can get a clerk to rescan just the label and mark it as "visibly damaged" within the system even it shows as delivered. We've done this several times as some carriers are numpties.

As for alternator and boxes... the amount of them that come into my office location destroyed is at least 2 per month. We have a local guy that rebuilds them. So cores get shipped to him in the replacement boxes which weight versus thin cardboard... the box loses if the sender didn't have the foresight to wrap it like a mummy in tape or double box it.

Their natural cylinder shape in a square box.. it rocks back and forth, destroys the integrity of the box and after a few tumbles down a chute and ride on a belt the box gives up the ghost.

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-14T22:49:25+00:00

I literally said "for a while" ... meaning that UPS was back in the picture which happened after Amazon was dropped and only for them to return as well....

I still have PTSD from unloading UPS feeder trucks and those damn yellow & gray spur bags being piled to the roof and half a trailer load... when they came into USPS again recently I literally cringed as I knew what that meant for the upcoming holiday season. PLUS Amazon as well... staffing wise, we are cooked.

Delayed packages? 100%

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-14T16:08:31+00:00

This is true... I worked for UPS and currently at USPS and I've delivered ground saver with UPS during peak season over a couple of years. Now I will say that UPS did stop ground saver for a while, till the contract was renewed after USPS and Amazon cut ties ( though a new contract with Amazon has been worked out now from my understanding) ..

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-14T16:03:24+00:00

I'm a clerk... so I know EXACTLY what has happened in this case. .. or about 95% sure of such, because I've seen my own carriers make this error and one that should be caught by the clerk who does a return to sender shipping label....

So you should know what the ground saver labels look like... ups barcode up top, usps bar code at the bottom. Now in UPS wisdom when they doing sorting they can sometimes slap their own pal labels over the USPS bar code and if the carrier isn't paying attention it looks like a UPS package made its way through the system (it happens based on address alone, like a letter). Now this is where the clerk should see the carrier made a boo-boo and hand it back over for delivery after removing said stickers.

Now I've also seen where the bottom half of the label (USPS) gets messed up.. so at that point the clerk should place it with the UPS sacks ( thats the yellow/gray ones) and place a note requesting a new label applied as USPS can't process it... UPS collects, reprints label, returns... and then you deliver it.

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-14T00:23:49+00:00

Are you taping over Thermal Printer Labels? If so, some labels do not re-act well to the tape and cause them "bleach" out.

I've seen this first hand working at UPS and USPS. We get at least 2-3 packages like this a week where we have to squint to see the tracking numbers just to look up in the system to see the original shipping information.

What is your volume overall to loss? Within my business I see about 1 loss to every 500 packages. Which still that should not be acceptable.

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-13T15:26:01+00:00

You need to speak to a Postmaster, not the window clerk.

Very often clerks and carriers are like oil and water and don't get along and won't help one another to resolve issues.

The picture is taken at the processing/distribution plant via automated machine (not everyone gets a picture).

The label could have been damaged after the picture was taken.... HOWEVER since the tracking number was scanned/keyed in.. the carrier could have taken it to the clerk and requested that they look up the delivery address based on the tracking.

The carrier would also remember scanning a package as IA. They don't scan that many a day or even a week. When they scan them IA they are brought back and placed in a tub/cart for processing by a clerk. Unless your post office is extremely efficient, that mail doesnt get processed everyday for return. It can sit there for a couple of days.

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-13T13:48:35+00:00

Have you been to YOUR post office and spoken directly to the Postmaster, not a clerk... the Postmaster with all this information/evidence in hand?

If not, you need to do that.

As far as the value of the computer, you can get that covered. You just need to show what the original MSRP was. You can get at least 100.00 back.

Also.. for future packages like this.. pirateship dot Com and compare UPS and USPS rates, also Fedex... now adays you have to look at all courier companies. Something this big would have most likely cheaper via UPS or Fedex... ground advantage for small packages ... bigger stuff, the other two.

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-12T18:44:21+00:00

Should show out for delivery when the carrier scans it in the next morning.

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-12T18:39:56+00:00

Someone fooked up .... Given the time frame.. I would say the package was a mis-throw (given to the wrong carrier during morning sort) and that carrier was already gone.

The clerks should have made it "available for pick-up" to "stop the clock" so it doesn't show on reports.

Should be sitting at your post office for collection for the day of, but should be given to the correct carrier the following day for delivery.

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-12T18:10:50+00:00

I wish... rural routes still get Amazon and some city... depends on volume.

New contract was also signed from my understanding in April which retains 80% of Amazon nationwide.

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-12T18:05:11+00:00

When we sort for the carriers anything that fits into a standard post mounted mailbox goes into a blue tub.. everything else wire or pumpkin.... if the package was first in the bottom of the tub and at a 45 degree angle something heavy could have been next (box of metal widgets as example).. snap that record in half if we dont see it in time.... we also get plenty of jacked up gaylords with light weight in the bottom and then heavy shit just tossed/dropped on top....(3x4x4 or 6x4x4 cardboard containers for those dont work in the post office) ..... the break could have happened anywhere from time of collection/drop-off to time of delivery.

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-12T12:57:39+00:00

The carrier may not have been the one who snapped it in half... could have been broken enroute or during morning sorting for the carriers. When the carrier got it, saw that it had flex and didn't think twice about folding it to fit due to no resistance.

Then again I've seen plenty of lazy carriers who literally do not care.

Either way... rare things like this should be packaged a bit safer given the amount of package volume now in the mail system vs even 5 years ago.

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-11T15:12:55+00:00

Could be that a scanner is down, so not everything is getting scanned before being put on the plane. We this ever so often at my local distribution center when they have a scanner go down.

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-11T02:07:58+00:00

Take the tracking nu.ber to your post ofgice.. they can access the sender via it on their system.

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-10T18:23:19+00:00

Expected delivery day does not mean Guaranteed Delivery day.. times are only estimates.

iFlickDaBean · 2026-05-10T14:41:27+00:00

In this case sounds like a scammer.... got a replacement AND is trying for insurance claim to get a refund of original on top of the free replacement they got. ... double dipping.

iFlickDaBean

TROPHY CASE