Great work! Your persistence paid off. I am looking forward to my next P.O. visit.

Hooray! Glad to know something that's getting less expensive!

Well, be prepared please by printing the email above, along with what is in the link.
Yesterday I was out of town, and had 5 BE to be mailed out at a strange (to me) PO. There were 2 clerks, and neither one was really sure what to charge. The one clerk was 'quite' new I think. I read to him from the bulletin, explaining that it was a Large Envelope and that's what he charged me. I mentioned so long as they were under 3/4 " thick and flexible, they were not considered parcels. I asked him if he had one of the templates. He pulled out the old one, (with only the 1/4" slot) I asked if he didn't have one of the newer ones and the other clerk showed him one then. He asked if he could have a copy of the bulletin, to which I gladly agreed. Both seemed relieved that their confusion was cleared up.

Be prepared by having your paperwork handy in case word has not gotten channeled down correctly yet.

Sue

bump...well, I won't rant, but I just received an sasbe (empty with postage inside) from KY, and it took 12 days to get here AND was overcharged. It was postmarked 3-14, so possibly they had not received word yet, since the email above did not go out until 3-12. You can bet I will be checking if they have 'the word' by now.

Take your printouts with you. Don't count on the word getting to them, and then everyone all of a sudden remembering what the correct charge is now after overcharging for so many months...(10 months now).

If anyone has any further problems, feel free to email me.

Sue...all upset again

Dont worry Sue,all your work will pay off! It is just going to take them slow minded ones a little time to catch on!

not to get you all upset, but just a friendly reminder from your lovable, huggable dan_the_mailman (grin), postal rates are about to go up in April. I'm not sure about all the rates, but a first class letter will cost 42 cents instead of 41. hopefully the bubblies won't go up too much either, since we do seem to use a lot of those.....

Everything's going up. Cliff was telling me about it when we were discussing this a while back. My best suggestion was the one given earlier to buy the Forever First Class stamps. they're the ones with the Liberty Bell on them, those will still be good as first class without adding a penny stamp after may 12th. The USPS site has a list if you do a search for postal increases.

Kathy

I thought everything was copacetic with my local PO, but a bubble envy I mailed this week with two stamps weighing considerably less than an ounce was just returned to me indicating insufficient postage of 31 cents.
I would like to have back all of the unnecessary postage I have sent this year-I could trade another year on it!

psd...what we will have to do, is just fight them and let them know repeatedly when they are overcharging. Instead of putting the additional postage on it, you should have taken it to your PO and had them weigh it, and then if they still tried to overcharge, then handed them a copy of the above. I know...a real pain, but it is maybe the only way that your PO is going to learn.

Please email me the address of your PO, as well as the phone number if you have it. I will call them tomorrow, talk with the postmaster, and tell him what happened. If he believes all bubblies are $1.13, then I will send him a copy of the email that was sent to me and all of the Consumer Affairs Managers on March 12th. Word should have channeled down to everyone everywhere that is responsible for the process that are charged. Additionally I will report the incident to

Cathy Snyder, Consumer Affairs Manager
United States Postal Service
Louisville Ky 40231-9631

She had said (above), If Garden Web continues to see this happen, please email me those incidents. I will personally get with the Postmaster/Manager of those offices to help educate their staff of their misinterpretation of the regulations.

She may have to send it out again to everyone!

Please...anyone still having problems print out my original post in this thread. Additionally click on the link for Bulletin 2218 and print that as well. You will see at the bottom of it in First Class Mail Quick Tips, that padded bags (e.g., ReadyPost® âcushion mailerâ)(aka bubble envelopes) is addressed.

Poisondatfrog,

I received your email info. After calling your PO and finding the one clerk I talked to was either confused, or clueless, I put a call into Cathy Snyder, Consumer Affairs Manager Louisville. Since your PO is in KY, this hopefully can be handled quickly, but the Post Master is out of the office until tomorrow. I will update here for all what is done.

Hi Poisondartfrog,

I talked to your Post Mistress this AM. She was quite nice, and I sent her a copy of the Emails above. I also sent you a copy of my email to her. If there are further problems, she would welcome you calling her. You should have the tel # from a prev email from me. I told her a friend was mailing seeds in bubble envies. I think she knew who you were.

Sue

Chemocurl, you just saved me $.31! I just saw this post this morning, and printed out the bulletin and comment from the Consumer Affairs Manager. At my PO, I started out saying "I think this one should be $.80," and when the clerk contradicted me, I nicely explained about Gardenweb and the bulletin and the email from Consumer Affairs. She acted like she knew the bulletin well, but obviously not, since she was going to charge me more! I read to her from the bulletin, but she didn't demand to see it herself.

Thanks!

I have no doubt she knew who I was; this is a small town. I think I have been tagged the local PITA postal customer. Oh well, I suppose there are worse small town labels.
Thanks Sue!
Alana

Alana,

I'm guessing you never got the BCC of the email I sent to your Post Mistress. She was a sweetie. I got 2 delay notices from Hotmail (my servor) and just now received this that my message to you has failed!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.
Unable to deliver message to the following recipients, due to being unable to connect successfully to the destination mail server.
XXXXX(jane doe@myway.com
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
So you may want to check what is up with myway.
In a nutshell, I emailed the PM a copy of what was in the original Post (above) and she asked that if you have any problems to ask for her. I think you should have the tel # from a prev email of ours.

Sue

Can I rant here please? I especially offered up some things for postage, and asked that the members mail the bubble envelope via their PO window, having the clerk put a postage tape on it, if it was not too much trouble.

Just as I suspected I rec yet another empty BE (with postage and everything needed inside) but the PO OVERCHARGED HER! I wonder just how long is this going to continue to go on? How long will it be b4 the folks at the windows know how to charge correctly? How long will it be b4 the post Masters are aware their clerks are overcharging? How long until the actual Post Masters themselves are aware of what should be charged? I could just pull my hair out and SCREAM!
I will get the addy of the originating PO, hopefully, and call them tomorrow. I will enclose a copy of the email that went out to the Consumer Affairs Managers when I send the seeds out to the member. I will also enclose a copy of the Bulletin. I will also make Consumer Affairs aware that the info has not been channeled down correctly to those who are making the decision to overcharge by charging PARCEL rate.

Does anyone have any suggestions on this? Maybe Andy Rooney or a letter to the editor in some major cities is going to be what it takes to get the word out there to a lot of folks that the American Public is at the mercy of the Postal Service continuing to RIP THEM OFF!

end of rant.

Sue...off to fill some seed offers

After talking to your PO supervisor (PM was off) yesterday, I emailed him a copy of the the emails (from Original post this thread).

I talked to him again then this AM, and he had read it, and covered it with the employees. He was a real sweetie too. All should be good to go now, but you may want to keep a copy of the emails from above handy with you when mailing...just to be sure.

Here is some additional info he shared as well. This is what I understood him to say.
If a customer marks an envy Fragile or Hand Stamp that that envy will then go as Parcel Rate ($1.13 first ounce), even though the envy meets all the requirements of a Large Envelope
BE marked Fragile, or Hand Stamp items are handled/processed and charged as parcels....never going through any of the 'rollers' on conveyors.

So...though we may think of seeds as fragile, Do Not mark them as Fragile or Hand Stamp and be careful to cross out those words if you are reusing a bubblie(as Dan says). Marking it as Fragile or Hand Stamp could result in the receiving party having to pay postage due.

I'm left wondering if in some cases of POs overcharging, that it might be wise to ask to speak to the Post Master. I have seen cases where the PM was on board with the correct charges, yet was unaware that any, or all of the employees were charging incorrectly (overcharging).
If anyone else feels they are being overcharged yet, you might try speaking with your Post Master. Hopefully he can clear up the confusion anyone has. It is worth a try! I have found all but one to be very nice and receptive. I was able to convince all but (that) one that their clerks were overcharging, and likely not aware of what the correct charges are for bubblies, meeting all requirements for a Large Envelope rate.

I for one cannot sit here and say for sure that any PO has overcharged without an actual bubblie in hand with a postage tape of $1.13 or more. I can however say that they are charging incorrectly if I call and inquire about the cost to mail, and then am quoted an incorrect rate.

Sue...done with PO detail for today...Woohoo!

just a bump for all the newbies and anyone still having problems

Thanks, Sue, for the info above. I printed it and took it in today, armed and ready to avoid being charged $1.13. The postman quoted me the non-magic number ($1.13) and I said I thought this might be able to go as a large envelope. He was agreeable, saying he could send it that way, but that if he did, the machines would press down very hard and crush my seeds, which seems awfully strange to me since my packages were within the 3/4 in. margin. The machine can't "press down" further than that height, right? So I asked and he said that if the envelope isn't perfectly flat there is great probability that the contents would be crushed. Since all of you have been sending seeds as large envelopes without trouble, I did it, but I thought I would share in case anyone has insight here. Of course I used bubble envelopes/ appropriate padding.

Thanks!

Hi Blue,

I'm sure they will be fine...with the bubblie protecting them, as they go down a 'bubblie' line and not the one that is for 'regular' letters less than 1/4 inch. Now like I said above, if you had claimed they were fragile or feared them being crushed, he would have sent them parcel (higher rate) and they would not have gone down through the bubble line/rollers.

You did good! They did good! Woohoo! A happy ending on this one.

LMAO...I've never received a bubblie with all 0r any of the bubbles smashed out of them.

I was starting to wonder if anyone had printed out the above and if it had helped in being charged correctly...other than stage_rat above.

Sue

Just bumping this one up

There may still be some problems. Without actually seeing the envy, I cannot say for sure any one of them are under 3/4 inch, and not bulging (seeds not distributed and taped down).

Please, please, please...print out the original post in this thread. Click on the link to Postal Bulletin 22218. Print that out. Keep it handy for your trips to the PO. Go in armed and ready to address the situation. Ask the clerk to use their template, thus showing you that it will NOT slip easily through the 3/4" slot...thus actually qualifying it for the higher parcel rate....starting at $1.13 for the first ounce.
If you have problems and feel you are still being overcharged, ask to speak to the Post Master, or the Supervisor, and show him/her your printout.
With your printout in hand, there 'should' be no more problems.

It is either under 3/4" and slips though the template slot easily, or it doesn't. When trading, the use of larger envelopes sometimes helps when sending numerous packs of seeds....to assure they can be kept under 3/4 inch.

Best of luck to everyone.

I love my PO and its employees. A couple of weeks ago I was mailing out 4 envies. 2 of them had 15-20 packs of seeds in them, all taped down. I was really unsure about them being under 3/4" and wanted to be assured the 'correct' amount was charged, so no postal worker on down the live would stamp them 'Postage Due b4 they got to the receiving party. I mailed them via my rural carrier, sending a check to cover the cost. All 4 were charged Large Envelope Rates...not a one was parcel rate as I had thought it might be. My receipt and change (stamps) then was returned to me the following day. I just wish everyones PO and employees were trained and as on the ball as mine is. They are a great bunch of folks....friendly too.

So far we have had success stories from
Stage_rat and
blue_ivy.

Does anyone else have a success story where using the print out helped being charged a lesser rate.

Please post here...as I am feeling a bit discouraged today.
(A member just emailed me...was charged $1.13...7/10th OZ...no template used....no printout in hand...no questioning the charge)

Members, ARM YOURSELVES!

Sue

Hey Sue,

Hubby took some envies to the post office for me this morning and you guessed it. Back to square one.

2 envies 1 oz each charged him and extra $.31 postage on each one of them.

So he gives them the copy of your original post and they looked at him like he had grown another head.
"We know nothing about this and have not received anything about it." yada, yada, yada.
He paid the extra postage to get them mailed and told them he would be "contacting the head honcho's about this continued problem."

Can you post a link or something for the e-mail addy or e-mail it directly to me so I can send the complaint to Cathy Snyder.

Thanks Fran

PS any idea how this will affect the increased postal rate going in on May 12th? will it just be the increase stamp charge or are we going to start all over again with all new changes of our bubblies?

Fran, post here the address of the PO, tel number, and the Post Masters name.

Might you have the time and a chance to call and talk with him and see what he has to say about what happened this morning?

If you don't, I will then call and talk to him/her.
I will explain that clerks from his PO have been overcharging for Bubble Envelopes for about a year now, and that something NEEDS to be done, NOW. It has gone on far too long, and the employees should be properly trained and familiar with the new charges by now.

I will then send him an email like from the post above, and it will include the email addy and tel # of
Cathy Snyder, Consumer Affairs Manager who initiated the email.

I will send her copy of the email. I will note in the email just what you said here.... ""We know nothing about this and have not received anything about it." That is clearly someone who is not doing their job to the best of their ability, in my opinion.

I will then call Cathy, and ask that she also personally call the Post Master there, or contact the Consumer Affairs Manager over that office to handle the matter.

I will point her to this post as well.

I will ask that she call me back when she feels the situation has been handled.

Fran, had you taken them in, and then showed then exactly where it says For padded bags (e.g., ReadyPost® "cushion mailer"), when the thickness is 3/4" or less and the item is flat-size and somewhat flexible, the item should be classified and priced as a large envelope. I think things may have gone differently. It clearly says on the bulletin, Bulletin 22218, USPS. How could he say he never got it? I would guess that the Post Master there is unaware of the correct charge, or he is unaware that the clerks are still overcharging since the rates changed one year ago. It may be that YOU will HAVE to tell them to get their template out...the one with the 3/4 inch slot, and have then walk though the instructions for its proper use...something I don't imagine hubby will do to mail a few seeds off.

You are hubby is going to have to be assertive in getting them to read it and understand it, or else ask to speak to th supervisor or the Post Master. All but one Post Master was open to hearing what I had to say, along with getting their clerks properly trained. Old (bad) habits are hard to break though I'm afraid.

I will then ask that you do a 'test' mail of an envy to me...if you are overcharged, send it, if you are quoted the correct rate, then just back out of mailing it.

Sue....sigh

Sue,

I should have said in my post that hubby had a copy of the e-mail in hand with him and showed it to the clerk. It was passed around and still NO ONE new anything about it and said it was WRONG.

I just got the phone number and already new the address but will have to get the postmaster's name on Monday morning as, PLEASE SOMEONE HELP US, a new postmaster and couldn't get the name till Monday.

He/she, will get a phone call from me first thing Monday morning EST time and I will have the e-mail in front of me when I call.

The one thing I forgot was to tell hubby about the infamous template, but believe me, he was forceful with his conversations. He doesn't take kindly to being ripped of with his hard earned money.

In the end, the clerk did give him 3 forever stamps for my "trouble" today. Nice for me, but the problem is still there.

Will let you know what happens on Monday after I call.

REMEMBER ALL, WE WILL LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO GET THIS CORRECTED WITH EACH AND EVERY POST OFFICE IN THE COUNTRY. WE AREN'T GOING TO LET THIS GO.

Fran

You go GF!

WE AREN'T GOING TO LET THIS GO.
and to that I will add: WE WILL NOT GO AWAY!

The one thing I forgot was to tell hubby about the infamous template,
Well, I am left wondering if they will even know where a template is located, after not seeing the bulletin # on the printout.
Once you get things talked/worked out, you might want to go in and request filling out the necessary paperwork to get a refund for the overcharge this time. That will, if nothing else, get the attention of someone else maybe, especially if you explain that you have been being overcharged for a year now....just my 4 cents. Hold onto todays receipt.

That is strange that he gave stamps for hub's trouble. Was hub's maybe ready to go off on him or something?

I would've like to have heard it all b4 he said he would be "contacting the head honcho's about this continued problem."
LMAO...

I'm sorry, but that struck me as funny...hub's battling the USPS on your behalf.

Sue...who has the most wonderful PO in the country I think

Sue,
you aren't the only one LMAO over my hubby.

Just picture this. Hubby close to 6 feet tall and towered over the 3 postal clerks to start with.

Now personality wise, both bachelors and Masters from MIT in electrical engineering, with those disgusting perfectionist genes in him. Now add that he was a professor at MIT for quite a few years before he left for the private sector and "more sane working conditions."
Add to all of that, the get stuck on something and won't let it go mentality and when he knows he's right and the other person is wrong and he has the proof that he's right, you have a problem dealing with it.

And apparently he did make quite a scene in the post office with other patrons in there as well, and they where cheering him on, since he had the proof in his hand.

He made it quite clear to them that they know him after all these years and he's not trying to rip off the post office or steal something but rather "quite the contrary, you are trying to steal my money that I work hard for".

He argued with them that the template they showed him was not 3/4 inch, but rather 1/4 inch. Hubby also is one of those math geniuses married to a math idiot, but just about anyone, including me, can tell a 1/4 inch template from and 3/4 inch one.

He also told them "I hope you realize that I wasn't born yesterday, and I'm not stupid. Stealing is illegal and not knowing you are doing it and doing something wrong is not an excuse for it either. Ignorance is not bliss nor is it an excuse for breaking the law or refusing to charge the correct price for the postage."

Then he said something like, maybe all these people sending plant seeds back and forth to each other should hire an attorney and file a class action law suit against the post office for all the errors that have been charged to them since the postal rates changed and "I will be contacting the head honchos about this continued problem."

Then the stamps where given to him.

Trust me Sue, I wish I had been with him to see this. He's one of those that won't' let this go, and if I even remotely tried to ignore it, it wouldn't get ignored because he would be making the calls instead of me.

Gotta love those guys who get stuck on things that they really should get stuck on and do something about it, just wish he didn't do it with the things that are not important.

Fran

Oh my goodness. I had said, "Well, I am left wondering if they will even know where a template is located, after not seeing the bulletin # on the printout."

They pulled out the old 1/4" obsolete template? WHY AM I NOT SURPRISED? LMAO...There is no one running that place that the clerks have not been informed, do not have the proper tools to do their job, and don't even know about bulletins and their availability. I understood my Postmaster to say that he has a copy of all the bulletins filed, and handy for reference by anyone when needed. He even ran copies of the ones covering the flexibility test (for bubble envelopes), if anyone needs copies of those.

Please keep us posted about your ongoing saga.

Hey...I have given that Class Action idea some thought long ago, but was unsure just how to proceed with it. I'd just guess maybe email everyone who has posted here Since Dec 07 as that is all that shows on the 67 pages that are posted. Maybe the "Powers That Be" could work with me/you/us, and provide more posts covering the time back to May 2007.

Sue

Well, the scoop is this.

I heard all about the fine line crap and how they have to be flat and I argued, politely about bulletin 2218 at least 5 times. read it to woman on the other end of the phone at least 5 times.
I suggested she pull up the bulletin while we where speaking, which she finally did and heard again that it "has to be flat". and the fine line, of which I told her that it fits through the 3/4 inch template and she says they have to use the 1/4 inch template first and then go to the 3/4 inch template.
So told her that's fine if you want to waste time when you know that it won't fit through the 1/4 inch one by just looking at it, but in the end the problem is not a fine line, but very simply put the bubble envelope fits the criteria for a large envelope, so why am I being charged the wrong price? And please don't tell me about the fine line bit again.

Of course I didn't get an answer to my question, but she did say, "that after Saturday's experience with your husband, we did go and look up the information that he spoke about and I have it in front of me now, and there will not be any further problems with the bubble envelopes."

So then I proceeded to make sure that the other 3 post offices in town also have the same information and there will be no further problems with those post offices either.
She assured me that there wouldn't be, and i will test it out over the next week or so to be sure.

So, everyone, after hopefully getting it straightened out in my home town, i decided to branch out and make sure that every town that abuts my town is on board with this as well.

Had to be polite but blunt and direct as I argued with every one of them, but it should be no further problem in all of them too.

If I was successful then I took care of the problem in my town and 7 others this morning. Just keep your fingers crossed.

Fran

Fran, that is great, but just call me a pessimist. There will still be, IMHO, the occasional clerk, maybe even a part time one, who will not get word on this, or there will be those who forget and resort to their old ways.

Anyway, I wish you luck, and know that you and hubs will not put up with being overcharged any longer.

What did the other 6 Post Offices have to say about the charges? Did any of them 'originally' state that all bubble envelopes were to be charged as parcels? I found cases where the Post Master was aware of the correct charges, yet were clueless that the clerks under him/her were all automatically charging parcel rates.

What did the Post Master say at each of the facilities, if you don't mind saying? Did the Post Masters actually say just exactly what their clerks were charging? I suspect they did not know, and maybe will not even check....just blowing you (little peon customer) off.

Sue...I'm sorry...but I have just seen and heard so much, that I don't see it ever being corrected clear across the nation...and trading members who don't see the discussions here, or who are clueless, will just continue to be overcharged.

Sue, Postmasters where well aware of the correct charges, but didn't know that the clerks where not charging correctly in my town until I called. Within my town I talked with all 4 post offices as well and did find that one was charging the correct postage all the time, but of course that one is 4 miles away from me and the main post office is around the corner. You would think that the main post office might have it correct, but they where one of the 3 that where wrong.

When I called the other towns, I made sure that the post master's all knew that I was from out of town, told them what town I was calling from and wanted to be sure that their post offices where charging the correct price for the bubble envelopes because I found that they where still making errors in my town.

All of the post masters in the other towns where also fully aware of the correct prices and would check to be sure that all the post offices in their town where charging the correct price.

Being that I'm right there with you and just as much a pessimist with this subject and problem as well, I got out my trusty phone book and so far have called all the individual post offices in 4 of the surrounding town that abut mine.
Not one of them where aware of the correct price to charge for the bubble mailers but several had been called by the post masters already and making the corrections right away, so that is progress.

I do agree that somewhere in all of these post offices there will be someone that makes a mistake and that makes it all the more important that we get across to everyone to have a copy of the original post that you have at the top of the page with them at all times when going to mail, and also a copy of the bulletin too.

Whether you mail only a few mailers of a lot of mailers, that extra postage being charged adds up and it can add up to a lot of money that we have been ripped off of.

I agree with you that this is no doubt going to continue for quite some time, and too many members don't come over to the discussion side of the forum.

So here's and idea, just like the thread with the instructions for seed trading being posted on the exchange side, how about another thread with a link to this thread on it. post title something like "Important info on postage costs" then put something in the message about the problem and please see this link.

We really need to get the word out to everyone that is trading.

Fran

Fran,

The idea of a post on the actual Discussion/Trade side is a great idea. Maybe we should give it a few days, though until I get a copy of the new rates or find them on line that are easily linked to. I'm not sure if the rates are going up on bubble envelopes (also referred to by the USPS as as padded mailers, aka Large Envelope) rates.

I will check with my PO and get a printout...as they are so helpful to me and all their customers.

Postmasters were well aware of the correct charges, but didn't know that the clerks where not charging correctly in my town until I called.
Whose job is it anyway to get needed information to the clerks? Whose job is it to see that the clerks are performing their jobs correctly?
I would think it would be the Post Master's job/business to be aware that his employees were on board and charging all customers correctly 100% of the time. It seems that the Post Masters must be the ones who need to get their act together in getting much needed information to their clerks. Clerks maybe have access to bulletins, but do not have the time I'm sure to sift and sort through them all to find what is needed to do their jobs at the windows.
One Post Master I talked to, just read the bulletins on line and passed on (verbally) any info he thought his employees needed to know. He didn't even have a hard copy for reference himself or for his employees....sheesh.

Sue

Just wanted to say that I have been watching these threads and appreciate what you are doing Sue. If I ever have a need to go to the post office - I'll be well armed. Thanks!

~Sam

If I ever have a need to go to the post office - I'll be well armed.
I sure hope you are properly armed, but as shown above, it may not help if the employees are not receptive to reading your ammunition, or to listening to you explain their job to them.

But good luck!...

Sue...who still thinks Andy Rooney could do a great job of getting this problem exposed, and thus corrected...I must write him again.

I emailed Andy Rooney at CBS...again.

Sue

Yet another PO that has been overcharging customers for over a year now

United States Postal Service
10299 Southern Boulevard'
West Palm Beach Florida 33411
561-793-9239
Supervisor-Michelle

I asked Michelle what it would cost to mail a 1 OZ padded mailer under 1 OZ. Her immediate response was that All padded mailers are charged parcel rate!

After some heated discussion, I urged her to read and follow the template designed to determine the rate charged.
I read to her from Bulletin 22218. She relented and said she would inform the clerks.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
And another one
USPS
Unknown street addy
Unknown telephone number
Unknown Postmaster
Royal Palm Beach Fla

I received this in an email today. A member used the scale in the lobby of the PO, using a debit/credit card to buy postage. She slipped them through the slot and a clerk appeared and told her she probably didn't have enough postage on them because they are considered parcels, being bubble envelopes.
She then went and stood in line and even though the scale said 60 cents for the one envy and 84 cents for the other, he still charged her the $1.17 for each (1 OZ PARCEL)

Please post the
street address
city, state, zip
telephone number
Post Masters name

Of any and all Post Offices that are still overcharging, as it has been one year for them to get it right.

I will be contacting the Post Master General with all information that has been supplied in the past along with any new information provided. Someone somewhere must be held accountable for the lack of communication somewhere between the Consumer Affairs Managers, and the Post Masters, and Mistresses, and the window clerks.

Sue

Sue, sent you an e-mail with the latest screw up from my local post office and the info from the post master.

OK FOLKS. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH OF THIS STUPIDITY. THEFT IS THEFT NO MATTER HOW YOU LOOK AT IT OR WHO IS DOING IT. IN THIS CASE IT'S THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
TIME TO TAKE SOME ACTION. REAL ACTION AND GET THIS FIXED ONCE AND FOR ALL.

FRAN

I went to my PO on MOnday morning after the newest rate increases and a small bubblie cost 83 cents, right or wrong?

small bubblie cost 83 cents, right or wrong?
Right! Who-Hoo! Under 1 OZ, flexible, not bulging, non shifting contents.

I guess I need to start yet another post with subject line
Bubble Envys now 83 cents-print out for 'your' Post Office!

I had in mind to do that along with showing what an envy of equal weight would cost, if the Parcel Rate was charged (in error a lot yet it seems) as opposed to the Large Envelope. A local Post Master (bless his heart) shared the latest printouts with me so I may attempt to scan them in as the chart is laid out nicely.

Sue

So we have 3 cent increase on the bubblie now. How cool is that?

The USPS keeps increasing their prices, while they "steal" money from GW members that are trading seeds.

No one is doing their job, from the top all the way down to the postal clerk. Yet they stay in business, charging the wrong price for GW members most of the time, and no one gets into trouble for not doing their job.

Must be nice to have a job like that, most of us would get fired for not doing our job and/or doing it correctly.

Fran

Sue,

I've just spent some time on the USPS website looking for an updated page for new prices that specify bubblies. Can't find anything there like the info you posted in the original post on the thread.

Can't find any info on bubble envelopes, cushion envelopes, etc. that out right says they go as large envelopes.

No Bulletin numbers or anything.

Now we are back at square one with anything to bring to the post office cause the old info is for the old postal rate before the increase.

Me thinks you need to get back in touch with the consumer affairs office person and have her e-mail you a link and info for the new rates.

Then we can go to work again, trying to fix this mess.

Fran

Hi Fran,

I got your email, but will answer here for all.

Click here for New Rates 5-12-2008

No, the Bulletin22218 still stands in that it describes the dimensions of large Envelopes (Flats)
# The maximum size for large envelopes is 15" x 12" x 3/4" thick.
# The maximum weight for large envelopes is 13 ounces. A large envelope exceeding 13 ounces is classified as a Priority Mail item.
# When a First-Class Mail item exceeds any one of the maximum measurements of a large envelope, it is classified and priced as a package (parcel).
# When a flat-size piece of mail is a box or has contents that make the mailpiece rigid, it is classified and priced as a package.
# All large envelopes (flats) must be rectangular. "Rect­angular" includes square-shaped pieces.

and states...Under First Class Mail tips:

For padded bags (e.g., ReadyPost® "cushion mailer"), when the thickness is 3/4" or less and the item is flat-size and somewhat flexible, the item should be classified and priced as a large envelope.

btw...In the OP I said it was Bulletin 2218...when actually the correct Bulletin # is 22218

I'll email you later today. I have been gone since Sat eve, am bushed, and am calling it a day. I appreciate your emails and ideas...

Sue

So my latest mailings have gone like this.

I just put the postage on that is required and put them in the mailbox outside the local post office. To my knowledge, there has been no problems in getting them delivered.

If I go inside to the clerk, i go through the absurdity and they finally post them with the correct postage, but it's too much of a pain in the you know what to do that.

But, today I got a 4z7 inch mailer to fill with a 3 packet of seeds. I asked for that size bubblie, a return label, list of seeds that I am sending with the GW name and real name on it and 2 $.42 postage stamps or 2 forever stamps.

Inside the bubblie was exactly what I asked for, a label, the list of seeds on a 3x5 inch index card and the 2 stamps.

But here's the kicker. the postage on the bubblie to send me was 2 $.37 postage stamps that was hand stamped and went through without a problem.
$.74 postage on coming.

Am I missing something here folks?

Fran

Back to page one!

Address for the postmaster General-write him directly!

Sue

THIS JUST HAPPENED TO ME TODAY!! I was dumbfounded. I hadn't read this post yet. I was charged 1.13. The clerk said that it had to be hand stamped cause it was a bubble and that it was over sized!. What should I do?

Sue,
I'm on my way to mail a bubble envelope. We'll see what the dh's tell me at the post office. (I'm not talking dear husband here. The second word is heads if that gives you any idea!)

I'm on my way to mail a bubble envelope.

OK...so if it is for sure under 3/4 inch thick, seeds taped down and not shifting, and contents evenly distributed, they should get it right.

I just checked the old correspondence on your case and here is a part of it.
I talked to Jeff, the postmaster (maybe supervisor?), and he said they all were aware of the correct charges.

Are you taking the printouts with you? Please be sure and ask for Jeff if there is any problem...OK?

Good Luck, and please let us know the outcome here.

Sue...who hopes at least one PO is getting it right after all the effort to get them trained on the correct charges...sigh

Well, I already had two stamps on it and I asked the clerk to check to see if I had enough postage on it. He said no even before he weighed it. He said it was a parcel. I said apparently you didn't get the memo. He said I go by what my book tells me and proceeded to read me the same old stuff they always tried to go by. I said I know all that stuff already and this memo says that it is wrong. He said that he would have to talk to his supervisor and then continued to try and tell me that if it varied in thickness by more than 1/4" it was a parcel. I read him the requirements from the memo and told him that he needed to get the supervisor for me. Finally he got the supervisor and the supervisor read the post that you put on here and said, "Yes, that's right." He told the clerk that it should be a large envelope and the clerk was still babbling on about the 1/4" difference in size. The supervisor said that from now on cushion mailers under 3/4" in thickness would go as a large envelope. I asked him if he would like to keep the post and he said no that he would print out the memo and make sure that everyone understood it. I don't think that they were any to happy. I had to pay an extra penny in addition to the stamps that I already had on it but that's better than $1.13. Hopefully that battle is won but I'm keeping the post with me when I go back.

I said apparently you didn't get the memo.
LMAO...I would have loved to have seen his face on that one.

He told the clerk that it should be a large envelope and the clerk was still babbling on about the 1/4" difference in size.
LMAO!

I asked him if he would like to keep the post and he said no that he would print out the memo and make sure that everyone understood it.
Did you get the supervisor's name? I'm wondering if it was Jeff who had assured me that everyone was aware of the correct charges after I had brought it to his attention that some of the clerks (maybe all of the clerks) had been overcharging customers...charging Parcel rates instead of Large Envy rates.

I am so glad you went in armed, pressed the issue, and got to the supervisor who will hopefully now get it explained to all of them
It sounds like the babbling clerk might need some additional explaining in order for him to understand.

Sue

Yesterday I took a small padded envie to the P.O. and the two clerks said it was a parcel and would not read the bulletin. They said it was wrong! They even took out the template and my envie slipped right through but they still would not agree with the bulletin. They insisted that it had to be a large envie not the small padded one. I even read the part about the ready-post and showed it to them, but they wouldn't accept it and kept saying that it was incorrect. I plan to go to the main P.O. and ask them.

Betsy

Betsy did you ask to speak to the PO supervisor? My clerk wanted to argue with me to until the supervisor read the memo.