I just came back from post office, and they said I had to bring in all packages over 13 oz .  That they could not be placed in the blue box.  I told them I thought If I used stamps that was the case but since I used printable postage I could.  They said no anything over 13 oz had to be taken inside.  What should I do?  I know i'm correct(i think) but they just wouldn't listen to me.  Kept saying I was wrong.

I would probably print this and take it iwth me?

http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2007/pr07_058.htm

Melissa, I have had to tell my post office what the rules are many times.  Many PO employees don't seem to know the regulations, which I understand because there are pages and pages of them, many of them not used every day so I don't think anyone could learn them all.  What I do mind, though, is that whenever someone has stated incorrect information to me, they do it with total confidence and won't check to see if they are right when I question it.  I would definitely carry the printed information with you and take it out when needed!

Personally, I find the 13 oz rule dumb...yesterday my carrier (the umpteenth one we've had in the 5 years we've lived here) told me I had to take all stamped packages to the PO so they could verify the sender--even though I have been sending these packages for months this way.  He said I had sent too many.  He wouldn't even take the 7 oz book I was sending first class because it had stamps on it.  So, I had to then drive to the PO and all I did was say "Here you go" and he just took them and said "thanks."  I don't know how that constitutes "verifying the sender," but who am I to question the post office rules?

Laura, it's not correct that you have to take a 7 ounce book to the post office--you should be able to drop it in a blue box.  What I've heard is that mail carriers are not required to pick up outgoing mail, they just do it as a courtesy.  So, if you put a lot of books out for the carriers to pick up maybe they don't have room to take them all.  But you should still be able to put stamped books in a blue box unless they are over 13 ounces, they don't have to be handed over the counter at the post office.

They don't have to pick up mail at your house. So it sounds to me like your carrier doesn't want to deal with your outgoing packages so he's using that rule as an excuse.  I try to only put one out here and there.  If I have a bunch I put them in the blue box or take them to the PO.

I'm going to start using the blue box at work (it gives me a reason to go for a walk).  It is just so much easier for me to put it out by my front door on the way out.  *sigh*

Oh, and I am also going to use printable postage--they don't have a problem when I use stamps printed from stamps.com.

Melissa, you are correct about the 13 oz rule, since a paper trail exists as to who purchased the postage it is NOT required to be passed over the counter.  PBS members frequently run across postal employees that are less than knowledgable regarding their own regulations.  So print the rules, talk directly to your postmaster, whatever...such a headyache.

That's really snippy about not picking up your mail, the carrier is already there.  Sounds lazy to me.

If you live in an area where there are no blue boxes is your postal carrier obligated to pick up your mail?  I live in the DC area and they removed most of the blue boxes.  (I can't remember if it was due to 9/11 or the anthrax problem) There's just one I know about that's farther away than the post office. 

The clerks at my post office are very helpful -- I kept bringing in media mail for PBS -they suggested printing out postage and just putting the packages in the mailbox.  They said no worries on the 13 oz regulation that way.    But if my wonderful mail carrier doesn't really have to pick up my mail then he definitely deserves some cookies!  Lucky for him and probably me -it's not a walking route.

Ann

By the way, if your post office has an APC you can print out "stamps" in the amount needed for media mail packages (including those over 13 ounces) and mail them from a blue box.  Because you use a credit card to buy them at the machine, it's considered trackable.  I print them up and keep them at home and use them as I need them.  No additional cost.

My mailman got rather snippy with me about picking up packages and has refused to do so.   At first I thought that was just a sign of laziness, but I admit I've rethought it.    He has to walk several blocks when on my street.  If several of the people had packages to be picked up 1. they would get heavy and 2. his bag would overflow.          While I still dont' LIKE IT that he won't pick them up - I can see his side of the situation.

Diane, if you print postage and use it later, you may run into a date problem at some point.  If the date is printed on the postage, it needs to be mailed on that day or your packages could be returned to you (and probably will at some point).

That is the case for online printed postage, but not for APC stamps. They are can be used at any time. The date on them is only a purchase date and do not need to be used on that date.