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Topic: This 13 ounce rule will be the death of me!

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Subject: This 13 ounce rule will be the death of me!
Date Posted: 11/10/2007 8:19 PM ET
Member Since: 8/27/2005
Posts: 4,138
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It's bad enough that I have to go to the post office every week since I always have packages over 13 ounces to mail, but now they are not even processing them correctly!  On Wednesday I brought two packages to the post office, handed them to a clerk who cancelled the stamps in front of me.  Today both packages were returned to me, saying since they were over 13 ounces I had to take them to the post office!!!!  AND, a 9 ounce book that I dropped in a blue box some time during the week was also returned, saying it was over 13 ounces and I should take it to the p.o....  I am so mad right now.  Yes, I know I can use all of the postage alternatives, but I have a lot of stamps to use up.  Besides which, I'm sure there would be a whole new set of problems with pre-printed postage since the very organization that made the 13-ounce rule just doesn't get it!! 

nashvillethecat avatar
Date Posted: 11/10/2007 9:13 PM ET
Member Since: 8/1/2007
Posts: 5,034
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One trick is to use stamps for MOST of the postage but not all.  That way they have to put the rest of the postage on the printed sticker and everyone will know that it came from the post office.  It still lets you use all your stamps quickly but also gets the official sticker from the post office.

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Date Posted: 11/10/2007 9:40 PM ET
Member Since: 8/23/2007
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I use the preprinted postage on the 13oz and over packages and have never had a problem.  Maybe it would be worth saving the aggravation to use the pre-printed postage just on those?  Use your stamps up on smaller packages.

melanied avatar
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Date Posted: 11/10/2007 11:16 PM ET
Member Since: 8/16/2007
Posts: 15,234
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Write the weight on the packages when they are under 13oz and you drop them in the blue box.

Insist that at the PO that they put a zero postage sticker on it while you are standing there. That shows that it was delivered to a person at the PO.

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Date Posted: 11/10/2007 11:41 PM ET
Member Since: 4/7/2007
Posts: 2,027
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Maybe if you tried a different zip code drop off area that was under a different sorting zone (not sure if they exist but it sounds good!) to use for dropping off your books, it might stop some of the issues.

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Date Posted: 11/11/2007 8:51 AM ET
Member Since: 7/28/2005
Posts: 462
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UGH.  Call 800-ASK-USPS and lodge a complaint.  The complaints & compliments are compiled every month and the postmaster has to account for them, so they don't want their numbers to show a problem and will take action.  Once I started calling them, my problems became few and far between.

 



Last Edited on: 11/11/07 8:52 AM ET - Total times edited: 1
RockStarGirl avatar
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Date Posted: 11/11/2007 8:54 AM ET
Member Since: 4/20/2006
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This is why I don't even fool with the stamps anymore.  I just make a trip to the PO once a week.  They are getting pretty used to me there.  If I could afford the printed postage I would use that, but the PO is only a mile from my house.

lpeogirl avatar
Date Posted: 11/11/2007 9:12 AM ET
Member Since: 11/28/2006
Posts: 1,087
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If I could afford the printed postage I would use that, but the PO is only a mile from my house.

If you have a paypal account, you can print postage there and there is no fee.  They just charge 18 cents for DC.  I use it often.