Interesting Postal Shipping Response

It's a little hard to send stuff to your local food bank because most postal shop regulations require you to mail out of zone.

Create an Account or Log In

Membership is free. Simply choose your username, type in your email address, and choose a password. You immediately get full access to the forum.

Already a member? Log In.

SusieAD Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have been doing the postal shipping project a
> lot lately and have just been sending a few pieces
> of canned goods to food pantries around the
> country. Today, I got an interesting
> response...."We are in receipt of your very small
> box of canned goods for our pantry. You should
> investigate for a food pantry in your neighborhood
> so you wouldn't have to pay such a price to get
> your donations to someone who could use them. For
> $9.45 in shipping costs, you could donate a lot
> more food to a pantry nearby your home". What do
> you think of this?? I am not likely to respond
> (nor send more food to this one location), but it
> was a bit oft'sf-putting to me. I guess I need to go
> back to finding a Post Office Buddy here!!



Here's a kicker for that. I just did a postal Dimension shop. The box had to be 12x15x10 (thats 1.5 lbs just for the empty box that contains 1800 cubic inches). The maximum weight of the whole thing, box, food, and packing material, could NOT be over 3.5 lb. Think about that for a minute...I'll wait.........Got the picture? I wrote to my scheduler pointing out that the packing and the box alone will weigh that. Here is the answer I got from her....

"Please put a (sic) canned good in the box, tape it down and put newspaper, etc.,
in it to prevent it from moving around."

I'm sure I would not get the the answerer you did, as they probably think that if anybody is that stupid, they wouldn't understand the answer anyway.
Here's a kicker for that. I just did a postal Dimension shop. The box had to be 12x15x10 (thats 1.5 lbs just for the empty box that contains 1800 cubic inches). The maximum weight of the whole thing, box, food, and packing material, could NOT be over 3.5 lb. Think about that for a minute...I'll wait.........Got the picture? I wrote to my scheduler pointing out that the packing and the box alone will weigh that. Here is the answer I got from her....

"Please put a (sic) canned good in the box, tape it down and put newspaper, etc.,
in it to prevent it from moving around."

I'm sure I would not get the the answerer you did, as they probably think that if anybody is that stupid, they wouldn't understand the answer anyway.
Adding a little note of explanation is a great idea. In fact, has anyone suggested to Shop that they revise their guidelines to instruct us to include a note? Maybe give us a note template?

Having volunteered several times with local food banks, I can tell you for true that some people use food drives as excuses to clean their pantry of every nasty, bizarre, expired food item they have in the name of "charity." They disregard common guidelines like "no glass" and send three bottles of Wishbone salad dressing or jarred artichoke hearts. It takes man hours and storage space to process inappropriate donations, and volunteers can get cranky over the wasted effort. Having a glass bottle of salad dressing shatter in a bag ruins other items in a shipment. Every food bank sorting area has a huge bin of stuff that's just thrown away because it's inappropriate or spoiled.

I can definitely understand the food bank volunteer's frustration at perceiving $9 of money that could have bought a 5-lb bag of rice and five cans of tomato sauce being "wasted" on shipping one can, even it if wasn't expressed in the best terms.
MissyH71 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It's probably a PITA to open a package of food
> that costs $2. I have a little note that I include
> that reads:
>
> "This package is part of a study of postal
> shipping efficiency. Please accept this food
> donation of current, unopened dry goods to your
> pantry. Have a pleasant day."
>
> Hope this helps.


That is what I was thinking. You can reveal to the recipient that you are doing a shop. The Post office is not being informed and the recipient’s fears or questions about the unusual donation are being addressed.
Hadrian get a grip! A little self esteem is in order here!

Altruism & the concept of donation do not exist for the donor to garner insults and reproach from amateurs at that particular food bank."Very small box" indeed!
Professional fundraisers know to thank three times and enjoy the fourth correspondence which 85% of the time includes a larger gift.
Get real, what's to motivate SusieAD, some vague concept of noblesse oblige!

These amateurs were condescending and unprofessional at best and downright mean at worst. SusieAD is not obligated to send them a gift but they are obligated to thank her or at least curb their mouths.
If they were really concerned about the money SusieAD spent on postage, they have her zip code, send SusieAD a list of food banks "nearby" her home" or be happy that SusieAD's money is keeping some postal employee out of the food bank.
If they're really concerned about receiving poisoned food etc, diplomatically inform the donor that they only accept money or whatever other terms they honor.

Thankfully, most Not for Profits understand the concept of donations and sincere gratitude.
I did one of these shops a few months ago, but did not get any message like that. What idiots!
I wonder if the USPS would be better off if they did not do the 100's of thousands of shops they do?? not only reimbursing the shoppers for the postage but paying them as well.
I've noticed a marked improvement in the quality of service and appearance of the facility and staff - less intramural chit chat and more adherence to the dress code.Sounds like something positive is going on!
100% Agree!

marijaldm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've noticed a marked improvement in the quality
> of service and appearance of the facility and
> staff - less intramural chit chat and more
> adherence to the dress code.Sounds like something
> positive is going on!
marijaldm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've noticed a marked improvement in the quality
> of service and appearance of the facility and
> staff - less intramural chit chat and more
> adherence to the dress code.Sounds like something
> positive is going on!


I don't know, -mine no. The worker was so worried about the guy in front of me being the mystery shopper she forgot to do everything she was supposed to for me, the actual mystery shopper. It was all I could do not to laugh as she explained mystery shoppers to the customers in line, while telling us she shouldn't be eating the cookies she was in front of us and drinking the pop. She said her postmaster has to travel about 3 hours away and explain each to the "big wigs" why his clerks did not get a 10 on every question and do everything right.
The food bank is right. The USPS audits are wrongheaded to have requested this waste of tax payer's money. Public money should give the greatest benefit to the public to which it is supposed to be directed.rtavo Hadrian
shopart Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The food bank is right. The USPS audits are
> wrongheaded to have requested this waste of tax
> payer's money. Public money should give the
> greatest benefit to the public to which it is
> supposed to be directed.rtavo Hadrian

How, pray tell, is the food bank right?

If these audits are demonstrating an effort to improve service and positive results are visible, again, how is that a waste of tax payer money?

Additionally, the results are in, the USPS is not reducing locations, maybe, maybe, the hours of operation. Regardless, none is so altruistic to cut down his/her income to benefit the tax payer.Heck the Clerk did not give up cookies & pop to save the postmaster arduous accountability sessions.
I would like to ask a favor of all the mystery shoppers here. Please drop the statement, "Get a grip." I consider it rude and probably others do as well. I just did a search of it after reading two threads in a row that had it in them but the search did not yield all I know to exist on this forum. I did find out that it is not the same person using it. We are professionals here trying to help, and sometimes entertain, each other. I personally have had it used against me twice in the same thread. It was by the same person. These subjects can lead us all to think and even change, as this one has. "Get a grip" is a jarring statement that has no place in the discussion. Thanks for your consideration.
I've done several of these shops shipping from Boca Raton FL to Washington DC. They must think I'm a real nut case. There is about $5 of food shipping for $20. hat a birdbrain!

sail2sunset
Delray Beach FL
MissyH71 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> "This package is part of a study of postal
> shipping efficiency. Please accept this food
> donation of current, unopened dry goods to your
> pantry. Have a pleasant day."
>
> Hope this helps.


I put a similar not in my shipments I've done to the non-local animal shelter I adopted my dog from. I have also shipped to a local shelter from a non-local post office smiling smiley
plmccut Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I see their point and I think it's very nice of
> them. They would rather feed more people
> somewhere rather than be selfish and feed less by
> the food coming to their bank.


I agree. Many people have never heard of mystery shopping so this is an odd thing to have someone spend so much for so little. If they're truly doing it for the charity, they'd rather see more people helped locally by saving the shipping cost than to see so much go to shipping a couple cans of food to them. Their concerns are truly with the needy.

However, I like the idea of sending a note along with the food that it's part of a postal study, as whomever previously mentioned.
It's AWFUL!! Tell me that I am helping to "FIGHT HUNGER," give me a box that weighs over a pound, and tell me that my donation AND box can not weigh more than 3.5 pounds!! How is my box of spaghetti really going to help? Let us give to the red cross!! At least then we can fill up the box with pillows!!

Robin

Silver certified, I shop in Cities in NM and TX that no one has ever heard of.
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login