Hey guys...
I actually have a package I need to ship, and was thinking about picking up a "postal" shop in my area. However.... the packlage would be going to zone 5 and probably weighs a little over 2 pounds. What I need to know is if the MSC will reimburse up to the maximum, after which I foot the bill, or will they invalidate the shop for going over weight/out of zone? Anybody have experience with that?

Thanks!

There is no problem going over the weight or zone but you will only be reimbursed for the maximum. I have sent packages that are over 2 pounds and sent farther away with no problem.

Thanks for the quick response, that was what I figured but wanted to check before I potentially invalidated a shop.

I suggest weighing the package and checking the postal fees BEFORE committing. If it is too heavy and sent too far, you can end up being upside down on the reimbursement, with little (if any) shop fee to cover the shortage!

I didn't realize the packages could be a little over. I send to Zone 5 and have to pay an extra $1.XX that isn't reimbursed. My college son loves getting the packages and I love being reimbursed for the postage.

IMTrashman Wrote:
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> I suggest weighing the package and checking the
> postal fees BEFORE committing. If it is too heavy
> and sent too far, you can end up being upside down
> on the reimbursement, with little (if any) shop
> fee to cover the shortage!

Maybe I look at it differently, but if I have to send a package anyway I don't see how I could come out upside down on reimbursement. The alternative is to pay the whole thing with no reimbursement or fee 'sans' shop. Maybe I'm missing something??

quilter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> IMTrashman Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I suggest weighing the package and checking the
> > postal fees BEFORE committing. If it is too
> heavy
> > and sent too far, you can end up being upside
> down
> > on the reimbursement, with little (if any) shop
> > fee to cover the shortage!
>
> Maybe I look at it differently, but if I have to
> send a package anyway I don't see how I could come
> out upside down on reimbursement. The alternative
> is to pay the whole thing with no reimbursement or
> fee 'sans' shop. Maybe I'm missing something??


Exactly - at worst case I am getting an $X.XX discount on sending a package I need to anyway. Between the reimbursement and the shop fee I also don't think I will end up owing anyway, it's not *that* heavy, and it's only going to Zone 5.

Yes, I think it is how you look at it.

There is a fee for the shop and a reimbursement of up to $6.85 for the "A" shops. So, if you are sending a package anyway and going to that Post Office anyway, then it comes down to your time spent preparing for and reporting the shop. The above poster gave good advice when it was suggested that you get the price of the postage before accepting the shop. That way you will know if it is worth it for you to make the extra effort to do the shop.

As for the weight invalidating the shop. There is a minimum weight requirement of 1lb 2 oz. Going under that will invalidate the shop. If you go higher than 2 lbs or ship farther than zone 4, then the shop will not be invalidated. Then, the reimbursement will not fully cover the shipping expense.

I have sent a package that weighed over 10 pounds and was reimbursed more than the $6.85, but not all of the cost. I have never sent to zone 5--just zone 1--since my daughter is going to school only 60 miles away. She, too, loves getting packages. She always wants food because she didn't schedule her classes so she could eat lunch. I figure the fee covers the food plus a little extra.

I started doing these a few months ago and they get easier the more you do. You have to notice a lot of things and that makes the first few shops a little difficult. I did mostly scenario A or C (they're the same) at first, but I did two B's last week. They had different things to look for, so the shops took longer. Next time, they'll be easy.

I can understand what Trashman was saying. I sent a package from the East Coast to California and it ended up costing me more than if I had simply mailed it 1st class myself or put it in a Flat Rate box. The eBay recipient probably wondered why the hell I would add extraneous packing and spend 3x more than the item cost to send it to him. I always seem to get eBay buyers on the opposite coast, but with the fee and the postage I charged the eBayer, it did just about even out. Now, if I have something light, I just mail it myself rather than add to the package to MAKE it weigh the required amount. I hope that makes sense.

I use the USPS shops to mail bulk copies of my cookbook to various museums and gift shops when they order copies from me.

quilter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> IMTrashman Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I suggest weighing the package and checking the
> > postal fees BEFORE committing. If it is too
> heavy
> > and sent too far, you can end up being upside
> down
> > on the reimbursement, with little (if any) shop
> > fee to cover the shortage!
>
> Maybe I look at it differently, but if I have to
> send a package anyway I don't see how I could come
> out upside down on reimbursement. The alternative
> is to pay the whole thing with no reimbursement or
> fee 'sans' shop. Maybe I'm missing something??


In many cases, yes, you are correct. In some though, it is so much cheaper to send a package flat rate or by another service that the reimbursement and shop fee for some required shipping methods do not make it worthwhile. That is why I suggested to weigh your package first, check prices to ship it in several ways (including the one required in the shop), and then determine if the shop makes economic sense. There are several different scenarios that are required with these shops, and some are more costly than others. Be especially carefully about oversized boxes. That can cost you big time, even if the weight and number of zones otherwise would have resulted in a low shipping rate.

The item is a hair under 2 lbs so it's only the zone 5 issue. The MSC confirmed that they will reimburse up the max won't invalidate the shop. I applied and am waiting for them to accept. Thanks again for all the input!

DanceMom Wrote:
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> I started doing these a few months ago and they
> get easier the more you do. You have to notice a
> lot of things and that makes the first few shops a
> little difficult. I did mostly scenario A or C
> (they're the same) at first, but I did two B's
> last week. They had different things to look for,
> so the shops took longer. Next time, they'll be
> easy.

A and D are the same. "C" are the dimensional shipping.

americanjoe Wrote:
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>
> A and D are the same. "C" are the dimensional
> shipping.


True. I was wrong. Thanks for pointing this out.