lbarlbar Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How long does it normally take to get a *grade* on
> a Senario A (regular box) shop? I did mine 1/6
> and still have not heard. You would think that 8
> days would be enough time.....or maybe it had some
> problems..your thoughts?


I can not say for sure, but I was told that if a grade or rating does not show up, then the shop was not accepted.

Lisams901, thanks for telling me. Don't you think they should have at least told me to go "blow smoke" or dropped my grade or something? I'll give it a few more days and then give up. thanks again!

On one shop (not shipping) they got back to me about a week later with a question. I answered. The shop never showed a grade yet I got paid . . . I always figure that places that are rejecting will TELL you so.

Thanks Flash ...I really did a good job on this and therefore, do not want to accept anymore assignments until I know the answer. This was my first one for them and will wait *im* patiently! Thanks again

I haven't had any of the shipping shops rejected, but I've had several of the warranty ones thrown out. On all of those, they gave the score and a comment of why it was not accepted, so if nothing is showing yet, I wouldn't worry. They probably just haven't gotten around to finishing them up. And if you're certain you did everything right, chances are good you'll get a good score and a paycheck!

lbarlbar Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How long does it normally take to get a *grade* on
> a Senario A (regular box) shop? I did mine 1/6
> and still have not heard. You would think that 8
> days would be enough time.....or maybe it had some
> problems..your thoughts?

I've now done 45 ReadyPost and regular box shops since November and I still say Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee even if not a single one was bonussed. I shipped all my Christmas presents for nothing. I carry my netbook with me and average 20 mnutes a shop including time in a post office and doing the report. That is $30 an hour if my math degree is correct. Granted it doesn't include travel time or an extra couple of minutes to scan and upload a receipt when I get home.

My grandson helps me package up parcels to ship for the regular box shops. He also fills grocery bags with stuff to ship in the ReadyPost shops. I use my own labels and have pre-printed labels on packages or ready to slap on packages when I get home. I schedule these shipping shops as incidentals along my regular shopping routes sometimes or I schedule other shopping assignments around a route of shipping shops so the driving gets paid for by one or the other.

Bottom line is I've done 45 of em and that's $450 plus shipping of all Christmas presents. I just signed up for another 13 in February! That is significant money in my standard of living. My 9 year old grandson will earn a little and learn about tithing and saving money by helping me so it's a teaching experience for him as well as money for groceries we wouldn't have otherwise.. There is ALWAYS a way to find a curse in anything, but it's much more profitable and joyful to count your blessings. lol

iblessyah@yahoo.com
Blessings2Yah

I have chosen not to do any of these shipping jobs since BARE took them over and, in my opinion, make them far to difficult for the compensation.

But I will simply mention for those that do them, I have found a very reasonable source of various office supplies, including shipping boxes. In the few instances when I have made purchases, the merchandise came from a local warehouse and shipping was free. They are:

www.cnsstores.com

(no affiliation)

They are sometimes very slow in posting your rating....doesn't mean anything, you'll get paid or hear quickley if job was not accepted.

I like doing these with this company, although I had no problem with doing them for the other company either. I choose a handful of friends each time to send little gifts to and my perspective is "who can I cheer up today". I do 4 more tomorrow and each person is getting my chocolate truffles as a care package.

I started cleaning out closets a couple of weeks ago and came up with all kinds of kids clothes I was going to take to Goodwill. Having 17 more shipping shops to do, I started putting them into 1-2 pound bags and have been shipping them to a friend. She'ssssssss going to take them to Goodwill and I didn't have to buy anything to ship for real. I ran out of stuff to send. I even shipped my sister a book I hadn't read yet. lol Thought this was a great idea.

Still refuse to lay out the reimbursement money for the DIM weight shops though. That's a lot of floating money and I can do four of the other type with the same cash outlay. This rotation will make a total of 62 since November.

One thing I did differently this time was preprint labels with local zips for the return address. Since I had to ship outside of zone 0, I am sending things to a friend and to my sister who live far outside the local postal zone. Since I have to wait 30 minutes between shops, I can do the report on one sitting in my car or drinking a diet coke at McDonalds. lol You may think it's only $10, but I look at the bigger picture I also got all my Christmas shipping done for free except for one that cost $27 to send. Should have made three boxes and sent them. lol

For ReadyPost shops, I package my items in a grocery bag to cover them, put the labels inside and keep a roll of tape in my coat pocket. I walk in ready to stuff a bubble envelope or box, slap on the labels and get in line. There were 12 people in line at one post office this morning and it still only took 15 minutes. My only long ones have been at the main post office (ugh) and one with 14 people ahead of me, one workstation with a computer that was down. Bad day for a shopper, huh. But at least they got an accurate picture of the problems encountered by that clerk and she did an awesome job of crowd control and customer service.

I also sent a pair of boots to my daughter when I did the ReadyPost shops. Sent one boot (with Valentine Candy for kids) and another at a second shop. Both cost about 13.00 each which I would have never spent to send my used boots to her....she would have had to wait til one of us visited each other. Horray for USPS shops.

One boot at a time....that's priceless. lololol

As of tomorrow I'm up to 62 USPS shops. lol Next month's check buys my new glasses! Whoppeeeeee. Will be able to find the places I'm supposed to shop and see the screen on my Netbook without taking off my glasses and leaning in. HAHAHAHA!

My last two shops were graded within 24 hours. Apparently the *grader* had time on his/her hands and got them done early. Before that it took 2 weeks. I love 10s...makes me feel like I'm doing something right.

LOL! Love the sending one boot at a time! That is too funny! I've done 3 of these shipping shops and I think they are fairly easy for 10 bucks.

I did the same last time with the box shop, I got my son a pair of military boots (very heavy) and I sent one boot at the time, no problem at all.
Isabel
Enjoy Life

I've done 5 USPS shops for Bare and have been really pleased.
Be sure to keep it at about 1#. unless you're sending something you don't mind paying extra for.
Report is easy and I have been getting awesome ratings. Fun shops.

Does Bare ever bonus the shipping company DIM shops? The recently loaded ready post shops area are all 10 + 5 bonus, but the DIM shops seem to stay at 12.50 and in my area none have been taken?

Never a bonus from Bare here in L.A. I dislike these new shops, way too much trouble for $12.00, and they tell you where to mail them. I'd rather just take charity items directly to Salvation Army, and get a write off on my taxes. Sending one boot at a time, my daughter would think I'd become senile, but it's funny. I'm a little crabby because Bare and I are no longer on great terms due to my having to use my CC, having been short .50 for the last postal job I did. I can no longer self-assign, why I think maybe I should have gotten at least a year in prison for that drastic error, especially after having worked for them for years and made this horrific error. I've moved on, but yes, it was nice to vent.

I just did a bonus one yesterday.

Different areas have different bonus's, none here.

I have a question about the type where you're supposed to purchase the exterior package. So, you walk in with the item (not exposed), ask to see the sizes available and then choose? And, I'm assuming it's okay to choose a mailer OR a box? (I don't recall seeing any specification in the instructions.)

The instructions I read (and why I chose not to do these) say to purchase box at a store like K-mart (not specific), but not to be purchased in P.O., I'm not an authority on these jobs, just seemed like a lot of work for the pay.

No, this is the shop where you NEED to purchase the package at the location. (I don't want to mention it by name.)

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/18/2011 12:32AM by nicelytwicely.

They assume Kmart sells shipping supplies and they would most likely be the same size as a regular PO box.

I did my best not to purchase a box. I went to the grocery store a took one of there large boxes and recyled it, in a smaller version., using the sides or the flaps.

Just to clarify, there are three scenarios, one of which you are to walk in WITHOUT something to ship the items in. That's the one I'm asking about.

Sigh, it was so easy last year when the old company sent the boxes to me and I just stuck a label on them and ran to the shipping office.

the scenario where you buy the "box" at the office can be a large envelope or box. you do not ask to see what is available unless nothing is on display. so just walk in the shipping office, grab an envelope, stuff it quickly with your item, seal it, and address it.

i have never seen a shipping office without the boxes/envelopes available, but the guidelines say to wait in line and ask if they have any available if none are on display. if they do not then you are to call your scheduler. If they do then the guidelines are somewhat unclear,

what would you do at this point if they had a mailer? i doubt the clerk would sell it to you since the clerk would almost certainly ask if you were mailing priority. then they would just give you a free envelope.

Thanks, vptrav! I'm familiar with the two locations I'm doing this at. One has the selection on display, but you have to ask for the item behind the counter. The other one does not have the selection on display at all, they keep everything in the back room. So, in both instances, nothing to grab! This is the first time I'm doing this scenario, so I'm trying to mentally prepare.

Flat rate boxes/mailers aren't free.

Somehow my directions are different than what I am reading here.

Would U tell the clerk that you got the mailer off the shelf?

The mailer are under $3, so it would tbe tagged onto the receipt, it would not be free.. Scenario B informs us to purchase a Readypost mailer, place our items in the mailer, sealed amnd adrdress it and then present it to the window clerk.

I don't know about your city but in NY metro area, the ReadyPost supplies are behind the counter not in the lobby of the PO. So U will have toasked for the ReadyPost supply, U need.

sojo917, the scenario you are talking about is a different one. There are three in all. The one to which you're referring is the one I usually do, just not this time!

Edited: Just re-read what you wrote, and yes, you understand why I'm asking about the protocol. Sorry, looong day!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/18/2011 03:17AM by nicelytwicely.