Hazmat Inquiry- Shop

Good afternoon,

I am doing an hazmat inquiry shop in a couple of days and I waned to know if any one has done theses before.. I have read the guidelines several times.

Are theses easy shops and does the clerk ask the hazmat question? Any other tips besides what are listed in the guidelines

Thanks

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They always ask the questions and then depending on your scenario you jump in with what you have or that you don’t know.

I got all the stamps for my daughters wedding invites and thank yous from these shops a few years ago.

Liz

Sometimes in my area they do not ask the question but they just refer you to the small terminal on the counter. You need to pay attention to how they "ask" you as there are two questions, one about whether they verbally ask and one about whether they ask you to push buttons on the terminal.

There have been times on non shops I would drop off an package and they will ask me the question and other times they say just press the botton on the screen,

Thanks

If you're talking about the USPS hazmat they always ask the question and specifically mention lithium batteries and perfume. If you mean approved shipper hazmat, I did five of these recently and four of them accepted the package. In either case, just go with the flow. If they ask, they ask. If they don't, they don't. If they want to accept the package, let them.

But if they accept the package, it has to be sent by Priority Mail (which means by air to Zone 5 and beyond). If they accept the package and say that it will go by ground (Retail Ground), you have to back out and buy something (a book of stamps is good) in order to get a receipt proving you were there. I had a lithium battery rejected today because 1) it was a lithium battery and 2) it as not in a device such as a cell phone or calculator. It was just a battery from my laptop. They may ask if it contains more than one cell Either feign complete ignorance, or just reiterate that it is a laptop battery (which I happen to know contains more than one cell).

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008

I had 4 to do today with only one prepared package. I took a few extra boxes and supplies just in case, but they NEVER ship them at the USPS..haha. First one, Me: "It's a laptop battery." Clerk: "Okay, press YES. That will be $9.45." UGH..No stamps for me! Fortunately all the others were not accepted. I'm working on wedding stamps for my son's wedding invitations, save-a-dates, thank you cards, response envelopes etc. I still have time and have accumulated several hundred dollars worth over the months. I also use them for ebaying.

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The more I learn about people...the more I like my dog..

Mark Twain

@MsJudi wrote:

I had 4 to do today with only one prepared package. I took a few extra boxes and supplies just in case, but they NEVER ship them at the USPS..haha. First one, Me: "It's a laptop battery." Clerk: "Okay, press YES. That will be $9.45." UGH..No stamps for me! Fortunately all the others were not accepted. I'm working on wedding stamps for my son's wedding invitations, save-a-dates, thank you cards, response envelopes etc. I still have time and have accumulated several hundred dollars worth over the months. I also use them for ebaying.

I hate that. I sent my uncle four empty water bottles and a tape measure because it was all I had in my car when all of my boxes were shipping that day. He thinks I am nuts. He's a bit older and doesn't always get it. My aunt has to explain sometimes.

@SoCalMama wrote:

@MsJudi wrote:

I had 4 to do today with only one prepared package. I took a few extra boxes and supplies just in case, but they NEVER ship them at the USPS..haha. First one, Me: "It's a laptop battery." Clerk: "Okay, press YES. That will be $9.45." UGH..No stamps for me! Fortunately all the others were not accepted. I'm working on wedding stamps for my son's wedding invitations, save-a-dates, thank you cards, response envelopes etc. I still have time and have accumulated several hundred dollars worth over the months. I also use them for ebaying.

I hate that. I sent my uncle four empty water bottles and a tape measure because it was all I had in my car when all of my boxes were shipping that day. He thinks I am nuts. He's a bit older and doesn't always get it. My aunt has to explain sometimes.

lol at four empty water bottles.. The problem is I don't have any friends or realtives far way.. I was thinking about shipping to a food bank but my hahazmat is prefume.. I can always ship to a childrens home or something.I was thinking of some can food. (If I am allowed to ship) But I know I have to tell the clerk it is prefume and my wife asked me to drop it off.

I think I read that I have to take a picture of the box before I send it. Does that include the address label? If so do I have to put the whole address like John Smith 1111 Summer Lane Dallas Texas

Also I have a Amazon box. Will that work as long as there are no other stickers on it and there is packing tape?

Thanks

There is a hread with people who are willing to be shipping buddies. I both send and receive as a buddy.

Be very careful about shipping ot a food bank, children's home or any place like that. there are threads on this Forum with details of SWAT teams being called when unexpected packages start showing up. Trust me, the clerk doesn;t care why you are shipping perfume. No need to embellish it with being your wife's request. Shipping to a person removes any need to explain anything. Get a shipping buddy.

You need to photograph the entire box. You are allowed to cover up part of the "To" address.

The box you use has to be plain and have no marking other than what might appear on the bottom of a box purchased from Staples (weight rating, size, etc.). An Amazon box is not acceptable. They reimburse for postage. Buy a box and keep the receipt. In small quantities, Walmart is a good place to get boxes. I buy in lots of 25 from Staples online and the cost goes way down. I'd rather have boxes than have to spend time and gas hunting for them each time.

@Isaiah4031a wrote:

@SoCalMama wrote:

@MsJudi wrote:

I had 4 to do today with only one prepared package. I took a few extra boxes and supplies just in case, but they NEVER ship them at the USPS..haha. First one, Me: "It's a laptop battery." Clerk: "Okay, press YES. That will be $9.45." UGH..No stamps for me! Fortunately all the others were not accepted. I'm working on wedding stamps for my son's wedding invitations, save-a-dates, thank you cards, response envelopes etc. I still have time and have accumulated several hundred dollars worth over the months. I also use them for ebaying.

I hate that. I sent my uncle four empty water bottles and a tape measure because it was all I had in my car when all of my boxes were shipping that day. He thinks I am nuts. He's a bit older and doesn't always get it. My aunt has to explain sometimes.

lol at four empty water bottles.. The problem is I don't have any friends or realtives far way.. I was thinking about shipping to a food bank but my hahazmat is prefume.. I can always ship to a childrens home or something.I was thinking of some can food. (If I am allowed to ship) But I know I have to tell the clerk it is prefume and my wife asked me to drop it off.

I think I read that I have to take a picture of the box before I send it. Does that include the address label? If so do I have to put the whole address like John Smith 1111 Summer Lane Dallas Texas

Also I have a Amazon box. Will that work as long as there are no other stickers on it and there is packing tape?

Thanks

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008

Exactly what myst4au said. Although some prefer to turn Amazon boxes inside out and a few other tricks to reuse boxes with markings. I prefer to have a shipping buddy then cover the box with tape before putting labels on it. That way the labels and postal markings can be easily removed with a hair drier and the boxes reused.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/22/2019 06:54PM by wwin.

Dog loving Post office shoppers: I just read about these three dog rescue places that specialize in senior dogs with a senior retirement home for them. They are all requesting donations. Probably you can send other items than what they specifically want from the article I read in Oprah mag. You could contact them and ask if they need whatever it is you would like to send. They all request cleaning supplies incl paper towels, bedding things.
Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary, Tennessee ofsds.org
Silver Muzzle Cottage Michigan silvermuzzlecottage.com
Danny and Ron's rescue S. Carolina dannyronsrescue.org

I guess I have to search the thread for shipping buddy.. So who wants to be my shipping buddy for this shop??

I will go to WM and buy some boxes.. I have a small box with nothing on it.. I already have it boxed up but I have not sealed it yet.

Thanks

I just typed in shipping buddies in the search box and nothing comes up.

Thanks again for all the tips and helpful info

what is your zip code?

"We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl -- year after year..."

"Be very careful about shipping to a food bank, children's home or any place like that. there are threads on this Forum with details of SWAT teams being called when unexpected packages start showing up. Trust me, the clerk doesn't care why you are shipping perfume. No need to embellish it with being your wife's request. Shipping to a person removes any need to explain anything. Get a shipping buddy. "

If you want to send a donation----find a shipping buddy who has easy access to someplace that has a donation drop off point. For example you ship a bag of rice or cans of tuna to me and I take them to the local grade school that has a collection box in the foyer. No SWAT team needed. Or you send me old towels and I take them to the local humane society. win win

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@Isaiah4031a wrote:

I just typed in shipping buddies in the search box and nothing comes up.

Thanks again for all the tips and helpful info

Thanks

Hope to hear from a few people.. I have my can food box up.. PM Me if you would like to help.. My shop is Monday

Thanks

I must have an honest face, because a third of the time at the Post Office when I say I'm mailing the package for my Mom they let it go through :-)

@MsJudi wrote:

I had 4 to do today with only one prepared package. I took a few extra boxes and supplies just in case, but they NEVER ship them at the USPS..haha.

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. Eleanor Roosevelt

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/23/2019 06:13PM by KathyG.

@Rho* wrote:

"Be very careful about shipping to a food bank, children's home or any place like that. there are threads on this Forum with details of SWAT teams being called when unexpected packages start showing up. Trust me, the clerk doesn't care why you are shipping perfume. No need to embellish it with being your wife's request. Shipping to a person removes any need to explain anything. Get a shipping buddy. "

If you want to send a donation----find a shipping buddy who has easy access to someplace that has a donation drop off point. For example you ship a bag of rice or cans of tuna to me and I take them to the local grade school that has a collection box in the foyer. No SWAT team needed. Or you send me old towels and I take them to the local humane society. win win

I'd love to, but I think that CA to IL is a Zone 8 rate.

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