USPS shops more that two pounds

August 01, 2023 08:26PM

Has anyone mailed a package that was more than two pounds? Does the company just pay the standard fee and you don’t get reimbursed for the overage or would it cause your shop to be denied?

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August 01, 2023 08:29PM

Anything over the required weight is your expense. I have shipped things over 3 pounds. It will not be denied.

August 01, 2023 10:26PM

I would be careful, the company that does the post office shops often changes the rules after the fact. But it does say in the guidelines in plain English that any overage is at your expense.

August 01, 2023 10:36PM

As opposed to a couple of years ago, when the reimbursement was a certain dollar amount and any poundage or alternate purchase up to that amount would be paid.

August 01, 2023 10:49PM

Today I had the opposite happen. The clerk weighed my package at 0lb 7.9 oz. I've mailed this same stinking package to myself many, many times and know it weighed well over 1 lb. I explained in the comments, so hoping it is accepted. I noticed the price difference and mentioned it to the clerk who just said, "No, it's light." Ok then, send her off and see what happens. I think this is the second time at the same post office this has happened. That's quite a weight difference. I still sent it Priority, so it should be ok, but the clerk did not offer Priority, only Ground. Something could be wrong with their scale or his eyes.

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

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August 01, 2023 10:50PM

I've often mailed packages between 2-3 lbs to my son's family one state away. Because they're so close, the fee is often LESS THAN the $14, oftentimes around $12.55, so as long as it's under the $14, even if it's over 2 lbs, you'll get reimbursed for whatever the fee is. So, for example, I was reimbursed the $12.55, but not the $14, because it didn't cost me that much. Now, when I send something UNDER 2 lbs to my nephew across the country in California, it usually costs about $17.00, but I'm only reimbursed the $14.00. I eat the rest, figuring it's for my nephew.

August 01, 2023 11:41PM

Guysmom, you sure? I don't remember which scenario but one specifically says reimbursement will be paid only up to 2 pounds.

August 01, 2023 11:43PM

It has to be over 1 pound and mailed to a different zip code, in a box that is no larger than 12x12.x12. Thats it. There is no "maximum" weight that invalidates the shop. You will be reimbursed actual shipping amount or $14, whichever is less. I do a ton of these!

August 02, 2023 12:38AM

It's the zone 5 or more scenario. Found the instructions. Reimbursed only up to 2 pounds.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/2023 12:39AM by sestrahelena.

August 02, 2023 01:00AM

I am ussualy mail boxes12x12x12 or 12x9x9. They are by itself about 1lbs of weight. so adding some to ship going over 1 lbs. today I shipped 2 lbs 14.80 oz.

Shopping Eastern Pennsylvania since 2009

August 02, 2023 05:28AM

@big_sky_thunder wrote:

Anything over the required weight is your expense. I have shipped things over 3 pounds. It will not be denied.

That has been my experience as well.

Just be cool folks.

August 02, 2023 05:29AM

In other USPS news...

I check the USPS regular box shopfees daily. It looks like the bonuses are back for the rural post offices.

ROAD TRIP!!!

Just be cool folks.

August 02, 2023 12:28PM

MsJudi, this happened to me last year. I found out that their scales were not calibrated that morning.

@MsJudi wrote:

Today I had the opposite happen. The clerk weighed my package at 0lb 7.9 oz. I've mailed this same stinking package to myself many, many times and know it weighed well over 1 lb. I explained in the comments, so hoping it is accepted. I noticed the price difference and mentioned it to the clerk who just said, "No, it's light." Ok then, send her off and see what happens. I think this is the second time at the same post office this has happened. That's quite a weight difference. I still sent it Priority, so it should be ok, but the clerk did not offer Priority, only Ground. Something could be wrong with their scale or his eyes.

Shopping Arkansas, Louisiana, & Mississippi.

August 02, 2023 09:14PM

@sestrahelena wrote:

Guysmom, you sure? I don't remember which scenario but one specifically says reimbursement will be paid only up to 2 pounds.

I just did one two weeks ago to my stepson in Florida, and it was over two pounds but under the reimbursement. No problem with it.

August 04, 2023 12:07AM

Thanks for your reply. I wondered about that. I need to mail something that will be over 2 lbs, but did not sign up for the shop because I thought the item had to be minimum 1 lb, max 2 lbs. The first time I ever did a USPS shop (and I have done sooooo many after that), I had to go back home 3x because my package was coming in UNDER 1 lb, then OVER 2 lbs. lol I'm pretty sure the post office clerk thought I was crazy and thinking, "just mail the package already, will ya?!" haha good times.

August 04, 2023 12:34AM

I did not notice that the weight on my receipt was below a lb. The evaluator contacted me and asked what was in the package. I sent her an ad for the product (coffee) which showed its weight. It was accepted. I also take a photo of my package on the scale I use to weigh my packages.

Do not read so much, look about you and think of what you see there.
Richard Feynman-- letter to Ashok Arora, 4 January 1967, published in Perfectly Reasonable Deviations from the Beaten Track (2005) p. 230

August 04, 2023 01:50AM

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August 04, 2023 02:59PM

Mine was over 2 and they accepted it. I actually had another one that was a little under 1 pound. They asked me why it was. I explained that I thought it was a pound and they approved the shop.

August 04, 2023 05:55PM

Beware I was been blocked from the company doing the Postal Offices asignments. Been doing those shops for about 15 years. Was been Removed without no notification or.reason and sending emails and not answer regarding why been removed.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/04/2023 05:57PM by aoreilly.

August 05, 2023 12:16AM

If you know you're correct on weight, I'd photograph the box on the scale. Send that along with other required photo.

August 09, 2023 12:54AM

way back I shipped large heater to my daughter in Philly. There were not any kind of box sizes restrictions and shop was not denied.

Shopping Eastern Pennsylvania since 2009

October 14, 2023 08:19AM

I shipped one light once and it was rejected, even though it was shipped Priority. The prevailing theory was that because it was less than a pound, the clerks don't mention Priority shipping. Stupid, I know.

@MsJudi wrote:

Today I had the opposite happen. The clerk weighed my package at 0lb 7.9 oz. I've mailed this same stinking package to myself many, many times and know it weighed well over 1 lb. I explained in the comments, so hoping it is accepted. I noticed the price difference and mentioned it to the clerk who just said, "No, it's light." Ok then, send her off and see what happens. I think this is the second time at the same post office this has happened. That's quite a weight difference. I still sent it Priority, so it should be ok, but the clerk did not offer Priority, only Ground. Something could be wrong with their scale or his eyes.

October 14, 2023 11:23AM

The post office is now pushing ground to save money on airline fuel to cut costs, so now many clerks are trying to automatically give us ground without offering any other options for short distances. They really need to update their guidelines, since the guidelines say to choose Priority because we want insurance. The clerks say that ground now also comes with tracking and insurance, and the delivery day for short distances is usually the same.

October 14, 2023 04:38PM

@mjt9598 wrote:

The post office is now pushing ground to save money on airline fuel to cut costs, so now many clerks are trying to automatically give us ground without offering any other options for short distances. They really need to update their guidelines, since the guidelines say to choose Priority because we want insurance. The clerks say that ground now also comes with tracking and insurance, and the delivery day for short distances is usually the same.

You know, I wondered why the PO Clerk was pushing Ground on my shop a couple of weeks ago when I wanted to ship my package only about 150 miles away. This makes sense now. When I said I really wanted the insurance and tracking, the Clerk also stated that Ground now comes with this. But I just said I wanted it to go Priority. I'll be on the lookout now listening to how often the Clerk(s) will be pushing Ground for shorter distances.

October 14, 2023 05:36PM

Technically it's a new service named Ground Advantage, which phased out 3 prior services (Retail Ground, Parcel Select, and First Class), and it started in July.

As stated above, both the guidelines and the report need to be changed. The guidelines excuse of 'I want the insurance" no longer applies, so there's no logical reason to select Priority, if GA has the same estimated arrival, and often it is cheaper.

On the report, I believe "Retail Ground" is still an option, so technically you should be checking "Other" and typing in "Ground Advantage", but if they aren't bothering to update the report, it implies that it isn't a big deal to keep selecting RG.

I wrote about these new issues in the comments on a couple of shops when it first started happening, so they are aware. As for now, when a clerk says it's cheaper to use GA for the same results, I just say I'll take priority and leave it at that. I assume they assume I assume (ha) the fancier name means it's somehow better.

I wonder if there is any scenario that could even make priority a logical choice for short distances now, though? Like a certain item/weight, or other aspect, where priority would offer a benefit?

[goshippo.com]

October 14, 2023 08:54PM

The clerk stared at me when I declined Ground as it was $5 cheaper. I said the sender asked me to use Priority so I will do that. One of my shops was just retracted with scheduler stating the client is cutting back.

October 15, 2023 01:03AM

Yep that's what I tell them, the receiver paid for priority mail so that's what she's going to get.

October 15, 2023 10:04PM

I did hundeds USPS shops. last week i got into place that shall be open but was closed without any signs. There are no instructions how the shop shall be reported except the report itself. So I reported such shop as closed. Now I can not see the shop in my finished shops list. Anyone know If I will be paid?

Shopping Eastern Pennsylvania since 2009

October 15, 2023 11:19PM

I've only done these when I've had something to send somebody for real.

Have communicated with a couple of members about being mailing buddies, but nothing ever came of it.

I'm definitely open to regularly shipping some rice back and forth!

I'm in SLC, UT. ZIP is 84116. My post office is just down the street, so super convenient.

Have synthesizers, will travel...

October 16, 2023 12:03AM

You will get paid the closed shop fee.

@gene wrote:

I did hundeds USPS shops. last week i got into place that shall be open but was closed without any signs. There are no instructions how the shop shall be reported except the report itself. So I reported such shop as closed. Now I can not see the shop in my finished shops list. Anyone know If I will be paid?

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USPS shops more that two pounds

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