Your experiences mailing Samples

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I dread having to go into the Post Office, I have this tendency to wait in line for a few minutes, and walk out when I notice how everything seems to be occurring in slow motion, and every person has special needs transactions.

Anyway, my turn comes up. I plop the Blackstone black bottle on the scale and the clerk looked at it like it was in danger of melting it.
"Is it a medical sample,
Is it hazardous?
Is it urine?"

No it is oil?

"Oyellll?

"Motor oil." I did not want to scare her with the used part.

I did not print up the little sheet to show them it was safe to mail as is, but I had the little piece of paper telling me where to go to print up the paper and handed it to her. I did not get the impression she could read from her response.

No go. Got to buy an envelope put it in that. Had to step out of line and write down the addresses. I did not have to wait in line again as another clerk was more on top of things and got me out of there shortly afterward.

I think mailing the sample was about a hundred times worse an experience than catching it as it poured hot out of my sump.

At least I remembered the Nitrile gloves this time.
 
After one experience like yours, I use the automated self serve postage, put the label on the sample bottle, and drop it in the chute.
 
A cylinder is an irregularly shaped object and subject to additional fees according to my post office. Put it it a small envelope or box and address it to Blackstone Inc. Omit "Labs" from the label and answer no to all their questions. No problem.

Alternatively, print labels with postage right from the USPS website and put it in your mailbox.
 
Well, next time I will certainly employ other methods. I was eyeballing the self serve machines the whole time in line. They were pretty busy too. That printing the label at home thing sounds just about right, avoid the post office all together.

Though there was some eye candy in there today though.
 
I use the UPS prepaid sample kits from OAI. After taxes and shipping, the total amount is about $27 including TBN. UPS hasn't ever given me a hard time with shipping samples.
 
Our Post Office just has one regular clerk. She has seen it all and knows the rules by heart. Oil - yawn. Gun to be plated - no serial numbered parts. Etc.

Her or her husband may be BITOG members. She drives a very well kept Mitsubishi two seat sports car of some sort. Brought my wife a package one day in that car. When I saw the car on the driveway, the last thing I thought about was a Post Office delivery.
 
Also I put "First Class" stickers on the sample container. Even so it takes forever to go from NY to Indianapolis. Much longer than a letter. You cannot get tracking for first class so I can only trust when Polaris says it was received.

Polaris has moved their main lab in Indianapolis, same city, different street.
 
Originally Posted By: bvance554
Can you use one of the 'if it fits it ships boxes'? May be less hassle.


That's exactly what I do. No need standing in line and trying to explain that it isn't hazardous.
 
I've never had an issue. I put them in small cardboard boxes since I don't really want to try shipping a tiny bottle. I've never been hassled about anything.
 
i put mine in an old box also. never any questions.
smile.gif
 
I've only sent a few samples, but never had any issue. I was kinda disappointed they didn't argue with me so I could whip out the Blackstone paper and say: "HA!"
grin2.gif
 
I have only shipped one sample and had no problems. I had the letter ready, but ended up not needing it. The clerk looked at it and asked if I could put it inside a plastic bag. I explained that the sample was inside a smaller tube, which was inside a plastic bag inside the black bottle, and she was okay with that. Easy-peasy.
 
USPS Priority usually. Easy to track and fast. In the spirit of belt and suspenders, I add some packing tape to the lids for a tad more security and plenty of whatever packing material I have lying around in the box; tho' I admit it may just help my own mental state. I just drop down the USPS package chute.

Never have had a problem.
Kevin
 
I mail the sample inside another box. taped. sealed. sent USPS priority with tracking. If I drop it in the mail in the round bottle it will, without fail, get held for 30 days for inspection at the Pittsburgh PA sort facility.
 
Originally Posted By: R80RS
I use UPS ground. Costs a little more but you can track it and it gets there much faster than USPS.

+ 1 - I tried USPS once and they did not want to ship the round bottle. I just use Fed-Ex ground in a box with the discounts that my company has with Fed-Ex, it costs me about $1 more and I have a tracking number and a far better chance of it making it.
 
Originally Posted By: cchase
I've never had an issue. I put them in small cardboard boxes since I don't really want to try shipping a tiny bottle. I've never been hassled about anything.


This is exactly what I do when sending samples to Polaris in Indy.
Never a problem and worth the 49 cents I pay for the little box.
 
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