Why does the USPS deliver "postage due" mail...

[mrsilv04]

Why does the USPS go ahead and deliver "postage due" mail, instead of returning it to the sender, and having the sender correct the problem?

This is the second or third time over the years, that I've received something from an eBay seller with insufficient postage. Now, it is my problem, instead of it being the sender's problem.

(Well, it will eventually become the sender's problem...)

This time, the sender put 2 ounces of postage on a 10 ounce envelope. I guess it is a little game to see if anyone at the USPS is watching. It may work sometimes, but it didn't this time.

 

[Johnny]

Why, because it is the USPS.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Saves THEM money IF they get caught.

They could care less if you leave them negative feedback. Once you get enough that it starts to slow the sales down you just create a new account.

Ebay was a great place. With their lack of enforcing stuff like this and the fee increases/ have to use PayPal which costs even more they are not my favorite way to see stuff anymore.

And I've been with them since 1998.

Sorry to hear you had to pay to get your stuff.

Bill

 

[John_K]

I thought I had read several years ago they were stopping the practice...but I know they still do. Seems like a lot of trouble on USPS part.

John

 

[Virtuoso]

Maybe cheaper to keep it on the path to the reciever, than send it back and start all over?

 

[Art_Vandelay]

I never knew the USPS did this. Any decent ebay seller would reimburse you. I surely would.

I've been with ebay for over 10 years and if there was a viable alternative auction site I would leave yesterday.

They really never did the right things for their customers. They overcharge and under-protect everyone.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: Art_Vandelay
I never knew the USPS did this. Any decent ebay seller would reimburse you. I surely would.

I've been with ebay for over 10 years and if there was a viable alternative auction site I would leave yesterday.

They really never did the right things for their customers. They overcharge and under-protect everyone.


A decent seller Art would not put on postage for 2oz on a 10oz package....

Agree 1000% with the rest of your post. I've sold 2 things on Ebay in the last year. Bought even less.

Bill

 

[Pablo]

That seems odd. Last year SBP ACCIDENTALLY slightly "under funded" two 1st Class small envelope packages*. We are talking a just few cents....packages came back to us....naturally the process starts all over again, so we are out the full first postage.

We sent over 2500 packages USPS last year.

 

[eljefino]

I'm with Pablo, I went to a hole-in-the-wall post office, the kind that rents space from another business. They didn't have a computer/barcode thing so the lady stuck various stamps on.

A 3 cent-er fell off and the whole deal returned to me.

Good news is they closed that PO down. It was a local tradition, get ignored by "Agnes" the 70 year old crabby chain smoking lady gabbing on the phone while selling stamps. Show up with a package needing weighing and she'd moan getting off the chair (for sympathy?)

 

[JustinH]

Maybe it is the qualify of the sellers scale. We are in the age of people printing out postage from home using a 10 dollar ebay scale.

I'd bet they a few ounces off, especially for light packages like this.

Benefit of the doubt, I would email the seller and let them know.

 

[crazyoildude]

send it back

 

[Art_Vandelay]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah


A decent seller Art would not put on postage for 2oz on a 10oz package....

LOL I suppose that is true Bill.

 

[crinkles]

i recall from my youth in africa, if postage was insufficient, the item was still delivered, but they sent a card back to the sender, with "affix stmap here" due to insufficient postage. you then had to mail back in the extra stamp (if you were an honest person)

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

Originally Posted By: John_K
I thought I had read several years ago they were stopping the practice...but I know they still do. Seems like a lot of trouble on USPS part.

John


I thought they had as well. That's why I put the addressee's address in the return address area and send it out without ANY postage.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

Originally Posted By: Pablo
That seems odd. Last year SBP ACCIDENTALLY slightly "under funded" two 1st Class small envelope packages*. We are talking a just few cents....packages came back to us....naturally the process starts all over again, so we are out the full first postage.

We sent over 2500 packages USPS last year.


Pablo is one great American keeping the USPS afloat on his back.

 

[tonycarguy]

Are they a respected retail seller or just an individual occasionally selling stuff for coffee money? Individuals likely don't have scales and just guestimate the weight. I had a scale tell me something was 3 oz, but I was incredulous so I took it to the PO and they measured it as 10 oz.

 

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: tonycarguy
Are they a respected retail seller or just an individual occasionally selling stuff for coffee money? Individuals likely don't have scales and just guestimate the weight. I had a scale tell me something was 3 oz, but I was incredulous so I took it to the PO and they measured it as 10 oz.


I don't know. It was done on one of those PayPal accounts that allows you to print postage.

Unfortunately, that's not really the question.

I'd like to know why the USPS expects ME to pay for a mistake that I didn't make...

I'm not the one who couldn't tell 2 ounces from 10... but I'm supposed to cover for it?

Why didn't they return it to the sender, so he could take care of it?

 

[benjamming]

So, why do you HAVE to pay for it? Will they stop delivering your mail?

 

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: benjamming
So, why do you HAVE to pay for it? Will they stop delivering your mail?


That's another good question.

I'm tempted to make a photocopy of the label with the "postage due" request, and attach a note simply stating that they need to request the postage due from the SENDER as it was the SENDER'S mistake, and that I'm not paying for it.... and set it in my mailbox for the carrier to pick up on Monday.

And then see what happens. I don't think they have any recourse against me. I didn't do anything wrong, nor am I responsible for what happened.

Most recipients likely just pay it.

 

[eljefino]

It's a little known rule but you can refuse mail. Next time just tell the mailman "no". This is handy even for stuff left with you (not postage due), you can write a big X through your address and "refused" next to it. Scratch out any USPS bar codes you find too.

Then tell paypal you never got it and you want your money back. They'll take your side. eBay won't let sellers leave negative feedback against buyers anymore, so they'll just have to eat it.