What Is this about? Postage related

[Den82]

I sold an item via eBay. The package was about 1oz and I paid for it with PayPal, First Class Mail. The buyer wants a refund of $4.08

The buyer contacted me and said there was postage due!?!?!



How could this be?

[rche]

looks like they charged your buyer for priority for some reason? dunno why tho. Clearly marked as 1st class.

[johnnystorm]

Was the weight actually one oz. including the packaging? The Post Office is supposed to double check weight/cost on the preprinted lables...I don't believe they do it every time, but maybe you got an overzealous clerk along the line?
Or they entered it as Priority shipping somehow?

[piecemaker]

That has happened to me before as both sender and reciever of mail.The P.O. has regulations that they seem to enforce when they feel like it.The way it was explained to me is if a First Class large envelope is NOT 3/4 of an inch thick,it MUST be sent Priority mail.They told me to just add bubble wrap,whatever to make it 3/4 of an inch thick.They have some weird regulations,check out USPS.com.I have had to pay postage due many times,when i explain this to the seller,they all say the same thing."I have sent hundreds of packages this way and never had a problem" Some postal employees are real sticklers for regulations especially in my area,but thats what happened,your a victim of P.O. regulations that are enforced whenever they want and with them cutting back,etc,its probably going to happen more often.

[Den82]

I don't think the package was that thick. My main concern was the buyer maybe pulling a fast one, but it seems that isn't the case. Not sure if anyone would do that for $4.08 anyway.

Are they trying to make up for the billions they're in debt or something?

Also, as the seller, is it really my duty to have to pay the difference?

[bobbait]

dude, if I were you I would cover my address when posting this type of stuff on an open forum, lots of nuts in this world....just saying.

[Dark Shadow]

I mailed a DVD via media mail once.

It was packed in a used/recycled Priority box and wrapped completely in brown parcel paper. Two days after dropping it off in the Post Office, I received a "Parcel Pick Up" notice in my home mailbox. I thought, "I'm not expecting anything, what is this?" So I drive to the Post Office to pick up this mysterious package only to find that it was the package I had dropped off two days before.

It had been opened & resealed and there was a Post-It note attached which stated "Priority Boxes are only to be used for Priority Mail". I spoke with the Post Master and showed him it was a used box and pointed out that I covered it in brown paper to avoid any confusion as to what type of service I had paid for, and asked him why it was opened in the first place.

He stated that it was opened to "insure" that the item inside was definitely eligible for "Media Mail" service. Once discovered that a Priority box had been used, it was in "violation" of USPS Postal Code as Priority Boxes are factored into the cost of Priority Service. He had no response when I asked him why I don't get a discount on Priority Service when I have to use my own box due to size limitations.

In effect, the USPS paid some inspector to open my package & reseal it and for the Postal delivery person to drop off my notification...and for what? To insure that a .03 cent used cardboard box was not used inappropriately?

Hard to imagine why they're operating in the red!

[piecemaker]

I just got doinked again for postage due.The envelope explains why.Really bogus regulations IMO.

[Bill]

Also, as the seller, is it really my duty to have to pay the difference?

Absolutely. You can argue it with the Post Office if you choose after you've reimbursed the buyer, but the buyer has even less to do with the excess charge than you do.

[piecemaker]

Absolutely. You can argue it with the Post Office if you choose after you've reimbursed the buyer, but the buyer has even less to do with the excess charge than you do.

I agree,the buyer is not responsible for paying any postage due.Like i said i think its a bogus regulation that gets enforced whenever they feel like it,it seems.I have been charged .02 cents before,unbelieveable! Usually if its under a buck,i dont contact the seller,but when it starts being 3 or 4 dollars,that starts adding up and i do contact them.This seller had "Free" shipping to boot,so yeah i will be contacting her.

[Mikey]

I just got doinked again for postage due.The envelope explains why.Really bogus regulations IMO. http://piecemaker.smugmug.com/photos...-xs7j9gk-L.jpg

My PO people would laugh at that.

[theressa]

Sent out some vests a short time ago.
My scales said .9 oz. Made my label for 1.0 oz.
I had to go to the po counter anyway. So I handed that envelope over and said that was ready to go. They weighed it and it was 1.1 oz. So I got dinged just for that! Really getting picky!
Any other time, they had rounded it to the nearest oz.
Wonder how often they calibrate THEIR scales!

[piecemaker]

Yeah,all PO are different,my PO people are real sticklers for there rules and regs,i guess.This should have been stamped: Insufficient Postage,Return to Sender at the first PO it arrived at.That would have saved me from the headache of paying the "Postage Due" and the additional headache of contacting the seller and explaining to them why they owe me money now.The sellers response is almost always,"I have sent hundreds of items just like this and NEVER had a problem"Then i have to tell them that they have never sent a package to Sticklerville. Heres another oldie but goodie,my PO people wanted there .04 cents,crazy.Lol !

[Mego Magyar]

Sent out some vests a short time ago.
My scales said .9 oz. Made my label for 1.0 oz.
I had to go to the po counter anyway. So I handed that envelope over and said that was ready to go. They weighed it and it was 1.1 oz. So I got dinged just for that! Really getting picky!
Any other time, they had rounded it to the nearest oz.
Wonder how often they calibrate THEIR scales!

I've had the same thing happen to me recently sending a letter envelope. My scale read 1 oz. but it was charged postage due on the other end. If you have a question ask the teller to calibrate their scale, I was sending something once that weighed more at the Post Office then at home and when they calibrate the scale they were a tenth of an ounce off on the high side.

[theressa]

I nominate that for joke of the day!