Monofletch
Basic Member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2010
- Messages
- 9,353
You guys need to move on to my mail route! I’ll take care of you!
My wife gets a lot of packages from Japan for her hobby that are all shipped USPS. All require signatures.
Now, we haven't actually had any go missing, but I had a couple in a row that didn't show up on time. When checking at the end of the day we found the "missed you" slip on the door. Confusing since we were home all day...right?
When the next one was due to arrive, I literally sat on my couch and watched one particular USPS delivery person (that I call Lazy Mayzie) walk up to the door, write a "we missed you" slip, stick it to the door, then pack the heavy package on down the street. She did not knock or ring the bell.
Now, while it's kinda funny to watch a lazy, incompetent, and simple-minded Gov't employees work harder than they have to (which is a Gov't employee's greatest fear), it is not fun to pack my lazy behind down to the PO, wait in line, and watch them dig around in different cabinets for 5 or 10 minutes with a disgusted look on their face. Maybe they are grumpy because I have a "You are a dipshit" look on my face. But then again, I refuse to believe they haven't seen that face before on other customers.
Another time after waiting in line at the PO, I realized that I had forgotten to tape the lid closed. When I was next, I politely asked if counter-dude could throw a strip of tape on it and was told, "No, we don't do that. There are rolls of tape to buy behind you. Grab one, go through the line again, pay for it, then tape the lid.". I think the roll was more than $5. Turned around and took the package to UPS (who had tape to spare).
I avoid USPS whenever possible. Saving $10 isn't worth the hassle to me. The only thing that USPS is good for is junk mail and bills along with any other packages that don't really matter.
Just my opinion.
USPS is a huge organization, moving billions of items around the country, but most people's opinion of them will come down to how their local neighborhood post office is run.Why the hate. If you have a problem with your post office tell them so they can fix it. I would have talked to the carrier long before I missed my second package!
Almost all my customers know me by my first name. That little connection might help your situation.
Why the hate. If you have a problem with your post office tell them so they can fix it. I would have talked to the carrier long before I missed my second package!
Almost all my customers know me by my first name. That little connection might help your situation.
Maybe you need to reread what I said: I’m sorry you got screwed. I am empathetic. That sucks.For someone hanging out in a knife forum I would think you would be a little more empathic. Many knife collectors consider their knives a personal treasure. There are many knives that are immediately put in a safe (safequeen) to help them maintain their value. Although mine was not a safequeen, I had a receipt showing two years earlier I had paid $237 for that knife and some turkey sitting in a office randomly decides that it is only worth $91.
A lawyer would argue differently and would win. If I buy a bale of hay for $50.00 and insure it for $50.00, and the wind blows it away, or someone steals it, the insurance company owes me $50.00 for the bale of hay.Maybe you need to reread what I said: I’m sorry you got screwed. I am empathetic. That sucks.
I tried to explain the way insurance works. If you need replacement cost insurance, you have to pay for it. Evidently, USPS insurance does not cover replacement cost. I suggested you check with the other shippers on what their policy and level of proof are.
Sometimes homeowners insurance covers this though it would likely be less than your deductible to replace it yourself.
In my case, I purchase a separate policy that covers full replacement except in the case of natural disaster or war. This requires me to get a replacement cost appraisal from the the maker or seller and have proof of ownership on file.
Every insurance situation is different. Sometimes it’s ok to take a gamble other times it isn’t, and I pay a lot more for 100% peace of mind that I will be made whole when my valuables go missing or are damaged/destroyed.
So instead of being mad at me, just a friendly suggestion: research how insurance works so you don’t come out in the short end of the stick. You were expecting something USPS apparently doesn’t sell.
(I would be mad too, but I don’t rely on USPS because they are not reliable enough for my needs.)
USPS is not “empathetic,” and they aren’t going to pay more than depreciated value according to your story. Sorry.
You are correct. And there wouldn't be different levels of insurance, insurance schemes, and pricing if everything were automatically covered and reimbursed at declared value. Even my super-duper air tight policy won't help me in the case of a natural disaster or war.Naturally a lawyer would argue differently. That's how they make their money.
With the various shipping carriers they all have very specific terms for loss and damage and insuring the shipment. The rules were all written back in the day of clipper ships crossing the ocean and the first railroads crossing the continent. They are as a result biased towards the carrier.
I can insure something for $5000 because of it's high sentimental value but when the trucking company looses it they'll give me 10 cents a pound based on their terms. I'm in Canada so I don't use USPS to ship but the shape of of these policies across the continent is the same.
It would be worthwhile for someone to chime in with the exact wording of the USPS insurance. See where there is a difference between the declared value and the real world value and any other specific terms or limits on the payout.
Force majeureYou are correct. And there wouldn't be different levels of insurance, insurance schemes, and pricing if everything were automatically covered and reimbursed at declared value. Even my super-duper air tight policy won't help me in the case of a natural disaster or war.
Why the hate. If you have a problem with your post office tell them so they can fix it. I would have talked to the carrier long before I missed my second package!
Almost all my customers know me by my first name. That little connection might help your situation.
[A lawyer would argue differently and would win. If I buy a bale of hay for $50.00 and insure it for $50.00, and the wind blows it away, or someone steals it, the insurance company owes me $50.00 for the bale of hay.
Secondly, how does USPS determine the "depreciated value" of anything? They are not, in this case, in the knife market, or any "market" for that matter.