Just curious as it seems as though packages arrive in the same amount of time going 1st class...yet price is double for Priority mail. Obviously over 1 lb. I believe has to go Priority or Bulk. What are ya'll thoughts on if it's under a pound. I've been solely using priority...and wondering if I'm spending double what I need to be.
Priority Mail or No? Opinions?
hi Chantell..if it's not a RUSH situation..often times 1st class is cheaper
The plus side for priority for me is the provided boxes. I don't always have the right size box to ship in. It seems that official priority boxes might get handled a little better.
Whenever I take a package to the post office, I just have them give me the price for 1st class and priority and just pick whichever is cheaper. Priority is pretty meaningless - like we'll get it there in three days maybe if we feel like it sort of.
I think the use of first-class mail is very practical and fine for anything less than one pound and arrival time is approximately the same as that for priority mail. In fact, it is sometimes faster. Here lately it is taking anywhere from 3 - 5 days for packages shipped by priority to arrive at my home.
The clerks at my post office are now measuring packages, even the priority boxes. It's some kind of new regulation. I told one of them today that it is ridiculous to have to measure boxes furnished by the USPS. She agreed.
Hi, well i don't know about anyone else, but where i live- the package dosen't arrive for 5-7 days if at all when no confirmation number is used.
With a confirmation number- it always arrives sometime. Without it...one never knows if it will. Priority mail it does arrive but it needs the confirmation number.
Sandy
I think 1st class would be OK for under 1 lb and if the plant is not terribly unique. However, as a matter of courtesy, I would ask the other person if it is OK with them. If I spend the money for priority mail, my expectation is that the other party does the same, unless we both agree otherwise. I have done that more than once and both of us were happy.
and so true what sandy said, the convenience and extra insurance of the del. conf. can't be beat. seems like the P.O. tries harder at making a timely delivery it del. conf. is involved.
Very valid points - all of you. I was just curious as it seemed coming and going was the same regardless. For more rare plants - I too like the added peace of mind the confirmation/Ins. brings.
Vossner very good point re both parties agreeing on method used - I never thought of that.
I will only use Priority now if I have it in their box. I sent a Priority package in my own box to lincolnitess. It had some plants for a trade, sent on Sept 12 from Virginia and arrived in Nebraska on Oct 19 - 5 weeks later. I could've walked it there in that time, literally! Since I had not shipped it with a confirmation number, they "couldn't" address the issue.
A note of info I picked up in a thread I started on Flat Rate Boxes in this Forum -- the delivery confirmations that come free with self-printed mailing labels are scanned only upon delivery, not at the time the package is delivered to the post office, from what I was told, so they are basically worthless for tracking a package. It was recommended that if you use self-printed mailing labels that you pay the additional amount for a "real" delivery confirmation slip when you take the package in to be mailed.
I've been shipping all my trade plants Priority, but as a result of this thread, will experiment with some under 1 lb that are not so rare to see if the delivery time is about the same as Priority.
Thanks!
Jeremy
Jeremy
Actually, often Priority Mail and Parcel Post are about the same price. For the packages I mail, there might be a 10 - 50 cent difference. But then I do large trades, not a bunch of one-pounders. I save postage by doing one large trade instead of several small trades.
I ALWAYS use Delivery confirmation, whether mailing Parcel or Priority. I also do not print the online postage. I've discovered that the package doesn't enter their system until it's been delivered, if I print online postage. My post office refuses to scan the DC if I pay online, claiming that's the whole reason DC is free. So if I look the DC # up on their site, it merely says something like: "Postage for this package was paid online. We'll update this info when the package is dropped off at the post office." However, it's not updated until the package actually reaches its destinations, IF it reaches its destination. Not all P.O.'s operate like mine, but y'all might want to check yours if you're printing online postage.
As far as whether to use Priority or Parcel, as I said, in many cases, the price difference is minimal. If a package is travelling several states away, it's best to use Priority. If it's going to a nearby state, parcel should be fine. I almost always use Priority on my trades. Most people I trade with expect it. So you might want to ask the traders you trade with what they prefer.
In any case, always get Delivery Confirmation. The post office seems to be more efficient and dependable with packages with DC.
I use priority with delivery confirmation. I print the postage online and then schedule a pickup with the mailman. He comes to my door to pickup the packages. If I am home, I hand them to him. If not, I leave them by the door if it is not too hot or cold. I have noticed that he has this little machine and scans the barcode on my boxes. I assume that is putting them into the system. I love the convenience of not having to go to the post office and stand in line.
Another option to consider perhaps is UPS if you have an UPS store near you. I sent a large package to my daughter for Christmas and it wasn't significantly more expensive than using USPS, we had delivery tracking and it arrived in Indiana from Virginia in two days.
If you've sent packages at Christmas time, you know how unlikely it is that USPS will deliver a package across several states in two days.
I haven't done this for small packages so I can't tell you if the price is comparable in that range.
Since I moved up here to Archer, and they do have a post office there, when I take the boxes in to drop them off from Click 'n Ship with del conf. they scan the package before taking them back to be put on the outgoing truck.
The other day, they also scanned the same kinds of packages when I stopped into the Gainesville post office. Certainly something that was never done in Ft Lauderdale.
I also received an incoming package the other day from Venice Fla. It was mailed first class, postage was under $2 and I assume the weight was under a pound. They arrived within 2 days. I was certainly impressed with that, especially since the Archer post office is not a main artery branch.
Molly
:^)))
Some P.O.'s will scan the packages where you've printed the postage online. We have 3 p.o.'s and none of them will. I argued and argued with them. And they said they weren't allowed to. They claim that then the package will appear twice in the system. I'm sure it won't. They USED to scan the packages for me.
So y'all might want to check your del. conf numbers online after you drop them off at the p.o. and see what info you get on your packages. Then you'll know if your p.o. scans the numbers or not. If will either say that the postage for the package was printed online OR it will say this package was delivered to your p.o. on such and such date and time.
I often use Fed X Ground for larger heavier packages. They're about 1/2 the price of the P.O. and they get the package there in 3 or 4 days. Insurance up to $99 is free. For smaller, lighter packages, the P.O. is cheaper than Fed X or UPS. But for bigger packages, Fed X is cheaper than UPS and the P.O.
Has anyone tried DHL? I haven't checked them out yet. I hear they're cheaper than Fed X. They used to be Airborne Express at one time.
I used to use priority until a package I sent took a week and a half to get to a friend. When I called the post office they said that priority did not guarantee 2-3 days, it was just a guideline. That priority was just first class for larger packages. Therefore, I no longer send anything priority unless the weight requires it. I haven't had any problems getting DC on first class if the package is unusual/oversized but they won't do DC on regular envelopes.
Kim
Our postperson said that the delivery confirmation (at the office, don't know about online) is the key to efficiency. Individual stations make sure scanned packages get out fast as it makes the numbers look better, hence the claim 2-3 days....
Fed Ex Ground only delivers on certain days to rural areas. Here it is Tuesday and Friday, so if plants were coming it, it could be riskier.
Now that DHL (after at least a dozen deliveries) understand that the home address on the box is the address we wanted delivery to, not my husband's workplace, they are much better at delivery. No place to ship from. UPS has a vendor here, which raises the cost considerably, but they are good at delivery.