I tried to send all my seed trades today. They would not take two of them-using a legal size envelope, with bubble wrap (and I added a couple of extra packets) put the envelope over the 1/4" limit, which means it would get ripped in the machine. I will re-pack and mail tomorrow. Just thought I would share what was new information to me.
seed trade envelopes
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FOLLOWING IS NOT AIMED ANY PARTICULAR PERSON BUT IS A GENERAL PERSONAL OPINION AND SHOULD BE TAKEN AS SUCH AND WITH A GRAIN OF SALT!!!!!
The United States Postal Service has gotten nothing more than LAZY! Sorry, venting a little. The reason it costs 45 cents to mail these things is not for the weight of the package but the thickness. It is also supposed to cover them being HAND CANCELED. I don't think these people even remember what that phrase means. I realize that there are great volumes of mail and packages that go through various places at the post office but GEESH! A little extra effort never hurt anybody. The main reason I use bubble wrap is so they CAN'T send the envelope through the machine. That is why I pay the extra 11 cents postage. IT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO GO THROUGH A MACHINE, POSTMASTER!!!!! I realize, however,that most of them do. That is why I write in real big letters, "HAND CANCEL, PADDED ENVELOPE, SEEDS ENCLOSED, FRAGILE" DUH, even a dummy would think,"Gee, this might get caught up in the machine, Let's hand cancel it."
Sorry, I do feel a little better. I thought they delivered rain, hail, sleet or snow. But throw an envelope with a thickness of more than a 1/4" in the works and all HE** breaks loose! What a bunch of cry babies, and they make as much, if not more, than the people who teach our kids. Go figure!
OK, I really am going to stop now. Sorry, Marcia. You got my attention though!
Melissa
My postmaster requested that I band together with a rubber band any mail requiring special attention. Doesn't matter what you write on them, envelopes are dumped all together for the canceling machine......unless they are in a bunch that must be separated.
hmm, seems they're not so fussy in the UK. The 45p i pay(usually - it can be 65p sometimes) covers the weight, you just have to put it on the scales for them. the 45p covers the US, Chile, Brazil, Canada and most other places where you need airmail - not bad i thought! no mention of thickness, if it were too thick they'd have to hand cancel i suppose, but i havn't had anything sent back yet..