Power Sellers Unite

dwynglng · Joined: 24 Dec 2006 Posts: 24

I've just started using PayPal's postage to ship my items. Up until now I've been taking my packages to the post office and had an attendant ship the package. Using PayPal is more convenient but I don't understand how certain things occur during the package delivery life cycle and am hoping a person can provide some insight into my concerns.

The first has to do with the stamps/stickers the Post Office uses to mark a package with shipping characteristics. Like Insurance - the Post Office will adhere an insurance label to the package. This doesn't happen when using PayPal postage. How does anyone know the package is insured? How does this effect the process I should use to make an insurance claim?

Also, when I take a package to the post office that is to be shipped Priority but is not in a Priority box, the attendant will wrap the package with Priority tape. When I drop off packages with PayPal priority postage, the attendants don't even look at the package - so the priority tape isn't applied. Is putting priority tape on the package my responsibility? Is it necessary?

Thanks much

2BOYSandTOYS · Joined: 14 Mar 2005 Posts: 10095 Location: Kansas

Hey there dwynglng - welcome to PSU! I'll try to answer - based on my experience.

When you use Paypal to print your postage, there is a large LETTER - P for Priority, M for Media, F for First Class - this is how the handlers know the type of service selected and paid for.

So - at my PO, I go in and there's a drop place (big silver bin/door with handle) that I just place all my packages into. I assume they sort behind the wall - cuz I put them all there - FC, MM, PM, etc...

As far as insurance, I suspect that the label assigned and your receipt that 'stays' in Paypal is your proof. When you go to file a claim, I'm 'guessing' the tracking number is proof of the package, the mail date, the value and the purchase of insurance. I've only purchased insurance twice that I recall - and never had to file any claim, but that's my guess.

I hope this helps - using Paypal is 'very easy' compared to walking them in. Also, don't know if you know this, but you can order free Priority Mail supplies from the USPS site....

USPS PM Supplies - scroll down just a little bit (after selecting see all), and you'll see the no charge items. They do also have the 'prepaid' items, which appear first - that's why you'll see a fee for some items, but not all.

Ask more questions if you have them - and if someone who uses PP to ship can clarify the insurance portion, that would be grand!

ASLANstore · Joined: 20 Apr 2006 Posts: 704 Location: MidWest

dwylnglng, Erin's got you pretty much covered there.

I'd like to only add that there is no need for the insurance sticker at the post office (which is only printed when their system recieves money for the transaction) - YOUR label which PayPal printed DOES have the word "insurance" in iddy bitty print on the label, it's configured with your DC#, so if ever a claim is necessary, all you need is your receipt that printed out via PayPal.

Marty

mojavelyn · Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 9:15 pm Post subject:

AND DO NOT click the OK Label printed TILL after the label is off your printer. And make sure you allow pop ups for the pp postage.

ASLANstore · Joined: 20 Apr 2006 Posts: 704 Location: MidWest

Mo... do tell.

I've often wondered what would happen if I hit the OK button before I see the full sheet in my printer tray... some days I'm less patient than others, but I've not tempted fate on that one.

Marty

mojavelyn · Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 11:14 pm Post subject:

You'll have to reprint it or cancel that label. If you cancel it, it takes about 3 weeks for Pp to refund your money. YES!!! they do refund it. They have to wait a period of time to make sure the lable hasn't been used.

Its a mistake several noobs have made when using pp shipping till they got used to it. ... myself included. Even after I knew not to do it.

AlterEgo · Joined: 26 Sep 2006 Posts: 560

dwynglng wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")I've just started using PayPal's postage to ship my items. Up until now I've been taking my packages to the post office and had an attendant ship the package. Using PayPal is more convenient but I don't understand how certain things occur during the package delivery life cycle and am hoping a person can provide some insight into my concerns.

The first has to do with the stamps/stickers the Post Office uses to mark a package with shipping characteristics. Like Insurance - the Post Office will adhere an insurance label to the package. This doesn't happen when using PayPal postage. How does anyone know the package is insured? How does this effect the process I should use to make an insurance claim?

Also, when I take a package to the post office that is to be shipped Priority but is not in a Priority box, the attendant will wrap the package with Priority tape. When I drop off packages with PayPal priority postage, the attendants don't even look at the package - so the priority tape isn't applied. Is putting priority tape on the package my responsibility? Is it necessary?

Thanks much

First HI dwynglng (Do not know if I meet you before and Welcome to PSU)

FYI: The label prints a Two Dimensional Bar Code. Think of this 2D bar-code as a bunched of stacked 1D bar codes on top of each other that you commonly see with your UPC (grocery and store bar-codes).

The 2D labels have Much More information in them than 1D. 1D's normally can have from 5-40 characters max. A 2D can hold at least 1000 (maybe up to 2000) Characters. The 2D scanners are more advance and accurate. It is most likely that the INSURANCE and the TRACKING Numbers are inside this 2D bar-code. Additionally 2D bar-codes have redundancy and checksums. So if a portion of the bar-code becomes unreadable the information is still readable.

If you do not have Insurance I believe it reads "NO SURCHARGE", if you do have insurance it reads "INSURANCE".

Hope this Helps,

Cheers,

AlterEgo