Mail delivery times

Just a thought as we enter the month of December... it is likely that mail deliveries may be slower than many of us would like. I remind myself this when I wait 4 weeks to get a letter, as has recently happened to me. But I don't write a "bordering on the rude" letter to the sender telling them how unhappy I am with them, because I know the sender has no control over the mail once it is in the hands of the Postal services around the world. Let's all be tolerant over the coming months please. I am sure the Postal services are doing their very best, even if it is not quite as fast as we might like. Enjoy the excitement when you get the mail :-) Michael cddstamps
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Comments

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  • Heh, heh....really, one can email and wait a few seconds for a reply. As for being excited, I am excited now anytime I receive a personal letter. It's become a rare event. I will get some Christmas cards from other 80 year olds. Last one standing sort of thing!

    M Dodd, email is where the action is. And it is a miracle; I am continually amazed.
  • Michael: I gave you a like for I guessed that you were of course talking about letters with stamps or other goods included.
    This past week I acknowledged an order from another Hip seller and told him it had arrived torn open and undated. He had addressed it perfectly and all the goods were still there so the only complaint I had was that the postage used on the envelope had been damaged by whoever opened it and before that the stamps had been pen cancelled. By the way I think you are no doubt well aware of E-Mail. All shippers should appreciate your call for tolerance in the time it takes to get the goods there at this time of year. Thank you.
  • In the event of non delivery of purchases I emailed the seller for the 2nd time today. I'm not sure if the items have been mailed but it's not showing as sent. How long is reasonable to give someone for a delivery and how would I contact this site as far as a refund?
  • What was the date of your purchase? Where are you located and where is the dealer you purchased from located?
  • I purchased on 11/26. I'm in Ohio and the seller is from Illinois. I've messaged him twice and yet to get a reply. My purchases have not been marked as shipped.
  • You have emailed him twice in 3 days. There are any number of legitimate reasons for a short delay. He could be having internet troubles, he could be busy with his regular job, he may be dealing with family matters ...try to remember you are dealing with an individual, not a corporation with several employees.

    What does his feedback look like? Did you look at any terms and conditions ? Many dealers only ship items one or two days a week due to the cost and time associated with going to the post office.

    Hopefully others will chime in, but three days is too early to panic.
  • Well...his feedback is just short of perfect. No terms or conditions on his listing as his ad had no details. I'm new to this site so I just wondered how long to give a dealer and if there's no delivery how would I get my money back? I appreciate your input Carol.
  • I don't start to worry for a couple of weeks. I have literally had mail returned to me as "undeliverable" two to three weeks after mailing and determined that it was addressed correctly and had to repackage and resend. Once it was a priority mail package that was never scanned for tracking. Keep us informed ....
  • I agree here with Carol. I love it when I get a stamp delivered to me in just a few days, but I do NOT expect that to happen. Generally for a few stamps In would give it at least 10 days to 2 weeks before I became concerned at all. I do try to get my sales out the next day but that is not always possible. And I did have one time where I forgot to put my store on a vacation setting. Fortunately, I was located where I had Internet access and could notify the buyer of my error.
  • That's what happened with my emails. Seller's store was closed for Thanksgiving and then closed again Monday. He replied to me today. Thanks for your input Wayne. Much appreciated.
  • Seller replied back to me today. His store had been closed for the holidays and he's running behind on getting items out. Now at least I know. Thanks Carol for all your input. Certainly appreciated!

    Dave
  • Back on August 28/17 I mailed a letter with contents to South Africa. About a week ago buyer put a claim in with Pay Pal for non-delivery. One of my helpers paid him back for the item. Today this buyer notified me that shipment had just arrived and this is 3 and one half months later than when I had shipped it. Now buyer has to repay me for my refund to him. No easy solution to these lengthy trips or did it somehow wind up in customs or elsewhere. This wasn't shipped during busy Christmas period but gives us an idea of what can happen in the mail especially international mail. John Talman
  • I've had the same thing happen to Colombia, although it was "only" 7 weeks.

    Unfortunately somehow perhaps the language barrier has prevented the "repayment invoice" being paid. He said I shouldn't be out the money but his response to the repayment note was confusing and he hasn't answered any of my reminder questions and of course the PAYPAL payment hasn't been completed.

    Probably another one for the "cookie jar insurance" fund.....

  • Today, 11 December, I received a shipment of stamps mailed from Nevada on 15 September 2017, as per the postmark. The normal I am used to for shipments from the USA for first class mail to Canada for is about 3 weeks. Three months......I've received shipments from the USA to Canada bearing an auxiliary marking:" Missent to Australia. "
  • Perhaps if we could do the Addresses in braille it would help the postal workers?
  • Nice example John. And I have to admit that beats the record that one of my customers was holding, 90 days, (three months) Philippines to Romania. then again I just had one order delivered to a UK customer in 12 days. no explaining it is there. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone, including all our posties. :-) Michael
  • Just received back today (12/11) a letter containing a single stamp sent from Maine to Kentucky with a note attached no such number. I cannot read the complete address so perhaps I made a mistake on what is not visible under the sticker. But that is nearly a month right here in the USA.
  • At least for USA sellers wouldn't it be beneficial to send everything with a tracking number just to protect yourself? Most all Ebay sellers do but not necessarily for stamps. On most all other items tracking is usually added and at least in my small town there's no charge. I don't sell often but one time before when I wasn't adding a tracking number a buyer said he never received the item he bought. I had no way of reputing his claim and had to refund his purchase price. That was the last time of shipping without tracking and now even after shipping something I'll track right to the persons house.
  • So you can walk into your post office with a first class envelope containing a few stamps and hand it to the clerk and they will put a tracking number on it for free?

    My post office says tracking requires that it be a "first class package" which means it has to be at least 1/4 inch thick and the minimum charge is now around $3.00 but that does include tracking at no extra cost.

    As near as I can tell that is also what the USPS site says. Hope to hear from others for some service I don't know about.
  • I'm not talking about one of those 1st class white envelopes but if you're mailing a sheet in a manila envelope I'd think you could get tracking. I've sent single sports cards in a small bubble envelope with tracking several times. I had an order come yesterday from a seller on this site that had tracking. Not sure why he didn't give me the # because I track everything I buy or sell although I haven't sold any stamps quite yet.
  • My experience is that certified mail is the lowest and least expensive service that provides tracking, The price is $3.35 plus $.49 for postage for US delivery for up to 1 oz. letter. Tracking on everything would be great but then no buyers are going to bid on your material because your prices are too high for inexpensive items. So the total risk of non- delivery is all on the seller.
  • For those of us in Canada the cost of tracking anything ranges from high to higher to unbelievable. Tracking smaller orders is just not possible. If I sell something like a high value Victoria Jubilee I will send it tracked, but at my expense. If I am shipping to a few countries I will insist on registration, but at the buyers expense. Over the years at Feebay, the boys in Belgium and here there have been very few lost letters. Yes there have been some but that's part of being in business. At stamp shows and brick and mortar stores there can be light fingered shoplifters that like "free" stamps. Also at shows & B & M there can be cheque writers that don't have the funds to cover their cheques. Mail order approval dealers have many "buyers" who don't pay for or return stamps. If one is in business one has to allow for some losses, and so far internet sales have the lowest level of losses that I have noted in over 50 years of selling stamps
  • Why use the post office in the first place? I am asking, really. Is the PO less expensive and why not FedEx/UPS? It is certainly a better experience than the usual PO.

    There is a FedEx and UPS usually near most of us; closer for me than post office with its often surly government employees. I suppose stamp collectors want the PO with its stamps and connection to the hobby.
  • It would not be realistic to ship an order for $5 to $100 by Fedex or UPS. For US sellers shipping to Canada use of UPS or Fedex guarantees that Harmonized Sales tax or Goods and Services Tax will be collected, plus a fee to the carrier for their "service" in collecting the tax. Mail sent regular snail mail from Canada to the US may escape the tax, and the Canada Post surcharge for collecting the tax is $10, generally less than the UPS or Fedex fee.
    I have found that some UPS folks can be just as offensive as some Post Office people.
  • I look at it as being 'self-insured.' The money I save by just using 1st class mail and not track-able 1st Class packages more than pays for any losses (unless the items sold are expensive in which case I use Certified Mail). That said, knock wood, I've never had anything go missing except for one item to Italy over many years of selling and that loss was negligible. Also, there's no way I would send anything overseas via Registered Mail: registered mail screams of something valuable being inside so its like placing a Hershey's chocolate bar in front of a fat kid (or me, for that matter LOL) and assuming its not going to get eaten when no one is looking.
  • George - you would have to get to the chocolate bar before me.
  • I find the cheapest way to mail an expensive stamp with tracking is to use a 6 1/2 x 9 envelope or the larger invitation (A9) envelope and print the label through Paypal selecting the "Package/large envelope" category. Cost - $2.61 up to and including 4 oz -- 5 oz and up $2.77. Attach the label, put it in your mailbox and the mailman will pick it up.
  • Just last week, I had two envelopes returned for "Insufficient Postage". One was to Canada and the other to Bermuda. Both had stickers attached that said $1.15 postage was required. The envelope to Canada had a Forever stamp and a 66 cent stamp. The one to Bermuda had a $1.00 stamps, a 13 cent and two one cents stamps. Both total $1.15. Makes you wonder if some postal workers need remedial math.
  • Jeri, I agree printing out the mailing label via Pay Pal or the Postal System is ideal for a tracking number. The repercussion of not having actual stamps on the envelope is a whole 'nuther can of worms. I'm afraid not to place real stamps, but am caught with no tracking number.
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