Problems with USPS Carrier Pick-up

Crunruh Books · Joined: 26 Sep 2007 Posts: 3

Hi, I received a phone call from one of the supervisors at the local PO. They were questioning my use of Carrier Pick-up for my mostly Media Mail packages. They suggested that I need to use the $14.95 Pickup on Demand arrangement because Carrier Pickup was not available for Media Mail. My understanding is that you must have at least one Priority or Express mail item for carrier pickup and they will take all ground packages.

I checked the DSM and there was no mention of Carrier Pickup. Pickup on Demand was a listed service and it stated that it was for Express, Priority, and Parcel Post. Other packages would be picked up if they were incidental. Having roughly a 10 to 1 ratio of Media Mail to Priority Mail, I don't think you could consider that incidental. I don't think I qualify for Pickup on Demand. I certainly don't want to pay $14.95 per pick up. That comes to a few thousand dollars a year.

Has anyone else had any experiences with their postal service or any advice?

neeleys · Joined: 17 Jul 2002 Posts: 1039 Location: Sunny San Diego

My Postman will only pick up Express and Priority. No other forms of USPS mail. I'm surprised they have been picking up your Media mail in the past.
Karen
_________________

Crunruh Books · Joined: 26 Sep 2007 Posts: 3

Your Postman is clearly wrong in not doing so. When you request the pickup on the USPS website it states that you can have surface mail (i.e. First class, Media Mail, Library Mail and Bound Printed Matter) pick-up as long as you have one Express or Priority item. It even asks how many pieces of surface mail you have. In fact, its programed to accept your request of say 100 surface mail packages and 1 Priority Mail, but it will not take a request for 1 surface mail and nothing else.

I found the following on the postal website in the FAQs for Carrier Pickup

Can I request a Carrier Pickup™ for my Parcel Post®, Media Mail®, Library Mail, or Bound Printed Matter package?

While these items are not eligible for Carrier Pickup on their own, if you have requested a pickup of Express Mail®, Priority Mail® or International Mail, your letter-carrier will pickup these packages as well. However, mailpieces weighing more than 13 oz. bearing postage stamps for postage must be brought to an employee at a retail counter in a Post Office™.

LearnToBlog101.com · Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 103

Last year I did a lot of DVD and comic book business, and the bulk of my shipments were Media Mail. To save time I would ship one package priority mail so that I could get the free pickup. The ratio of media mail to priority mail was sometimes 20 to 1 and never a problem.

I always use the next day pickup form @ https://carrierpickup.usps.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/CarrierPickup.woa
_________________
$9.99 Eccomerce Hosting-Affordable Blog Design

Crunruh Books · Joined: 26 Sep 2007 Posts: 3

I just received confirmation from our Post Master. Carrier Pickup of Media Mail is fine as long as there is at least one Priority Mail item in the lot.

Magpie · Joined: 14 May 2007 Posts: 26 Location: The Beach

I don't understand any of this. My postman comes every day for the last 7 years and never questioned anything I ship. Picks up at 10 AM. Its on the truck to sorting facility when he gos back to PO for lunch. If you have a red flag they are supposed to stop. If they don't talk to him or her and tell them to. Your taxs pay for it. I have never had carrier pick up requested they just come. The only problem I have had is the PO charges different than PayPal shipping so when I go to PO it costs more.
Merry Christmas LOL, Early start
Magpie
_________________
This Is It | Blackberry Bold | Droid | Blackberry Storm2

PakMailFremont.com · Joined: 21 Oct 2008 Posts: 2

We went back and forth with our mailman with this same issue. We used to ship a ton of books, mediamail. At first there was no problem and no questioning, they items would get picked up right away. Then, our mail man switched to another person and they refused to take the items until we called the main post office to complain. Then they finally agreed to show up if we called ahead of time...
_________________
www.PakMailFremont.com - "We Ship Anything, Anywhere!"

LearnToBlog101.com · Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 103

I talked to a a guy and he said the problem is the union. Some carriers don't want the extra workload and put up a fight through their union, though if pressed through channels they ultimately have to pick up the additional packages.
_________________
$9.99 Eccomerce Hosting-Affordable Blog Design

Pack Secure · Joined: 31 May 2008 Posts: 7

It is the Postal System, rules will be enforced on an as per FEEL LIKE IT basis.

They should have no problem picking up your items with at least one Priority package.

Mary

www.packsecure.com