VERY sketchy USPS registered mail situation

[Dr.Strange.Love]

I''m a little worried here. After much helpful input for folks here on PS, I decided upon a nice ring from WF. I bought the ring and proposed to my girlfriend and everything went very well, except the rings was a size or 2 too big. Doh! No big deal though, I got ahold of WF and set everything up for it to be returned and resized. They are very specific on sending it insured AND registered mail though.

I went to my nearest USPS store (I live in a bad neighborhood) without a box hoping they could provide me one. The guy behind the counter was not helpful at all, and in fact he was a little suspect. First, he went and got me an old, brown box that was shredded at the edges and looked to be months old. Then when it came time to pack my ring into the box, he got out some newspaper to pack it but then had a small panic attack when he realized it was today''s paper that he had not read yet. He immediately ripped out the paper, then asked me what was in the box. I told him a ring, and without asking and before I could say anything he opened the ring box and took about a minute to look at it from all angles. He wanted to know how much I paid for it, but I wouldn''t tell him. Then, after producing some more paper, he packed it in the box. Then, he said he didn''t know how to ship something registered AND insured, and that he didn''t want to. He set it up to ship insured and certified. I told him it HAD to be registered, and he said no it didn''t. So I finally produced the email WF sent which specificied, and he got a little angry and confrontational. He said, "Fine, pay more if you want to". He then refused to use brown packing tape, which WF insists upon and which is necessary for registered mail. After persisting, I finally got him to go find it. He sealed the box, then proceeded to stamp it so hard that it looked like it ripped through the box in a few sections.

Then finally, he went and just put it aside by a pile of other packages, none of which had registered tape or stamps on them. I was under the impression registered and insured mail was kept under lock and key. That was on Friday, 5 days ago, and the tracking info only displays the post office where I delivered it, and I haven''t recieved any confirmation of delivery. At least its insured, but i''m still a little worried here. It was a pretty sketchy situation, and I feel a little stupid for not just grabbing the ring from the guy and going to a different post office, but I was kind of in a hurry. Should I be worried or does Registered mail just take a long time?

Also, thanks to everyone who helped me make my purchase! James and everyone at WF have also been great, it really has been an excellent experience.

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 6/18/2008 9:25:58 PM
Author:Dr.Strange.Love
I'm a little worried here. After much helpful input for folks here on PS, I decided upon a nice ring from WF. I bought the ring and proposed to my girlfriend and everything went very well, except the rings was a size or 2 too big. Doh! No big deal though, I got ahold of WF and set everything up for it to be returned and resized. They are very specific on sending it insured AND registered mail though.

I went to my nearest USPS store (I live in a bad neighborhood) without a box hoping they could provide me one. The guy behind the counter was not helpful at all, and in fact he was a little suspect. First, he went and got me an old, brown box that was shredded at the edges and looked to be months old. Then when it came time to pack my ring into the box, he got out some newspaper to pack it but then had a small panic attack when he realized it was today's paper that he had not read yet. He immediately ripped out the paper, then asked me what was in the box. I told him a ring, and without asking and before I could say anything he opened the ring box and took about a minute to look at it from all angles. He wanted to know how much I paid for it, but I wouldn't tell him. Then, after producing some more paper, he packed it in the box. Then, he said he didn't know how to ship something registered AND insured, and that he didn't want to. He set it up to ship insured and certified. I told him it HAD to be registered, and he said no it didn't. So I finally produced the email WF sent which specificied, and he got a little angry and confrontational. He said, 'Fine, pay more if you want to'. He then refused to use brown packing tape, which WF insists upon and which is necessary for registered mail. After persisting, I finally got him to go find it. He sealed the box, then proceeded to stamp it so hard that it looked like it ripped through the box in a few sections.

Then finally, he went and just put it aside by a pile of other packages, none of which had registered tape or stamps on them. I was under the impression registered and insured mail was kept under lock and key. That was on Friday, 5 days ago, and the tracking info only displays the post office where I delivered it, and I haven't recieved any confirmation of delivery. At least its insured, but i'm still a little worried here. It was a pretty sketchy situation, and I feel a little stupid for not just grabbing the ring from the guy and going to a different post office, but I was kind of in a hurry. Should I be worried or does Registered mail just take a long time?

Also, thanks to everyone who helped me make my purchase! James and everyone at WF have also been great, it really has been an excellent experience.

That was unprofessional of that man. Yes, it is suppose to be under lock and key and stamped on the brown paper. Do you have a receipt from the post office stating that it is certified and insured??? How far are you from WF, it took 7 days for something to get mailed one state away from me but it varies.

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 6/18/2008 9:37:42 PM
Author: Skippy123

Date: 6/18/2008 9:25:58 PM
Author:Dr.Strange.Love
I''m a little worried here. After much helpful input for folks here on PS, I decided upon a nice ring from WF. I bought the ring and proposed to my girlfriend and everything went very well, except the rings was a size or 2 too big. Doh! No big deal though, I got ahold of WF and set everything up for it to be returned and resized. They are very specific on sending it insured AND registered mail though.

I went to my nearest USPS store (I live in a bad neighborhood) without a box hoping they could provide me one. The guy behind the counter was not helpful at all, and in fact he was a little suspect. First, he went and got me an old, brown box that was shredded at the edges and looked to be months old. Then when it came time to pack my ring into the box, he got out some newspaper to pack it but then had a small panic attack when he realized it was today''s paper that he had not read yet. He immediately ripped out the paper, then asked me what was in the box. I told him a ring, and without asking and before I could say anything he opened the ring box and took about a minute to look at it from all angles. He wanted to know how much I paid for it, but I wouldn''t tell him. Then, after producing some more paper, he packed it in the box. Then, he said he didn''t know how to ship something registered AND insured, and that he didn''t want to. He set it up to ship insured and certified. I told him it HAD to be registered, and he said no it didn''t. So I finally produced the email WF sent which specificied, and he got a little angry and confrontational. He said, ''Fine, pay more if you want to''. He then refused to use brown packing tape, which WF insists upon and which is necessary for registered mail. After persisting, I finally got him to go find it. He sealed the box, then proceeded to stamp it so hard that it looked like it ripped through the box in a few sections.

Then finally, he went and just put it aside by a pile of other packages, none of which had registered tape or stamps on them. I was under the impression registered and insured mail was kept under lock and key. That was on Friday, 5 days ago, and the tracking info only displays the post office where I delivered it, and I haven''t recieved any confirmation of delivery. At least its insured, but i''m still a little worried here. It was a pretty sketchy situation, and I feel a little stupid for not just grabbing the ring from the guy and going to a different post office, but I was kind of in a hurry. Should I be worried or does Registered mail just take a long time?

Also, thanks to everyone who helped me make my purchase! James and everyone at WF have also been great, it really has been an excellent experience.

That was unprofessional of that man. Yes, it is suppose to be under lock and key and stamped on the brown paper. Do you have a receipt from the post office stating that it is certified and insured??? How far are you from WF, it took 7 days for something to get mailed one state away from me but it varies.

I hope you saved the receipt. Very unprofessional for sure. The brown tape is key, so are the stamps on it. I will keep my fingers crossed for you. My post office is very helpful, wish your''s was too. Makes me so mad. I feel for you. Hopefully all will be fine.

 

[Circe]

Call and ask them to check it in the system for you: I''d say it''s still early days to panic, but it might help to assuage your doubts if someone along the way can confirm that the package is in transit.

 

[diamondfan]

Dr. Registered mail is the safest way to mail something. It gets special tape at the post office and is basically signed for when ever anyone takes possession of the item. If the seal is broken there is an issue. It is scanned at various points. You have a slip given to you at the time of drop off, and the value is put on it for insurance purposes. It is electronically scanned each leg of the journey and each leg someone is personally responsible for it. It can be slow but it is the safest and most economical way to send a high value item. If you have the slip, you know how accepted the item and from that point it is their issue.

 

[reader]

Call the postmaster right this second. Registered mail must be sealed with opaque paper tape at all edges of the box, and be stamped with the date stamp at each edge. It does normally take one-two weeks to deliver a reg, but his actions are suspect. Any window clerk at a real post office knows how to do an insured registered with their eyes closed. Did you go to one of those 'post office in a store' places? The slip should also have the clerk's name on it.

Even if it is a local store post office (known as a contract postal unit or cpu) they still must answer to the postmaster of the main branch in your area. Call the PM.

 

[neatfreak]

Registered mail often takes more than 5 days, and just so you know the USPS website NEVER shows anything besides it being accepted and then delivered. It's a misnomer to call their service "tracking" because it really is only delivery confirmation.

So don't panic yet, but I also agree that you need to call your local postmaster and report this man.

And no offense, but why the heck would you show him the ring if he was already acting sketchy???? If you are ever in a situation like that again, it is perfectly within your rights to decline to show what it is.

 

[diamondfan]

I sent a Cartier watch to my jeweler in LA. I did registered mail and thought it was lost when after ten days all they could tell me was it had been accepted for delivery at my local post office. DUH. After that, nothing, til it was delivered. However, they are SUPPOSED to be very able to track it each step of the way and someone is liable for each leg of the journey, it gets handed off to a new person who must scan it and log it. I would do some checking though. If you are insured, you have to wait 15 days to file the claim, but you might be able to do it sooner.

 

[Diamond*Dana]

I think that you have gotten some very good feedback here, but I wanted to wish you well and hope that everything turns out fine.

 

[Pandora II]

I sent my ring via USPS. I''m from the UK and no idea how it worked at all, but the post guy was great - he gave me an empty sellotape box to pack it in and helped me do it.

He didn''t ask what I was sending, but said he presumed it was jewellery so we should do the box extra secure.

It did take about 7 days, but arrived safe and sound.

I would report the guy anyway. For a start showing your property like that in a public place could put your safety at risk - someone dodgy in there might think you were a prime mugging target. Very unprofessional behaviour.

 

[Maisie]

If it had been me I would have said I changed my mind and sent my parcel from another post office.