Postal reg??

[ed4copies]

Why is it that we have to fill out a Customs form, for boxes sent to APO addresses?

Of course the USPS says, its policy. But the purpose of Customs forms, as I understand it, is to identify things entering a "foreign" country.

When we send to our own military---they certainly are NOT going to collect taxes on the items.

So, I tried calling my senator and, of course they said call the state department or the USPS (who says it's policy--what more answer could you want??)

One of you retired guys could take this as a mission---or someone who works at the State Dept or in the higher regions of the Postal Service---adding "paperwork" to shipping makes businesses less inclined to offer to ship.

In other words, if we make it harder, there are fewer packages---why not just make it easy?

 

[PenMan1]

Ed, I don't have as much time as I did have, because I am about the leave the world of "Self UnEmployed", but I will make a phone call to a friend in the military (He runs West Point).

There is some proceedure that you make through the military to eliminate some of the "red tape". There are still some things that must be observed (i.e. Troops serviing in Iraq, and possibly other places, that can not recieve things like alcohol, Playboy magazine, etc).

It eliminates some of the paperwork by just using a "number" on the package and an affidavit. It might be worth a PM to Wolftat. I am sure he is up on the proceedures for expediting to APO.

 

[MesquiteMan]

Ed,

Are you going to the post office to do it or are you doing it through Paypal? I have shipped a number of APO packages through Paypal and have never had to fill out a customs form.

 

[Rob73]

I spent an hour and a half last week in the P.O. to send 3 boxes to Peru. The woman behind the counter said she has 28 years in the P.O. yet could not explain simple questions. Then she screwed up and mixed up customs forms on my boxes. Instead of fixing the problem she decided she would just charge me 2x with one of the boxes. I've never seen such incompetence I wanted to reach over the counter and strangle this women. She also tried to claim I could not insure the packages because insurance option does not show up on her computer. (yet insurance is right there on the customs form). I worked at the P.O for awhile and I can tell you at the station I was at if I would of performed like that I would of been fired.

Luckily the packages did arrive. I will never go back to that P.O. again and if I ever ship anything international again I think I'll be looking at usps.

 

[PenMan1]

Curtis has the best idea, do it through Paypal or Google shipping, they are very experienced in Shipping.... the P.O is not.

 

[ed4copies]

Ed,

Are you going to the post office to do it or are you doing it through Paypal? I have shipped a number of APO packages through Paypal and have never had to fill out a customs form.

We fill them out from Paypal or USPS site. Today, again, the USPS kindly returned the package to us to do the proper paperwork. When I informed them that the US Armed Services were NOT foreign, they were unimpressed.

Rules is rules---so we need someone to CHANGE the IDIOTIC RULE!!

 

[PenMan1]

Maybe this will help. We sent bunches of stuff. Never had your issues. It could be as simple as using the wrong "zip code"

http://www.oconus.com/ZipCodes.asp

The P.O. doesn't have the current APO zip code database. Imagine that! One branch of the Government not communicating with another...IN THE COMMUNICATION AGE!

 

[MesquiteMan]

Ahh, it sounds like a difference in post offices. I have never had the issues that many report here. Sounds like my post office may be a little less "idiotic"!

As a matter of fact, I was having problems requesting a carrier pick up. It would come back and say that my address was not eligible for carrier pick up. I used to use it but something changed. I mentioned it to the clerk when I dropped off some Cactus Juice packages and she was EXTREMELY helpful. She gave me a brochure about business shipping and asked me to fill out the contact section. She then told me she would personally make sure it got taken care of.

Two days later, I got a call from the operations center in Austin to figure out the problem. Then, later that day, I got a call from the address database coordinator in San Antonio. He made a couple of changes and said I should be good to go. Then, even later that day, I got a call back from the operations center in Austin as a follow up. Today I got a call from the Postmaster here in San Marcos asking if my problem was taken care of and to schedule a time on Tuesday to come visit me to see if my shipping needs were being met and how they could better work with me! All of this and I even told them I only ship 10+ packages per week. Of course I did tell the postal clerk that I was thinking of changing to UPS and it also did not hurt that the postal clerk rents mini-storage space from us!

I have been EXTREMELY impressed with their service on this issue so far.

 

[nativewooder]

It was my experience earlier this year that Flat Rate Boxes over 17 oz. cannot be picked up by a carrier, you have to take them to a Post Office. (It's policy dictated by the Dept. of Homeland Security, so I was told.) Better stop now or they'll come and get me!!!!

 

[MesquiteMan]

Here are the guidelines direct from the carrier pick up page at USPS:

• Mailpieces weighing more than 13 ounces bearing only postage stamps as postage, must be taken by the customer to an employee at the retail counter at a Post Office, Contract Postal Unit, or Approved Shipper location.
• Carrier Pickup is free, regardless of the number of packages you're sending.
• Available for Overnight Guaranteed, 2-3 Day, International, and Return Item(s).
• Pickup occurs on the scheduled day when your regular mail is delivered. (Do you need to schedule pickup for a specific time?)
• Packages should be properly sealed and ready for shipment (including postage) at pickup.
• The deadline for pickup requests and changes is 2:00 a.m. (CST) the day your pickup is scheduled.
• Maximum weight per package is 70 lbs.

If it is over 13 ounces with stamps, it has to be taken in but otherwise, the limit is 70#. There is also a rule that I have to deal with on Cactus Juice that if the package contains liquids, it must be presented to a postal employee and can not be dropped in a drop off box. The postmaster told me that carrier pick up qualifies as being presented to a postal employee.

 

[BRobbins629]

The other week I sent a small priority box overseas, similar to one I had sent a few weeks before. This time, instead of about $10, they wanted to charge me over $20 because the box did not say small flat rate box, it only said small box. Then they gave me the exact same size box, same color, same wording except it said small flat rate box to repack the contents and charged me $10 to ship. Think my first box was an earlier version. Rules is rules.

 

[Sylvanite]

I've scheduled carrier pickup twice.

The first time, the carrier never showed up and I had to drive to the post office. When asked, he said he forgot to check his pickup orders that morning, but my address was eligible for pickups.

The second time, he came to get the package, but told me that I was not eligible for carrier pickup because my house is more than 1/2 mile from my mailbox.

I guess from now on, if it doesn't fit in my mailbox, I'll have to drive (30 minutes each way) to the post office. :frown:

 

[Texatdurango]

The other week I sent a small priority box overseas, similar to one I had sent a few weeks before. This time, instead of about $10, they wanted to charge me over $20 because the box did not say small flat rate box, it only said small box. Then they gave me the exact same size box, same color, same wording except it said small flat rate box to repack the contents and charged me $10 to ship. Think my first box was an earlier version. Rules is rules.

No, it's interpretation of the rules that's giving us all the problems.

Just last week I was shipping some goodies out and grabbed several medium flat rate boxes and packed them up, affixed the medium flat rate labels I printed out and since a couple were heading overseas and I had to present them in person, I headed for the post office.

The clerk noticed that one of the boxes didn't say flat rate and wouldn't accept it with the flat rate postage so I asked to see the postmaster to get his opinion on it since I used a couple of the same boxes a week earlier and another clerk didn't say a thing! He came out took a look at the box, noticed that it was IDENTICAL in every way to the other boxes EXCEPT it did not say FLAT RATE on it although the part number on the box was the same.

He allowed me to use the box AS-IS without "Flat Rate" stamped anywhere on the box and I could use the flat rate postage!

So......... it's been my experience that it's all about who makes the call at the office where the item is being shipped from!

 

[dogcatcher]

So......... it's been my experience that it's all about who makes the call at the office where the item is being shipped from!

And that same postmaster could have written up the clerk for doing the same thing, may have even put him in for a week or more suspension.

 

[TellicoTurning]

Ed,

Are you going to the post office to do it or are you doing it through Paypal? I have shipped a number of APO packages through Paypal and have never had to fill out a customs form.

We fill them out from Paypal or USPS site. Today, again, the USPS kindly returned the package to us to do the proper paperwork. When I informed them that the US Armed Services were NOT foreign, they were unimpressed.

Rules is rules---so we need someone to CHANGE the IDIOTIC RULE!!

Ed,
I'm not sure of the rules now since I left the business a few years ago, but as a general rule, the export paperwork is actually controlled by the Department of Commerce and they likely will determine what paperwork is required for export items... also I think the rules are all spelled out in CFR49... (Code of Federal Regulations).... 'course with the government shutdown, you many not find anyone to call..... There should be a commerce office in Chicago... most major cities will have an office. I know there's one in Houston.

 

[Smitty37]

agreements

Why is it that we have to fill out a Customs form, for boxes sent to APO addresses?

Of course the USPS says, its policy. But the purpose of Customs forms, as I understand it, is to identify things entering a "foreign" country.

When we send to our own military---they certainly are NOT going to collect taxes on the items.

So, I tried calling my senator and, of course they said call the state department or the USPS (who says it's policy--what more answer could you want??)

One of you retired guys could take this as a mission---or someone who works at the State Dept or in the higher regions of the Postal Service---adding "paperwork" to shipping makes businesses less inclined to offer to ship.

In other words, if we make it harder, there are fewer packages---why not just make it easy?

Just as items over a certain value brought to this country from overseas must go through customs - so do items entering some other countries - regardless of who they are addressed to. In many countries the packages (even if sent to a US military base) must be cleared by their customs. I think they don't want US Military setting up shop to import goods from the US and sell them on the black market in their country without them being able to collect the rather high Value Added Taxes and/or the (usually) equally high import duties. For instance those things run 20 or 25 percent in England.

 

[ed4copies]

The only way mail can be delivered to Armed Service personnel overseas is through the US Postal Service. As I understand it, the mail is transported to our military by military planes, so it remains in the custody of the US government and can't be "tampered with".

Now, if this is incorrect, there may be a logic to the Customs forms--but I am quite confident that service personnel are exempted from VAT---I would expect they are also exempt from Customs charges.

Again, I don't pretend to be an expert, but I don't believe there is a use for Customs forms in this instance.

Anyone KNOW otherwise???

 

[Dudley Young]

All APO & FPO mail has to go through customs. It will more than likely go through more than one country before it gets to the military instulation or ship.
If you send a small flat rate box, put it in a flat rate envelope and you pay F R Envelope fee. If you ship a lot, it will same you money. FYI

 

[Smitty37]

Here are the guidelines direct from the carrier pick up page at USPS:

• Mailpieces weighing more than 13 ounces bearing only postage stamps as postage, must be taken by the customer to an employee at the retail counter at a Post Office, Contract Postal Unit, or Approved Shipper location.
• Carrier Pickup is free, regardless of the number of packages you're sending.
• Available for Overnight Guaranteed, 2-3 Day, International, and Return Item(s).
• Pickup occurs on the scheduled day when your regular mail is delivered. (Do you need to schedule pickup for a specific time?)
• Packages should be properly sealed and ready for shipment (including postage) at pickup.
• The deadline for pickup requests and changes is 2:00 a.m. (CST) the day your pickup is scheduled.
• Maximum weight per package is 70 lbs.

If it is over 13 ounces with stamps, it has to be taken in but otherwise, the limit is 70#. There is also a rule that I have to deal with on Cactus Juice that if the package contains liquids, it must be presented to a postal employee and can not be dropped in a drop off box. The postmaster told me that carrier pick up qualifies as being presented to a postal employee.

Some of the red tape is caused by restrictions by the military on what can/can't be sent into some countries too - for instance you can't send pork products to APO zip codes in Iraq..

 

[Rob73]

I've scheduled carrier pickup twice.

The first time, the carrier never showed up and I had to drive to the post office. When asked, he said he forgot to check his pickup orders that morning, but my address was eligible for pickups.

The second time, he came to get the package, but told me that I was not eligible for carrier pickup because my house is more than 1/2 mile from my mailbox.

I guess from now on, if it doesn't fit in my mailbox, I'll have to drive (30 minutes each way) to the post office. :frown:

I would call and talk to the postmaster about that, sounds like he's just being lazy to me. I've been using carrier pickup for awhile. My old Mailman left for Hawaii (lucky sob) and my new carrier is an idiot.

I used to be a rural carrier and I still had some bulk mail containers left over so I use those to put my packages in and set them by my mailbox. I attached a note on the box itself and put a note on the carrier pickup form online to please do not take my bulk container or swap it out with an empty container.

First time with new guy he takes my container. Second time takes my container. I called the PO talked to a 'supervisor' and he said he would talk to the carrier and take care of the issue. Third time guy takes my container (my last one). I call up they try to give me supervisor again and I tell them nope, talked to him already and he is not getting my issue taken care of give me the PM. Talk to this woman, guy never takes my box again and drops me off a new container.

A week goes by and I'm noticing I'm not getting any mail and I see the postman every day as he walks right past the shop. I put in for another pickup and the next day the guy doesn't even pick up the packages. So of course I call in, fairly irate this time and she puts me on hold and comes back a few minutes later and this idiot put my house on mail hold. She swears to me that their employees really do know how to read but he 'mistook' a pickup ticket for a mail hold ticket since they are the same color. Yet this moron can plainly see I'm not on vacation. A couple more issues with this guy and a couple more calls later and he's not working my route anymore and all is well now.

 

[Smitty37]

Sending to APO

I sent something to a Pacific Island and was required to put the address label on a customs form to that zip code because the Island (which used to be an American Possession) was independent. The second shipment we just sent 1st class mail to the soldiers off base address.

According to the USPS website priority mail to APO addresses does NOT nesessarily remain in US custody at all times, it can be sent on commercial airplanes (I presume that includes foreign flag carriers as well as US) and gets passed to the military after it reaches the foreign port.

When I was in the service, all US Mail going to US troops in most countries was delivered by military aircraft unless there was no place to land them, and did remain in military custody for it's whole trip but that does not seem to be the case today.

The only way mail can be delivered to Armed Service personnel overseas is through the US Postal Service. As I understand it, the mail is transported to our military by military planes, so it remains in the custody of the US government and can't be "tampered with".

Now, if this is incorrect, there may be a logic to the Customs forms--but I am quite confident that service personnel are exempted from VAT---I would expect they are also exempt from Customs charges.

Again, I don't pretend to be an expert, but I don't believe there is a use for Customs forms in this instance.

Anyone KNOW otherwise???

 

[TellicoTurning]

The only way mail can be delivered to Armed Service personnel overseas is through the US Postal Service. As I understand it, the mail is transported to our military by military planes, so it remains in the custody of the US government and can't be "tampered with".

Now, if this is incorrect, there may be a logic to the Customs forms--but I am quite confident that service personnel are exempted from VAT---I would expect they are also exempt from Customs charges.

Again, I don't pretend to be an expert, but I don't believe there is a use for Customs forms in this instance.

Anyone KNOW otherwise???

No, often the mail is transported to APO addresses by commercial carriers... during the height of Vietnam, TWA had a contract to carry APO mail from SFO to Vietnam... we flew 707 cargo planes loaded with 13 pallets of mail over the Christmas holidays... we had a contract guaranteeing us 70,000 lbs per flight whether we actually had that much on board or not... I was the load master on the flights out of SFO.

 

[DurocShark]

My wife recently started working at one of those "baby" post offices inside a store. (The USPS' way of avoiding union workers I suspect... Contract it out!)

She's been there a couple weeks and still has trouble with all the stupid regulations and details and whatnot.