the ridiculous L.A. post office 3 3

[alexgross.com]

4 hours ago, entalmighty1 said:

Why do you think they won't insure?  I've insured plenty of packages with both companies as a shipper and recipient.

fedex will insure, but only up to certain limits. for comics, and original artwork, it's only $1,000. used to be $500 a few years ago so at least they've upped it a bit. as a professional artist, it's quite annoying when i need to ship artwork to a client. i have a great shipping guy at a box and ship about 30-40 minutes away from me, who ships professionally all the time, and uses third party insurance. so i can always use him, and it will go fedex with third party insurance. but i don't always want to drive 30-40 minutes each way just to send a package. and that only covers when i am sending, not when i am receiving. getting the PO box sounds like the best move for receiving. 

[alexgross.com]

4 hours ago, entalmighty1 said:

Why do you think they won't insure?  I've insured plenty of packages with both companies as a shipper and recipient.

sorry i got a duplicate post here, had a weird error message and it appeared that my last post did not go through. must be NSA. 

Edited October 11, 2017 by www.alexgross.com

[Transplant]

49 minutes ago, www.alexgross.com said:

what company do you use for insurance, as fedex won't insure your books over a grand?

Don't know about BigHaley, but most of us use Collectors Insurance.

[alexgross.com]

4 minutes ago, Transplant said:

Don't know about BigHaley, but most of us use Collectors Insurance.

thanks for the tip, but when i google collectors insurance, nothing exactly matching that comes up. lots of ads, and other sites with different names. is it americancollectors.com? that looks like it's for cars only. do you know the website? thanks again- 

[srezvan]

59 minutes ago, www.alexgross.com said:

thanks for the tip, but when i google collectors insurance, nothing exactly matching that comes up. lots of ads, and other sites with different names. is it americancollectors.com? that looks like it's for cars only. do you know the website? thanks again- 

This is a common one: https://collectinsure.com/

[lizards2]

7 hours ago, revat said:

I haven't done it with comics and it is costly, but if you can afford $40K of comics and certainly if you get into six figures and the box isn't too big, you can just pay for a courier (same person picks up the item and travels with the item and hands you the item at the end).  Go with someone reputable and bonded and they will obviously have insurance.  Yes the cost is WAAAY more than USPS registered, but at some point it becomes worth it.  To make it feel like you're getting your moneys worth, you can pretend its like the 'Trainsporter'. 

I don't know - those trainspotting chaps didn't appear to reliable to me....., 

[lizards2]

2 hours ago, www.alexgross.com said:

6 hours ago, entalmighty1 said:

Why do you think they won't insure?  I've insured plenty of packages with both companies as a shipper and recipient.

sorry i got a duplicate post here, had a weird error message and it appeared that my last post did not go through. must be NSA. 

Currently, there is a big crack down on wealthy nerds - they're a huge threat to exacerbating national insecurity.

[comicdonna]

I am so thankful we have a responsible mail lady. 

[ChiSoxFan]

23 hours ago, comicdonna said:

I am so thankful we have a responsible mail lady. 

I normally have a very responsible mail carrier who takes great care with my packages, and with whom, I've never had an issue.

Today's mail carrier, however -- not my regular one -- just left a three-figure book that required signature confirmation on my doorstep and rang the bell.  When I got to the door, they'd already made it to their truck and were headed on their way.  When I checked the tracking info just now, it says "Delivered Front Desk/Reception".  Who knew I had a receptionist out there all this time? 

[comicdonna]

Not good. 

[lotemo]

49 minutes ago, ChiSoxFan said:

I normally have a very responsible mail carrier who takes great care with my packages, and with whom, I've never had an issue.

Today's mail carrier, however -- not my regular one -- just left a three-figure book that required signature confirmation on my doorstep and rang the bell.  When I got to the door, they'd already made it to their truck and were headed on their way.  When I checked the tracking info just now, it says "Delivered Front Desk/Reception".  Who knew I had a receptionist out there all this time? 

My mail carrier frequently records inaccurate delivery info.  I went home from work one day to pick up a package that was shown as having been delivered to my front door.  I get home and it was nowhere to be found.  It was a piece of artwork that cost a little less than $1,000 so I didn't want it left outside.  I called the post office and they had no clue and suggested checking with my neighbors.  Big help.  About an hour later, the package was delivered.  Turns out the mail carrier was just recording packages as delivered when her truck was loaded.    I've noticed that they do that a lot, I suspect so that they appear to be delivering in a timely manner.  It happened at my PO Box quite a bit in that packages were shown as delivered on tracking info and I wouldn't receive it until several days later.  They've improved since then but as they continue cutting costs and bringing on younger employees, the service has really suffered.

[Bowenfire]

I am also very lucky to have a professional mail carrier who takes great care. When he is not working it truly feels like a roll of the dice. Had a graded book delivered and it looked like someone snapped the thing over their knee. What a pain in the rear it was to document and file the claim. Sometimes if not for the great care folks take in packaging the items many would show up severely damaged. Darn frustrating.

[thehumantorch]

On 10/12/2017 at 6:24 PM, lotemo said:

My mail carrier frequently records inaccurate delivery info.  I went home from work one day to pick up a package that was shown as having been delivered to my front door.  I get home and it was nowhere to be found.  It was a piece of artwork that cost a little less than $1,000 so I didn't want it left outside.  I called the post office and they had no clue and suggested checking with my neighbors.  Big help.  About an hour later, the package was delivered.  Turns out the mail carrier was just recording packages as delivered when her truck was loaded.    I've noticed that they do that a lot, I suspect so that they appear to be delivering in a timely manner.  It happened at my PO Box quite a bit in that packages were shown as delivered on tracking info and I wouldn't receive it until several days later.  They've improved since then but as they continue cutting costs and bringing on younger employees, the service has really suffered.

That's likely a case where it's quicker for the employee to scan all the packages as delivered at once rather than as they deliver them.  Cutting corners to get done quicker and certainly against procedure.

The scanner the employee uses has a GPS and asking USPS to check the coordinates of the scan should reveal when and where it was scanned.

Edited October 15, 2017 by thehumantorch

[thehumantorch]

9 minutes ago, Bowenfire said:

I am also very lucky to have a professional mail carrier who takes great care. When he is not working it truly feels like a roll of the dice. Had a graded book delivered and it looked like someone snapped the thing over their knee. What a pain in the rear it was to document and file the claim. Sometimes if not for the great care folks take in packaging the items many would show up severely damaged. Darn frustrating.

To be fair the delivering employee is just the last person to have custody of your package,.  Packages are handled when they enter the system, as they're loaded onto trucks and planes, into the sorting system with mechanized conveyor belts and machinery as well as employees, and then eventually to the delivery agent.  I would often get packages that had been damaged and no care I could give it would reverse the damage.

[s14roller]

That's pretty crazy - i guess comes down to your mail person.  Ours knows us by name.  

[comicdonna]

Last year, I told our mail carrier, that she was the best mail lady ever. 

[FN-2199]

On ‎10‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 8:24 PM, lotemo said:

My mail carrier frequently records inaccurate delivery info.  I went home from work one day to pick up a package that was shown as having been delivered to my front door.  I get home and it was nowhere to be found.  It was a piece of artwork that cost a little less than $1,000 so I didn't want it left outside.  I called the post office and they had no clue and suggested checking with my neighbors.  Big help.  About an hour later, the package was delivered.  Turns out the mail carrier was just recording packages as delivered when her truck was loaded.    I've noticed that they do that a lot, I suspect so that they appear to be delivering in a timely manner.  It happened at my PO Box quite a bit in that packages were shown as delivered on tracking info and I wouldn't receive it until several days later.  They've improved since then but as they continue cutting costs and bringing on younger employees, the service has really suffered.

I'm finally done with my PO Box. It was like Sanford & Son in there. Some packages were marked delivered before I got them, others were not. They lost packages they were holding for my PO Box several times a year only to find them once I started a claim.

I finally went with a local UPS mailbox. The local franchise is 1 mile from my house, is open earlier and closes later than USPS. Also, if I am picking up a package, I can park, get my packages, and come back to the car before the radio plays a new song. Usually I wait at the Post Office 10-45 minutes to pick up packages from my PO Box. I was afraid to get a UPS mailbox because of cost but the local franchise only charges 30% more than a PO Box. I also get an e-mail when packages arrive. No waiting behind someone getting a passport either when there are only 2 tellers and no air conditioning.

[revat]

2 hours ago, FN-2199 said:

I'm finally done with my PO Box. It was like Sanford & Son in there. Some packages were marked delivered before I got them, others were not. They lost packages they were holding for my PO Box several times a year only to find them once I started a claim.

I finally went with a local UPS mailbox. The local franchise is 1 mile from my house, is open earlier and closes later than USPS. Also, if I am picking up a package, I can park, get my packages, and come back to the car before the radio plays a new song. Usually I wait at the Post Office 10-45 minutes to pick up packages from my PO Box. I was afraid to get a UPS mailbox because of cost but the local franchise only charges 30% more than a PO Box. I also get an e-mail when packages arrive. No waiting behind someone getting a passport either when there are only 2 tellers and no air conditioning.

That's been my experience with UPS also.  More costly, but you actually get about 30% more value.  Better hours including weekends than some/most post offices (depending on your US Post Office), less weirdos, less lines, no shenanigans, and the workers end up knowing you and doing their best to help you. 

[alexgross.com]

8 hours ago, FN-2199 said:

I'm finally done with my PO Box. It was like Sanford & Son in there. Some packages were marked delivered before I got them, others were not. They lost packages they were holding for my PO Box several times a year only to find them once I started a claim.

I finally went with a local UPS mailbox. The local franchise is 1 mile from my house, is open earlier and closes later than USPS. Also, if I am picking up a package, I can park, get my packages, and come back to the car before the radio plays a new song. Usually I wait at the Post Office 10-45 minutes to pick up packages from my PO Box. I was afraid to get a UPS mailbox because of cost but the local franchise only charges 30% more than a PO Box. I also get an e-mail when packages arrive. No waiting behind someone getting a passport either when there are only 2 tellers and no air conditioning.

how does a UPS mailbox work? wouldn't your mail carrier still have to deliver the package to your UPS box? or do you have people send packages via UPS? sorry if this is a dumb question. 

[alexgross.com]

On 10/11/2017 at 3:54 PM, srezvan said:

This is a common one: https://collectinsure.com/

thanks for the info on this! i contacted them, and they offer a policy that covers the collection when it is in my possession, at the bank box, AND IN TRANSIT TO ME OR FROM ME. this is pretty awesome. a collection worth around 50k would cost about $300 per year. probably going to do this.