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USPS “Ground Advantage” What is the “advantage”?
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Started by Robot Man,

38 posts in this topic

toro

toro

Posted
Posted
On 1/19/2024 at 7:25 PM, Point Five said:

In other USPS news, one of my local clerks is telling me that free Priority Mail shipping boxes will no longer be available at post offices and that USPS is transitioning to making those available by online order only. That would kinda suck, as I use those boxes regularly for comic shipping and I've never had any luck placing online orders for them. 

Is this something he made up on the fly or is anyone else hearing something similar?

 

I do better ordering them online then ever getting them at the PO.  Except when I need to get the flat rate game board boxes. They keep them in the back like they are gold.

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shadroch

shadroch

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Posted

I like the ground advantage as it makes shipping comics cheaper, but there are tradeoffs.  I went to mail a thick envelope that weighed 10 ounces.  The Clerk told me since it was too thick to go through a scanner, it cost $$5.08 to mail, instead of the forever stamp I had put on it.

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sd2416

sd2416

Posted
Posted
On 1/25/2024 at 12:50 PM, Point Five said:

FWIW, went to my PO just now and every display slot of Priority Mail boxes for the public is now fully reloaded, as if this whole conversation with them never happened.  ???  (shrug) 


 

Burning through old stock?

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Point Five

Point Five

Posted
Posted
On 1/26/2024 at 12:17 PM, sd2416 said:

Burning through old stock?

The USPS clerk I spoke with a few weeks ago said nope, zilch, nada, not happening no more. But maybe!  :D 

 

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Chip Cataldo

Chip Cataldo

Posted
Posted
On 1/25/2024 at 4:03 PM, toro said:

I do better ordering them online then ever getting them at the PO.  Except when I need to get the flat rate game board boxes. They keep them in the back like they are gold.

That's because they've stopped making them. Grab as many as you can.

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Tnexus

Tnexus

Posted
Posted
On 1/26/2024 at 9:15 AM, shadroch said:

I like the ground advantage as it makes shipping comics cheaper, but there are tradeoffs.  I went to mail a thick envelope that weighed 10 ounces.  The Clerk told me since it was too thick to go through a scanner, it cost $$5.08 to mail, instead of the forever stamp I had put on it.

You put one forever stamp on a 10 ounce envelope?

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loboagain

loboagain

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 1/26/2024 at 7:17 AM, sd2416 said:

Burning through old stock?

Here in Hawaii it's been hard to get any flat rate box.  The 3 POs I visited, even the main airport post office has out been out of stock for several weeks per clerk.  Looks like we have to order online...

Edited by loboagain
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Chip Cataldo

Chip Cataldo

Posted
Posted
On 1/26/2024 at 10:03 PM, Tnexus said:

You put one forever stamp on a 10 ounce envelope?

On 1/26/2024 at 12:15 PM, shadroch said:

I like the ground advantage as it makes shipping comics cheaper, but there are tradeoffs.  I went to mail a thick envelope that weighed 10 ounces.  The Clerk told me since it was too thick to go through a scanner, it cost $$5.08 to mail, instead of the forever stamp I had put on it.

Forever stamps cover one ounce.

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shadroch

shadroch

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Posted
On 1/27/2024 at 11:02 AM, Chip Cataldo said:

Forever stamps cover one ounce.

Several places on google say a small envelope weighing less than 3.5 ounces requires one forever stamp. 

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Chip Cataldo

Chip Cataldo

Posted
Posted
On 1/27/2024 at 1:28 PM, shadroch said:

Several places on google say a small envelope weighing less than 3.5 ounces requires one forever stamp. 

From the USPS website : "Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First Class Mail one-ounce rate."

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Junkdrawer

Junkdrawer

Posted
Posted
On 1/18/2024 at 2:13 PM, Robot Man said:

I asked at the post office and got a blank stare. First Class apparently now goes ground instead of air (slower) and tracking is slower and sketchy. I have received some VERY slow deliveries.

I guess the “advantage” goes to the Post Office…

If you collected stamps, you wouldn’t have such problems. 

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shadroch

shadroch

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Posted

I ordered a book on 2-13. was notified it was mailed the 14th, expected on the 18th.   On its way to Tucson from Detroit, it spent a weekend in San Bernardino, CA, a day in Phoenix, and two days in Tucson before being shipped to Ohio, where it was sent on to Pittsburg. One of the books is the first new Spidey in a 9.4 slab.  I guess I'll find out how well-packed it was.

Ground Advantage saves a few dollars, which will add up quickly for volume senders.

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awakeintheashes

awakeintheashes

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Posted

I haven’t had any issues with it and like that it saves some $. it seems to take an extra day or two, but nothing too crazy like others have experienced.

I just sent a book to Fairbanks, AK from central Ohio. Dropped it off at the post office on Thursday (2/22), and it was delivered Tuesday (2/27). 

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Robot Man

Robot Man

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I finally got my package today. Two weeks bouncing and sitting around like media mail.

I was figuring out postage on some packages to send out. A couple of boxed 36 page books was $7. But if I add a couple especially fatter GA books the price more than doubled. I compared to Priority and it was about $2-3 more. They, obviously want you to pony up a little more for much faster service. A clever ploy.

But what can you do? I don’t want to make money on postage so sometimes I have to eat a little more when I sell. With higher EBay and PayPal fees combined with taxes and shipping materials, it often doesn’t seem worth the trouble…

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Darwination

Darwination

Posted
Posted (edited)

My understanding is Ground Advantage is just rebranded first class mail.  Through eBay, the cost is dirt cheap, not so much at the counter (and it seems like it's not just the eBay discount).  My experience is on par delivery times with Priority Mail (and at most a day or two more) and that the main factor in delivery time has to do with local operations from where you send it to or send it from.

FWIW, I hear that Ground Advantage is operating at a loss right now (i.e. we're getting a good deal cuz the prices are rock bottom) (shrug)

The sweet spot seems to be for lighter packages like a pound or less and then for heavier packages.  The PM "whatever fits in this box" is probably a better deal for in between.

Edited by Darwination
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Dick Pontoon

Dick Pontoon

Posted
Posted
On 2/28/2024 at 11:55 AM, Darwination said:

My understanding is Ground Advantage is just rebranded first class mail.  Through eBay, the cost is dirt cheap, not so much at the counter (and it seems like it's not just the eBay discount).  My experience is on par delivery times with Priority Mail (and at most a day or two more) and that the main factor in delivery time has to do with local operations from where you send it to or send it from.

Yup. That mirrors my experience as well.

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