Rationale for using USPS registered (SLOW)? 1 1

[zach1900]

Since registered mail is notoriously slow, yet considered safe.

Wouldn't something that spends a day or two in transit (2nd day air, overnight ect) be less likely to go missing or damaged even if it's not as "safe" , thoughts?

[CitrusZ28]

Registered mail has a chain of custody; everyone who touches it must sign for it and it is locked up in the facilities during transit. Yes it does take longer, I shipped some books to CGC on 3-23-24 and they arrived at the facility on 4-2-24.

[shadroch]

On 4/3/2024 at 12:47 PM, zach1900 said:

Since registered mail is notoriously slow, yet considered safe.

Wouldn't something that spends a day or two in transit (2nd day air, overnight ect) be less likely to go missing or damaged even if it's not as "safe" , thoughts?

The process is that each person is responsible for the package while in their custody, so any damage will be noted as it transits the system. It will take longer but is considered safer.

[MAR1979]

It's not perfect, not by a long shot, but USPS registered in my decades of experiences is by far the safest option from ANY carrier.

 

Edited April 3 by MAR1979

[zach1900]

On 4/3/2024 at 4:06 PM, CitrusZ28 said:

Registered mail has a chain of custody; everyone who touches it must sign for it and it is locked up in the facilities during transit. Yes it does take longer, I shipped some books to CGC on 3-23-24 and they arrived at the facility on 4-2-24.

Sadly that's not true, 14/15 post offices completely failed their audits in regards to registered mail...lost keys, leaving cages unlocked during and after business hours, ALL post offices failed to keep accurate logs, registered mail being handed off with no signatures nor required ID, and the list goes on and on.

[zach1900]

I wonder why CGC defaults and seems to prefer FedEx for return shipping, also their rate of $50k insurance/ground at only $20 is like 1/7 of the price FedEx charges to send TO CGC with $50K insurance.

On 4/3/2024 at 4:50 PM, MAR1979 said:

It's not perfect, not by a long shot, but USPS registered in my decades of experiences is by far the safest option from ANY carrier.

 

 

[MAR1979]

On 4/3/2024 at 10:28 PM, zach1900 said:

I wonder why CGC defaults and seems to prefer FedEx for return shipping, also their rate of $50k insurance/ground at only $20 is like 1/7 of the price FedEx charges to send TO CGC with $50K insurance.

 

As I recall their parent company owns significant amount of Fedex stock

[MAR1979]

On 4/3/2024 at 10:24 PM, zach1900 said:

Sadly that's not true, 14/15 post offices completely failed their audits in regards to registered mail...lost keys, leaving cages unlocked during and after business hours, ALL post offices failed to keep accurate logs, registered mail being handed off with no signatures nor required ID, and the list goes on and on.

yet sadly still "better" than Fedex who ain't even subject to that type of audit.  At least with USPS I do receive the parcels with Fedex more than half the time I do not - no kidding and no exaggeration.

Edited April 4 by MAR1979

[CitrusZ28]

On 4/3/2024 at 7:24 PM, zach1900 said:

Sadly that's not true, 14/15 post offices completely failed their audits in regards to registered mail...lost keys, leaving cages unlocked during and after business hours, ALL post offices failed to keep accurate logs, registered mail being handed off with no signatures nor required ID, and the list goes on and on.

 

I wouldn't say that all post offices are guilty of this, my wife is a supervisor at a major sorting plant and is is certainly not the case there. Any registered mail I have ever received has required an adult signature, unlike a package from CGC sent via FedX that was left on my driveway with no signature, at least no one who lives at my address.

Edited April 4 by CitrusZ28

[rumrunner71]

Late to the party here but hopefully helpful. For context, I used to work for a subcontractor for USPS that was responsible for transferring packages from trucks to planes. All of the mail would come to us in large bags, which we unloaded from the truck and shoved into containers to go on the plane. We were paid by weight density per container, so while we didn't smoosh anything, those bags were tossed and crammed in. Few times, we had registered mail. When these trucks came, a postal employee followed in a car behind and had to remove a lock tag from the truck before we could open it. The registered mail was in a heavy, hard plastic locked case. The employee would watch us place it in a container, and then no matter how empty the container was, he would place another lock tag on it after sealing it and then follow the container to the plane, where he would oversee it being put on the plane.

So, yeah, there is a reason registered can be a good way to go for security and safety. Not perfect but far more involved than non-registered.

[Mayor006]

I've actually experienced faster than normal times with registered and heavily insured packages. Almost as if the USPS wanted it out of their hands as quick as possible to avoid any issues. Goes both ways sometimes!

[Dr. Balls]

Depending on your collectibles insurance, you may have to send Registered - they usually have a couple different tiers for coverage. For my insurance, books under $2500 can go Priority Sig, books over that will have to go FedEx Sig or Registered. I was fine sending FedEx, but if I had some sort of crazy valued book at $30k or something, I'd be sending it Registered for the whole chain-of-custody, locked-in-the-safe thing from USPS.