Advice: Shipping/Mailing methods?

[linksage.livejournal.com]

Hey all; quick question. I sent my first commission through the mail today and asked at the post office for delivery confirmation (I admit I really don't have any experience at all with mailing things aside from drop it in the blue box or in the mailbox at the end of the driveway). I was told I'd have to send it certified.

I was a little surprised to see that the certified mail fee is $2.95. Is that normal? (Postage was $1.10 as I was sending it in a large envelope, but that I was expecting). Everything I've read says that Delivery Confirmation is less than a dollar.

I've always been so confused/intimidated by the mail system. x_x I don't really mind eating the cost this time as the commissioner tipped me a couple dollars anyway, but for future reference, is there a better/cheaper way to track or otherwise provide your commissioner with proof that their purchase is on its way?

Comments

[mejeep.livejournal.com]

It depends on the way you're mailing the item: first class (1-13 oz), Priority Mail (>13 oz), parcel post (large items but slower delivery), etc.

The bright GREEN forms are for delivery confirmation, and are an additional fee to the postage.

CERTIFIED mail provides tracking for all of the delivery process, normally used for important documents such as legal notices. It's more expensive and wasn't what you were asking for.

REGISTERED mail provides insurance for things like jewelry.

The rates are hard to read but they're online:
https://www.usps.com/business/prices.htm

[loregryph.livejournal.com]

My understanding of it is that lightweight, thin envelopes being sent First Class have to go Certified to get tracking - Delivery Confirmation isn't available for First Class lettermail.

If it's thicker (I think it's minimum 1/2") it counts as a First Class parcel, which opens up the cheaper Delivery Confirmation option. One of my postal service people made the suggestion that if it won't harm the contents, to wad up a small piece of paper or something similar to meet the thickness criteria. If it's something that needs to stay flat, sandwiching it between cardboard should also do the trick, and give added protection as well.

If you ship Priority, Delivery Confirmation should always be available, be it an envelope or a box.

[fiawol.livejournal.com]

If you ship Priority mail (around $5 for 8.5 x 11 art) you can purchase delivery confirmation for $.75, or if you pay for your postage online at usps.com, you get free delivery confirmation with Priority mail, and it costs $4.90. Just be sure to put enough backing in the envelope to make sure it does not get bent in shipment.

[petercat.livejournal.com]

For lightweight First Class Mail there's an option for "Certificate of Mailing" which is proof that you mailed it. That's $1.15, but it doesn't provide tracking.

First Class Mail envelopes that don't bend easily pay package rates, which makes them eligible for delivery confirmation/tracking. Sandwiching the artwork between two pieces of corrugated cardboard do the trick. (The stiffness test is to put the envelope halfway over the edge of the table and push down on the overhanging edge. If you can't bend it more than an inch, it's too rigid. The reasoning for this is that the envelope is too stiff to be processed by automatic machinery, it would jam the machine if it can't bend. See http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/301.htm )

If you use the postage calculator at http://postcalc.usps.gov/ it will show you all the options.

[linksage.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the help folks! Unfortunately it seems I was given a wrong address so this package is coming back to me. -_-; Either way it's seems like mailing anything for less than $4 isn't really going to happen, so I'll just make sure I start enforcing the $2 shipping fee to at least take some of the edge off. And if they give me the wrong address (which seems to happen more often than one would think...) I've put a clause in my TOS stating that an extra $5 will be charged if I have to try shipping a second time due to no fault of my own. ;p I can't believe some people don't know their own address, or at least wouldn't double check if they weren't sure.