What? What on earth could’ve happened to make me actually recommend the USPS?
If you had seen me trying to put together a simple mailing label for the packages I was trying to send over the past two weeks, you’d have thought I’d never in a million years recommended this. I mean, you go to the site and you can’t figure anything out. They make it sound like you just need to click here and fill it all in; but now we’re talking cost, weight, and whether it qualifies for being free of some kind of fee. That is, if you can even find where you’re supposed to click to get there in the first place.
I mean, if I was a cursing man, I would’ve made a sailor blush.
But one thing changed my mind. When I walked into the post office – which I’ve never found to be a pleasant experience – and walked out again, receipt in hand, 30 seconds later. Seriously. I handed the clerk my package, he weighed it, scanned the code on the label I’d affixed to the package while I was still at home, handed me my receipt and sent me on my way. The first time it happened, I stood there dumbfounded. I had to ask the clerk if I was done. “Yes, you are.” “Thank you?”
I walked out stunned.
So get an account. Set up an address book. Heck, if I mailed things more often, I’d even get a postal scale. The last package I sent I weighed by holding while I was on a bathroom scale several times (if you underestimate, they’ll charge you for the additional cost at the post office). The only thing is, you have to make sure the contents you list add up to the total weight. I estimate for the most part.
Other than that, once you’ve figure it out and gotten a little practice, it’s not too hard. And it sure beats twiddling your thumbs at the post office while the clerk enters a bunch of info and you have to pay. As a matter of fact, the greatest advantage of all in these Covid times is probably the limited contact you have with anything or anyone. You go in, you give them the package, they print the receipt, and you’re gone.
That right there makes it worth it.
