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scraphappy908
07-15-2008, 03:54 PM
I mailed a TAC catalog to Becky (inkisallover) on Saturday. I placed it in a 9 x 13 manilla envelope and put $1.51 in stamps on it. (I weighed it on my postage scale.) It came back to me today with a notice and $3.24 postage due! The notice said that the USPS was returning it to me because of "heightened security requirements and that any mail bearing postage stamps and/or weighing more that 13 ounces MUST be taken by the customer to a retail service associate at a Post Office. Items of this nature can only be transported by ground."

And on top of that, I have to pay $3.24 for having it returned to me!:arghh:
Has anyone else run into this? I understand the need for security but does this mean all large envelopes and packages are now being transported by ground?

I shake my head because just this morning my 11yr old son says to me "Come here mom, look what I can bring up on google." He showed me that he can actually see a picture of our house by going to google maps. He also showed me arial views of Minot Airforce Base in North Dakota as well as other military bases around the country. WHAT'S WITH THAT! Yet, my measley old catty is a possible threat to national security?
Sorry, I just had to rant. I feel better now. Thank you. :confused:

Kreative Dryve
07-15-2008, 04:06 PM
Vent away! They haven't taken an updated picture of my neighborhood for a few years.
~Marie

cindi
07-15-2008, 04:41 PM
that just stinks!!!..take it out of that envie & put it a new one..how will they know you arre suposed to pay the 3.24 , is that the right amount?
any hoo good luck
:)

workin4stamps
07-15-2008, 04:41 PM
Amy---I'm just guessing here, but I think that it just needed more postage and that's it. TAC catalogs are similar in size and weight to SU catalogs, and I could NEVER mail one for $1.51. The USPS has different prices now for parcels vs. flats. They would (unfortunately) consider this a parcel. I just got a new chart thing to go in my postage scale, and it now has 3 different categories on it for pricing.

I think the rest of that stuff they put on there is just a bunch of gooble-di-gook. (is that a word?)

Take it to your P.O., and I could be wrong, but I think they will give you credit for the postage you already had on it. Not sure about that though.

good luck!

Traci

IMBlessed5
07-15-2008, 05:39 PM
I used to mail my catties by media mail for the customers that had no preference. My PO let me do it since it's an "idea book" as well as a catalogue (I know that's been debated but still....). Anyway, I had one disappear in the mail in January, which is typical of media mail, so now I just always mail mine in a priority flat rate envelope for $4.80 just to be safe.

You're right though - there are so many different categories, prices, and rules with shipping! It's very frustrating!

scraphappy908
07-15-2008, 06:05 PM
Oops!:embarrassed:
Traci, you are right! After I posted, I went to use my scale and found that something wasn't right. After investigating, I realized that it was broken; but how?

Finally after fussing over trying to get it fixed, my DS admitted that he and the neighbor boy were playing with it and tried to weigh the cat on it. The cat thought otherwise and the whole thing went crashing to the floor.

I tried very hard to be the MOM in this situation but all I could picture is the poor cat trying to escape from the boys! How can I get angry over that! I should have thought something was amiss in the first place but I was in a rush as usual. It's always something around this place.

But it still irritates me that some things just don't balance out.

Inkisallover
07-15-2008, 06:43 PM
Holy Cow Amy! I just found this! I will send you some $ so you can send it to me. I feel so bad that you had to go through all this. And your poor cat! Traci's vocabulary cracks me up! (gooble-di-gook)

iloveflipflops
07-15-2008, 07:30 PM
I always send out by priority

teabear
07-15-2008, 08:24 PM
Anything over 13 ounces has to go to the counter...thank you homeland security. what a pain.

loobylou
07-15-2008, 09:27 PM
oh Amy, I am cracking up about the cat! That's so typical of boys. I have 2 myself.
Do you know my post office told me that magazines and calendars should always have "customs" declarations on them as when they go thru the scanners the ink can sometimes register as "plastic explosive" or something like that.

logcabincreations
07-15-2008, 10:43 PM
http://stamp-shack.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24863

Here's the link for Joanie's question about postage and I included the new rates.

We had an envelope returned once at work before we got used to the new 13 oz. rule about taking it to the window.

Vintagegal
07-15-2008, 10:47 PM
I'm with Sarah. I'm laughing over your cat story. Sorry....I would've wanted to swat my son's butt, also; but the thought of a poor kitty being weighed on your postal scale is just too funny to get mad over.

spredbirds
07-15-2008, 11:02 PM
Amy-

I send mine in the flat rate priority envies for $4.80. I think that was probably the issue.

flyingflower
07-16-2008, 10:44 AM
I am trying VERY hard not to LOL - I can just picture ds trying to weigh the cat - ROFL
and then you weigh a CATalogue - hehehehe

BTW, I always use the $48.0 priority envies to mail the TAC books - and am VERY happy when my friends an hour away agree to one envie for all 3 books :D

mydogstinks2
07-16-2008, 12:01 PM
LOL I'm sorry but I had to laugh at the cat too! I can almost see the whole thing in my head!

TiikkiStars
07-16-2008, 12:55 PM
Oh goodness! I almost spit out my water (all over the computer) when I read about the cat! Poor kitty!!!! I'm glad you figured it out and even if its annoynig, at least it makes sense now!

:> Karen

hutchink
07-16-2008, 01:09 PM
The poor kitty! I have the image of my two boys trying to do the same thing with our cats! LOL! Sorry about the catty! But I enjoyed the laugh!