After selling a bunch of chips lately it was time to ship them and I ended up in a huge battle with the post office over what type of package I had. I even went online before shipping and read their requirements. What I had were Large Envelopes (according to the web site) since they met the requirements because they were smaller than the max dimensions for length and width but were between 1/4 and 3/4 inches thick. Even regular envelope sizes fit the description since they were less than 3/4" thick. Well the idiot at the counter said that they were all packages since they were larger than his regular envelope template. That means you pay the max rate for every ounce. When I asked him to show me his template for a large envelope he didn't have one! And this is not just at this one office either since I have been to at least 2 of them. Their web site also does not say anything about the package being machinable even though this is a requirement accoding to their internal literature. So what used to cost me $.47 to ship they now want $1.30 or something like that. My local postmaster didn't have an answer either and was going to go to her boss to get a decision. What really frustrates me is that the counter workers have no way to measure an envelope to see if it meets the requirements of a large envelope. Plus one of the new requirements is that the package be flat to within 1/4" which is hard to do when shipping chips.

So to make a long story short I have changed my standards of shipping chips. Previously if I had only one chip to ship I padded it and put it into an envelope which I seal with tape. Now I am doing that when I have several chips. When I go to the USPS I tell them that I don't not have any packages to ship only envelopes and large enveloppes. They will ship them that way but say that they may be returned or sent with postage due. If anyone gets a package from me with postage due please let me know and I will try to make it right.

It has become obvious to me what the problem is - the USPS is charging the customer based on what is convenient for the USPS and not the customer. Since they think they are still part of the government I guess that they can do that but anyone else in business would be out of business FAST! I have no idea what was wrong with the old formula of anything over 1/4" think had a $.17 surcharge added. Maybe it was too simple.