shipping via USPS

[placek59]

Today I shipped a barrel that I sold on another forum. Went to the post office to cash the money order and ship it, when I said that I would like to insure it for $150, the lady asked me for a receipt. I said "for what?" To which she replied, "for the item you're shipping, you need to prove its value to insure it." I had never been asked this before. Has anyone else ever been asked for a receipt to prove the value of the item? What is a person supposed to do when selling a barrel? Provide the receipt for the gun that it originally came from?
Just curious as I understand they are probably trying to fight insurance/mail fraud.

ALSO- Mods, if this is in the wrong place, I apologize and feel free to move it.

 

[necchi]

Wow, I have NEVER been asked to prove value,

I would have responded that the artistic value rendered to the item makes it priceless, but the raw material to replace the item would cost around 150. I have no receipt to provide artistic labor,,,

 

[FroggyOne2]

I have shipped stuff usps up to 3000 dollars and have never been asked that.

 

[okedoke]

they probably wanted to make sure it was worth stealing before breaking into the pkg. I certainly hope you insured it anyway PS; i have never had to show an invoice price for insured mail.----- take care craig

 

[Erud]

I had that happen to me ONCE at a post office about 5 years ago. It was easily one of the most irritating experiences of my life. Tried to explain to the lady that I was BUYING the insurance from them and that they would charge me more money up front the more I said it was worth. Also tried to explain that it would only be a problem for them if they lost it, otherwise it was free money for the USPS. Ended up leaving and shipping at another post office with no problems. I have shipped items insured at least a hundred times and this was the only time this has ever happened.

 

[necchi]

I Ended up leaving and shipping at another post office with no problems.

Best answer yet!!
I've had to do that more than once when involved with a Postal Worker with an attitude.
A drive to the next town or across town can be well worth it

 

[placek59]

...and that is what I should have done - or gone to ups or fed-ex. I was on my lunch break and after waiting in line for so long I didn't have time to go anywhere else. I guess I'll have to keep a receipt in my pocket from something much more expensive next time I go in, just in case.

 

[pdm25150]

Was not asked for a receipt, but was told that to collect i had to have a receipt showing what the item cost me. Pretty sure ups is the same, must have it to collect on insurance.

 

[kelbro]

Wouldn't the PayPal receipt or money order from your sale serve as a receipt? That IS the value at that moment.

 

[placek59]

I offered her the money order that I was cashing at the time as a receipt. She said I needed a receipt from when I purchased the item. I will have to look into the official rules of the USPS

 

[ar15topgun]

You do not have to prove value unless a claim is filed because of theft or damage. She was out of line in her request.

 

[TheSnake]

What would she have done if you said; I have never been asked to show proof of value. Show me in the rules where that is required? Where is the poster on the wall stating that? Ive got all day so I will just stand here while you look for that.

What are we going to do when the USPS goes belly up? It is going to happen some day in the not so far future. Guess we will have to choose another preferred payment method.

 

[Scott Harris]

you actually use the post office to ship stuff? ;D That's so 20th century. Pay an extra buck or two and use UPS or Fedex: well worth the reduction in hassle factor and increase in reliabilty.

 

[alf]

For me, UPS is a 25 mile round trip. The post office is 3 blocks.

Plus, I'm set up for USPS's Click-N-Ship. Box it up, weigh it, print out a paid shipping label, and flop it on the counter, done.

 

[rocketron]

you actually use the post office to ship stuff? ;D That's so 20th century. Pay an extra buck or two and use UPS or Fedex: well worth the reduction in hassle factor and increase in reliabilty.

not so sure of this. ups wanted to charge me $25 to send 12 - 130 vlds

 

[golfer2b2000]

I have never been asked that either, but I have dealt with UPS, and others, and USPS is by far the easiest people to deal with when shipping a firearm. The UPS post that is close to me will ship anything but firearms. I have to go to the main building if I want to ship a firearm which is 30 miles away...

 

[Henryp]

I am 18 days and counting on a barrel shipped 500 miles away. It was scanned in Atlanta Tuesday. I only insured it for $200. It seems half of the PO workers are retired and the other half might as well be. With there unions, we can understand why they are losing billions. It would be better to over insure with the PO than play the lottery.

 

[fdshuster]

I've shipped a total of 4 rifles to as far away as California, all by FedEx, from my local Kinko's/ FedEx store & have had nothing but good experiences.

Have never been questioned about the "actual" value, the insurance amount, contents ( when the shipment was clearly a firearm & addressed to a FFL), or anything else.

Their tracking system is superior to USPS, and I recently had a 3 day ground shipment ( total cost $17.70 w/ insurance), delivered to Lincoln Nebraska ( from SW PA.) in 2 days.

In my opinion, far above what the USPS has to offer, although I do use USPS for small shipments with their flat rate choices.

 

[Taildrag15X]

I am 18 days and counting on a barrel shipped 500 miles away. It was scanned in Atlanta Tuesday. I only insured it for $200. It seems half of the PO workers are retired and the other half might as well be. With there unions, we can understand why they are losing billions. It would be better to over insure with the PO than play the lottery.

I found out that USPS hands all non-local (that can be reached by ground in the time frame) Priority Mail over to either Fed-Ex or UPS and is flown by them to a USPS Mail Sort City, with no scans inbetween. I shipped a Large Flat Rate Box to myself from a trip to St. Louis, it left my hands Jan. 27th, and was scaned at 3 other locations between the counter and the Airport (23 miles away) it took a 141 mile ride South to go back North 170 miles to the Airport. The last scan showed it leaving the St. Louis USPS Sort center, I kept checking the USPS web site for Tracking....nothing. I waited the 5 Days per the web site and filed a Missing Package Report by calling the phone number on USPS.com, aftr 2 days the local Post Master called to insure me they were looking for my package, she was a clueless as they come, stating "we know it's not in our sorts or trucks" which is when she informed me about Fed-Ex and UPS and Priority Mail. She said that a search would take place from the last known scan (which by her words are not really for Tracking, but for Delivery Contirmation) and get back to me.

I got the package Feb. 16th, not a work from the Post Master or Carrier, just a Large Flat Rate Box on my back porch........

I checked the Tracking, it was scaned at 5 pm the night before in Albany, NY and then at my local P.O. at 4:15 am and 11:32 am as Delivered.

 

[areaone]

It cost 56.00 to ship a rifle from PA to central Il. USPS priority, insured, confirmation of receipt, it weighed les than 20 lbs. Seemed pretty pricey to me. At least it got here, more than I can say about my past experiences.