USPS Registered Mail - Any Info??

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Posted By: Tony N.

I had an expensive card shipped to me registered mail last friday, April 14th. I live in NE Pennsylvania, and the package is coming from California. I keep checking the usps online site for tracking, but it hasn't updated since last friday. Does anyone know how long it would usually take for a package, registered mail, to travel cross country? Also, does anyone know if the post office has access to a more detailed tracking system, than the one that is available to the public? I tried calling my local PO, and the guy said that he has the same tracking access that is available to the public, but I think he is wrong. I was hoping that someone had a post office track the exact location of a card, because I know there is a registry the employees have to sign, showing who has the card at all times. Any info is greatly appreciated. Thanks, Tony.

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Posted By: jims

I recently won an expensive item. The dealer e-mailed me the day he shipped it. It took almost a week and a half. That was coming to the midwest from PA. I was sure it got lost in the mail, but it did eventually make it. Good luck.

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Posted By: David Vargha

You have NO worries as each time it changes hands it must be signed for. As such however, it is the slowest method of travel. As to the USPS tracking sytem, it just, plain sucks! Speaking from experience, your package will soon arrive at your house and it will still not be updated online past the original shipping entry.

DavidVargha@hotmail.com

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Posted By: Jerry

I had a card shipped Registered Mail from PSA, I got the notification that is shipped on a Thursday and I recieved the card the next Tuesday, California to Texas. The tracking number PSA gave me by email starting with the prefix RE, never worked. I called PSA and they gave me a different long tracking number that did have alittle tracking info but not up to date. If it doesn't show soon, I would call them and they should know who signed for it last.
You should be fine

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Posted By: Jason Duncan

You can only have it tracked by the postmaster at your local PO. I have had them come as little as 2 days across country and as late as 3-4 weeks.

Jason

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Posted By: Kary

David is right on. The tracking from the USPS is a joke. With registered mail, they must scan it I believe and put it in a safe every step of the way. Unfortunately they don't let you know where it is along the way.

The USPS has been a little slow lately because of the large volume of mail they received last week because of the tax deadline.

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Posted By: Tony N.

My card finally arrived yesterday via Registered Mail. It took 10 days from California to Pennsylvania. I was getting worried there for a while, but all your comments about how slow it really was for shipping, and the extrmem security, put my mind at ease. Thanks, Tony.

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Posted By: Keith O'Leary

Slow, but safe Tony .

Back around X-Mas, I had a registered take 15 days from CA to PA.

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Posted By: Rick

Hello. I have worked for the Postal Service for many years, and I am currently the Postmaster in Wisconsin. You might want to consider Express Mail as an alternative to Registeed mail for cards valued under $5000, which is the limit for Insured Express Mail. For instance, if you have a card valued at $1000, Registered Mail will cost you about $12.50, but it will take a week or more for delivery. Insured Express Mail will cost you about $25.00, but you will receive the Express Mail item in 1 or 2 days, depending on where you live.

Both Registered and Express need a signature upon delivery, unless you choose the "Waiver of Signature" option, which isn't a great idea on a $1000 card. The Express Mail goes straight from the mail truck to the airport with no delay, then from the airport to the mail truck and to the delivery Post Office. We run about 96% on time delivery for Express Mail, and if you don't receive it on time, your postage is refunded (not the insurance fee, just the postage). In the 25 years that I have been with the Post Office I have only heard of 1 Express Mail item that was lost and never recovered.

You probably don't want Express for a $100 card, but for anything of significant value I always use Express, even when I send cards to PSA.

The reason for the slowness of Registered Mail is because of the security. The Postal Service was experiencing some losses from theft of Registered Mail, so we really tightened up on security. When a clerk at my Post Office accepts a Registered Mail item from a customer, the clerk financially responsible for that item. The clerk puts the item in the safe, and signs a log. At the end of the day the clerk puts the item in a locked pouch, and gives the pouch to the truck driver, who gives the clerk a written receipt. When the truck driver arrives at the main Post Office, the driver hands the pouch to a Registered Mail clerk, who gives the driver a written receipt. This happens all the way along the line until the item is delivered. Some one is physically and financially responsible for Registered Mail at all times. This is great for security, but it does slow down the delivery time.

I do agree with you that the tracking system for both Express and Registered is pretty crappy. The local Postmasters have been pushing for a system that is accessible to local Post Offices and customers, so that we can identify exactly where a package is located. Fed Ex currently scans an average package 17 times, and the Postal Service needs to have a major upgrade of our tracking system. It is very frustrating when a customer comes in for help, and I am not able to provide the help.

I hope this helps to clear up some questions.

Goin Postal

Rick

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Posted By: Keith O'Leary

Appreciated.

1. Do you have any alternatives for parcels over $5000?

2. Is there a problem insuring paper or collectibles with USPS?

3. If lost, stolen or damaged, is there ever a situation where its a problem collecting if they are insurable?

4. If lost, stolen or damaged, does the USPS pay off what the customer says its worth and insured for?

thanks in advance, Keith

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Posted By: jackgoodman

Thanks for the information. I, for one, found it extremely useful.

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Posted By: Colt McClelland

http://www.network54.com/Forum/153652/message/1141767826/Registered+Mail+-+Need+Advice

I was the one with the lost package mentioned in the thread above. Bottom line is that I ended up getting the package about 5 weeks after it shipped becuase of post office mistakes.

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Posted By: Rick

Thank you Keith, these are good questions.

1. The only alternative for items over $5000 is registered mail.

2. There is no problem with paper or collectibles through USPS, but be extremely overly cautious when you package any item.

3. I have not had any problems with collecting on the insurance, except like everything in the government, it can take a while to get your money. We are processing more claims online, but it can still be a wait for $.

4. This is something that comes up often, especially since ebay became popular. If you purchase a card, or any other item on ebay, lets say you paid $100, which you thought was a great deal. The Standard Catalog lists the card at $250, and you mail the card and purchase $250 worth of insurance. The Postal Service will only pay the $100 that you actually paid for the item. In order to collect on the Insurance, you will need the insurance receipt from the Post Office, and either a print out of the closed auction page from ebay, or a copy of your PayPal receipt.

One of the reasons for this policy is that there are many people who try to manipulate our insurance system. They will list a computer on ebay, sell it for $250, and ship a computer that is already broken. The person on the other end will file an insurance claim saying that the computer was broken when they received it. The mailer will collect the $250 and make a good profit. We constantly run across new scams that are created to collect insurance money.

Rick

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Posted By: ramram

Rick -

Keith posed some very good questions that I have also wondered about. Thanks for your reply. I have, however, had my Post Master tell me that it's not worth insuring antique images and collectibles because if they were ultimately lost the Postal insurance wouldn't cover them. They indicated that the only way to have them fully covered is to send them registered. Is this not true?

Rob M.