Reply #7: The less you have to deal with a real person at the PO, the better. [View All]

I ship books sold on Amazon several times a week. Using printed postage with delivery confirmation, I have almost never had an issue in 3 years. Though I don't know how you are getting free delivery confirmation - usually it is 55 cents, or 19 cents if you use Endicia/Stamps.com/Paypal printed postage.

BUT I avoid going to the window at all costs. When I do, it is almost always a disaster. This most recent trip, I was trying to send care packages of beef jerky/chips/etc. to my 2 brothers serving in Afghanistan. I was told by the lady at the window that their FPO zip code was invalid. This, after I'd spent 30 minutes filling out two of the obnoxiously long white customs forms that make you detail every item in the package, how much it weighs, and how much it cost. Now, I have sent cards to one brother at this address and zip before, which he's gotten. The other brother just got deployed there this month, but has the same zip code. I asked how it could possibly be a wrong zip when I have sent things to that address before that have been received. She just stared at me..finally said, "Well, the machine won't let it be sent with that zip code." I asked how that is possible, and what I can do to get them sent. She said I would have to go find a different zip code.

!!!

I eventually gave the boxes and postage money to my mom who took them to a different PO and had zero problems.