63 replies to this topic

[littlen]

I don't have too much input on the situation, but out of sheer curiosity, [Moon] have you ever considered using UPS or FedEx for shipping fish?  No digs against USPS.  Just saying those two delivery providers are used for shipping herps, fish, inverts in the zoo/aquarium world.  I won't get started on the issues we've had with them as well.....smashed boxes which resulted in soaking wet cardboard and popped fish bags.  But I said I wouldn't get started.

[gerald]

I've had the same thing happen a couple times; not often.  Last time was maybe 3-4 yrs ago.  The desk clerk took the box no problem (prominently marked "Live Fish") but somebody at the USPS sorting center (? or whatever it's called) rejected the box and sent it back to me. 

[Josh Blaylock]

Not sure if the rules changed, but there used to be a certain code that you're supposed to pack fish in.

 

I would mark Live Fish, and "packed in accordance to USPS Code xxxxx" and never had an issue.

[mattknepley]

Pretty smart adding the standards to the box. Especially considering the standards are pretty much "pack the things so they don't leak if the bags break." They can be found in Dustin's post as well as in the link to the post master's manual regarding acceptance of live animals for shipping. They pretty much say the same thing.

I don't have too much input on the situation, but out of sheer curiosity, [Moon] have you ever considered using UPS or FedEx for shipping fish?  No digs against USPS.  Just saying those two delivery providers are used for shipping herps, fish, inverts in the zoo/aquarium world.  I won't get started on the issues we've had with them as well.....smashed boxes which resulted in soaking wet cardboard and popped fish bags.  But I said I wouldn't get started.

I only have experience shipping/receiving live items with one other carrier, UPS, and it was just one time. It wasn't pretty though. Auban arranged for his wife to ship me some of those worms he's been working with so we could see how they would do in my stock pond. She bagged 'em up good and included a couple plastic soda bottles she had filled with water and frozen. Then boxed 'em up. She arranged for UPS to send them overnight. They never got picked up from her until the day after they were suppose to have arrived at my house. It was 2 or 3 days after that that I got them. Left sitting in the sun when they were clearly labelled as live animals. Not that it probably mattered by then. They were a dead, nasty-stinking mess. As we know, Auban's schedule is crazy, and unfortunately we haven't tried again.

[mattknepley]

Not sure if the rules changed, but there used to be a certain code that you're supposed to pack fish in.
 
I would mark Live Fish, and "packed in accordance to USPS Code xxxxx" and never had an issue.

[mattknepley]

Pretty smart, Josh, especially because it makes the actually reasonable shipping standards seem much more impressive!

[mattknepley]

Sorry for the multi-post. Not sure what happened; I was just trying to edit the post to include quoting the post of Josh's I was referring to.

I think I'm haunted again, I'm not signed out of the forum most of the time anymore even though I rarely use the "remember me" feature. Maybe I need to revive my previous Slimer avatar.

[littlen]

I wonder what Mark's (Jonah's Aq) experiences are as he ships fish all the time.  Or rather, what percentage of shipments he has had issues with annually.

[Matt DeLaVega]

I always marked boxes perishable. My tiny town post master told me to do that rather than live fish. I had much more loss shipping shipping UPS than I did using USPS priority.

[Moontanman]

Today, I unboxed the fish i had boxed up last tuesday and all of them were alive and well. Those rules were not written by someone who knows how to ship fish... 

[mattknepley]

I always marked boxes perishable. My tiny town post master told me to do that rather than live fish. I had much more loss shipping shipping UPS than I did using USPS priority.

Not a bad idea,either. The only caveat is "perishable" pretty much puts your fish at the level of a box of fruit. "Live Fish" should keep your box inside at the post office (as long as you clearly marked a contact number for the recipient on the outside), while "perishable" probably won't. During good weather that might be the way to go if you're stuck with a flighty p.o. Personally, I'd rather find a friendly one that knows what it's doing, or is willing to learn. My coworkers had some qualms shipping fish priority, but after a couple 100% survival experiences they feel much more comfortable. And fish stink way less then all those live birds we move...

[Moontanman]

Not a bad idea,either. The only caveat is "perishable" pretty much puts your fish at the level of a box of fruit. "Live Fish" should keep your box inside at the post office (as long as you clearly marked a contact number for the recipient on the outside), while "perishable" probably won't. During good weather that might be the way to go if you're stuck with a flighty p.o. Personally, I'd rather find a friendly one that knows what it's doing, or is willing to learn. My coworkers had some qualms shipping fish priority, but after a couple 100% survival experiences they feel much more comfortable. And fish stink way less then all those live birds we move...

 

 

I have a feeling this is one branch office, or maybe even a single person since the local branch is about 6 blocks from me. I let the fish stay boxed until today, all alive and frisky! 

[dsuperman]

I've shipped approximately 100 boxes over the last six years, always USPS Priority. I never mark "live fish", shippers believe it takes the box out of the main "queue".  I like to use the  2 piece meat/medical coolers inside the largest USPS priority mailing box when available, or i wrap in brown paper marked priority. I also like the regional A and B boxes,lined tightly with styrofoam with all corners taped. I put an outer bag ,then double bag poly for the fish. I pack like the box might get run over, then it will still survive. Shipping from NYC, i can do east coast  anywhere $7 to  $12 by weight, maybe 4-5 bags of small fish. regional B nyc to california  4-5 bags of small fish for $16? Once in a while the clerk will ask me something, i always say "no".I usually ship on saturdays when i can ,seems the boxes move quicker ,mail moves on sundays but very little gets delivered.

[Moontanman]

I've shipped approximately 100 boxes over the last six years, always USPS Priority. I never mark "live fish", shippers believe it takes the box out of the main "queue".  I like to use the  2 piece meat/medical coolers inside the largest USPS priority mailing box when available, or i wrap in brown paper marked priority. I also like the regional A and B boxes,lined tightly with styrofoam with all corners taped. I put an outer bag ,then double bag poly for the fish. I pack like the box might get run over, then it will still survive. Shipping from NYC, i can do east coast  anywhere $7 to  $12 by weight, maybe 4-5 bags of small fish. regional B nyc to california  4-5 bags of small fish for $16? Once in a while the clerk will ask me something, i always say "no".I usually ship on saturdays when i can ,seems the boxes move quicker ,mail moves on sundays but very little gets delivered.

 

 

That makes me feel like it was one individual, $55 bucks for a priority mail package that should have been $20, hard to think everyone but me can ship fish.  

[Moontanman]

I have Engaged the Borg... errr The Post Office!!! The say there is no clear rules about shipping fish. They say they will call me back due to the Borg Queen... err Local Head Honcho being on vacation... 

[littlen]

Ha.  Now that's funny.  

[mattknepley]

Sounds like it's time to try moving this up the food chain.

Call: 1-800-ASK-USPS® (1-800-275-8777)

Hours of Operation

Monday - Friday 8 AM - 8:30 PM ET
Saturday 8 AM - 6 PM ET

Tell them you need to file a complaint, explain the situation, and ask if it should be an E.C.C. case or is another avenue more likely to get results. It won't hurt to add that it boggles one's mind that an organization that is trying hard to increase revenue, especially package volume and profits, would make it so hard to ship a package that there exists no good reason not to ship. Tell them about the fish that were sent back that you feel you are still owed money for because the p.o. wouldn't attempt to deliver.

Also, go here https://www.postalexperience.com/pos

Use the data from your original receipt, or just enter the info from memory for the attempts for which you have no receipt because they wouldn't do anything for you, and give them an honest review in the appropriate categories, especially efficiency and knowing how to do your job type ones. The surveys have weight of some kind, and there are certain positive results a p.o. is supposed to receive. (I won't pretend to know how it works.) Most folks ignore these surveys, so even a couple bad ones can skew things for an office. It doesn't hurt that apparently these survey results are emailed to all supervision within a certain district.

Out of curiosity, when you mail a letter, what does it say on the post mark?

I'm really sorry to have to make these suggestions, I'm embarrassed you've had this much trouble.

[Moontanman]

Sounds like it's time to try moving this up the food chain.

Call: 1-800-ASK-USPS® (1-800-275-8777)

Hours of Operation

Monday - Friday 8 AM - 8:30 PM ET
Saturday 8 AM - 6 PM ET

Tell them you need to file a complaint, explain the situation, and ask if it should be an E.C.C. case or is another avenue more likely to get results. It won't hurt to add that it boggles one's mind that an organization that is trying hard to increase revenue, especially package volume and profits, would make it so hard to ship a package that there exists no good reason not to ship. Tell them about the fish that were sent back that you feel you are still owed money for because the p.o. wouldn't attempt to deliver.

Also, go here https://www.postalexperience.com/pos

Use the data from your original receipt, or just enter the info from memory for the attempts for which you have no receipt because they wouldn't do anything for you, and give them an honest review in the appropriate categories, especially efficiency and knowing how to do your job type ones. The surveys have weight of some kind, and there are certain positive results a p.o. is supposed to receive. (I won't pretend to know how it works.) Most folks ignore these surveys, so even a couple bad ones can skew things for an office. It doesn't hurt that apparently these survey results are emailed to all supervision within a certain district.

Out of curiosity, when you mail a letter, what does it say on the post mark?

I'm really sorry to have to make these suggestions, I'm embarrassed you've had this much trouble.

 

 

Thank you for helping me out, if they don't call me back by the end of the week I will release the hounds so to speak.  

 

When I mail a letter? Or when I get a letter? 

 

My zip is 28403-6827

[Josh Blaylock]

 

My zip is 28403-6827

 

[Moontanman]

Well I got my phone call today, they said fish could be shipped priority mail and they would make sure the local post office knew and they are going to refund my money!