63 replies to this topic

[lilyea]

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!

 

Fantastic!  It is amazing how a little persistence and a few magic words (thanks Matt) can make a difference!  Did they give you any regulations to cite, any way to mark the box, or any other thoughts to consider in the future when mailing fish?

[Matt DeLaVega]

 

Fantastic!  It is amazing how a little persistence and a few magic words (thanks Matt) can make a difference!  Did they give you any regulations to cite, any way to mark the box, or any other thoughts to consider in the future when mailing fish?

Yeah, good job. Sorry that it got weird, but luckily our diverse organization has a guy in the know. I kind of like that Knepley guy. He is rather useful.

[mattknepley]

Yay, I'm useful! (Or quite possibly the post master has a clue and straightened things out on their own.)

Moon, I was wondering what the postmark on letters you mail says because if it turned out to be an issue with a processing and distribution center as opposed to your p.o., then that might be a different story...

[Josh Blaylock]

 

 

Preach on Matt

 

[Moontanman]

I have been told that USPS will not ship anymore fish in priority mail boxes. They told me that from now on all fish shipments will have to be packaged in a waterproof container (internal plastic bags will not do) able to withstand 70 pounds per square inch of pressure. 

[Dustin]

Wow! Your guys are serious.  Did they give you a new reg section for this?  That's pretty specific.

[Moontanman]

Wow! Your guys are serious.  Did they give you a new reg section for this?  That's pretty specific.

 

Yas they did, I have a copy of the regs. at first I thought it was just guy with a burr up his butt, he did say he looked through a lot of stuff to find the regs that prohibit shipping fish priority mail. Maybe there is a bit of an ego fight going on... 

[mattknepley]

Meh, so what. He didn't say you can't ship them priority, he just said you can't use their free boxes. The box thing isn't really too far off from the old "anything liquid, fragile, hazardous or perishable?" thing they have to go through. There may indeed be an ego thing, or just a jerkapotamus thing, going on. Those people are working way too hard to discourage making money.

[Moontanman]

Meh, so what. He didn't say you can't ship them priority, he just said you can't use their free boxes. The box thing isn't really too far off from the old "anything liquid, fragile, hazardous or perishable?" thing they have to go through. There may indeed be an ego thing, or just a jerkapotamus thing, going on. Those people are working way too hard to discourage making money.

 

 

He was quite serious about the box having to be waterproof and able to withstand 70 psi. I always try to go by the rules but strong water proof boxes are going to be hard to come by.. 

[mattknepley]

What is the reg? It's my understanding the liquids need to be contained in the box,not by the box, and plastic bags are fine. If not, ship 'em in plastic containers. Honestly, it sounds like this person is kinda a jerk, take your business elsewhere, review that other po on the online survey possitively, and mention you go there for their superior service. I wonder if said jerk got a memo about knowing his job...

[Moontanman]

What is the reg? It's my understanding the liquids need to be contained in the box,not by the box, and plastic bags are fine. If not, ship 'em in plastic containers. Honestly, it sounds like this person is kinda a jerk, take your business elsewhere, review that other po on the online survey possitively, and mention you go there for their superior service. I wonder if said jerk got a memo about knowing his job...

 Regulation 526.7 is the one they are using. 

 

#1 Fish must be held in a securely sealed primary receptacle

#2 Primary receptacle must be cushioned with sufficient absorbent material to take all liquid in case of leakage.

#3 Primary receptacle and absorbent cushioning must be sealed within water proof outer shipping packaging. 

 

And provision 522.1, and 522.2...

[gerald]

Sounds like they may have had a water-related disaster at that P.O, or at your local sorting center.  There are certainly some bad fish-packers around.

[mattknepley]

Broham is sounding more and more like a tool. Hate to say it. I need to look at those other regs you cited, but unless they reinforce/further identify specs for shipping containers, the guy doesn't have a leg to stand on.

Observe; part 1. A rubber band securely seals a plastic bag. aka primary receptacle.

Part 2, a bunch of paper towels or other such inexpensive packing material will suffice. I believe home stores sell absorbent material, and even kitty litter/puke absorber would work. If you're shipping flat rate, then costs can be managed. I like to put a disposable aluminum foil tray in the bottom of the box; if the PO is doing its job and handling live animals with care, the tray stays on the bottom and collects water in the unlikely event of a bag breaking.

Part 3,this is his strongest argument, and it's fairly weak. True, the waterproof part might be a little tricky, but not necessarily. Might have think outside the priority box on this, but hit up a catalog/website like U Line. https://www.uline.com/Cls_shippingProbably something there; you can't be the only person to ever have to ship liquids. You don't have to use a priority box to ship priority. And observe, there is no 70 lb crush rating in what you have posted.

It is possible that the additional stuff they quoted may beef up his case. I'll check into them later.

At this point though, I suspect you're mud-wrastlin' a pig. You're both gonna get dirty, but the pig likes it. Let him have his shallow victory, ship at a different PO, and have some peace. Now if the other POs start singing the same tune, it's time to get fighting again.

[lilyea]

...

At this point though, I suspect you're mud-wrastlin' a pig. You're both gonna get dirty, but the pig likes it.

...

 

 

Now there is a quality "ninety-six" life lesson!  Any better Matt and it would top your signature block!

[Moontanman]

Broham is sounding more and more like a tool. Hate to say it. I need to look at those other regs you cited, but unless they reinforce/further identify specs for shipping containers, the guy doesn't have a leg to stand on.

Observe; part 1. A rubber band securely seals a plastic bag. aka primary receptacle.

Part 2, a bunch of paper towels or other such inexpensive packing material will suffice. I believe home stores sell absorbent material, and even kitty litter/puke absorber would work. If you're shipping flat rate, then costs can be managed. I like to put a disposable aluminum foil tray in the bottom of the box; if the PO is doing its job and handling live animals with care, the tray stays on the bottom and collects water in the unlikely event of a bag breaking.

Part 3,this is his strongest argument, and it's fairly weak. True, the waterproof part might be a little tricky, but not necessarily. Might have think outside the priority box on this, but hit up a catalog/website like U Line. https://www.uline.com/Cls_shippingProbably something there; you can't be the only person to ever have to ship liquids. You don't have to use a priority box to ship priority. And observe, there is no 70 lb crush rating in what you have posted.

It is possible that the additional stuff they quoted may beef up his case. I'll check into them later.

At this point though, I suspect you're mud-wrastlin' a pig. You're both gonna get dirty, but the pig likes it. Let him have his shallow victory, ship at a different PO, and have some peace. Now if the other POs start singing the same tune, it's time to get fighting again.

 

Thanks Matt, I think I will try a styrofoam box next time and see what happens. I have one good one but I don't know of any "cheap" places to get small free styrofoam containers. I used to live beside a guy who was always getting steaks in the mail in styrofoam and he let me have his but that was many years ago.. 

[littlen]

Any LFS, including the chains, SHOULD have a surplus of them and be happy to give a few away. They might be a little big if you're only sending a couple small bags out as they get in large quantities weekly. But worth a shot!

[MtFallsTodd]

Your local hospital or pharmacy might be able to hook you up. Lots of meds come in refrigerated. I have an organ transport box that is perfect for a six pack and is a real conversation starter at parties!!!

[littlen]

Your local hospital or pharmacy might be able to hook you up. Lots of meds come in refrigerated. I have an organ transport box that is perfect for a six pack and is a real conversation starter at parties!!!

Hahaha.  Awesome.  

[Moontanman]

I never thought about the pharmacy for small boxes thanks guys! 

[gerald]

https://groups.freec...tonNC/posts/all

 

Try posting a "Styrofoam Shipping Boxes Wanted" post on here.  Hospitals and medical labs (both human and veterinary), university and government research labs, etc get loads of small thick-wall styros, usually with a sturdy outer cardboard box.