Lost packages

Tim Shettlesworth

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Don;t know if this has been discussed but The post office has lost another of my wood packages, 2 nd time in 2 years. Anyway, I was informed by the post office if a label gets torn off or becomes unreadable then they open the package to see if there is a shipping label. If there is no shipping label then it gets sent to the nearest hub and put in the lost package department Unlikely to ever reach its destination even if you file for the lost package.
The moral of the story is put packing slips in your shipments. I would much rather get my wood than a refund. That's all I have to say about that.
 

Arn213

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Don;t know if this has been discussed but The post office has lost another of my wood packages, 2 nd time in 2 years. Anyway, I was informed by the post office if a label gets torn off or becomes unreadable then they open the package to see if there is a shipping label. If there is no shipping label then it gets sent to the nearest hub and put in the lost package department Unlikely to ever reach its destination even if you file for the lost package.
The moral of the story is put packing slips in your shipments. I would much rather get my wood than a refund. That's all I have to say about that.
Sorry to hear that. I made it a point to never print the shipping label on paper. I use photographic paper as it is thicker, stronger and it cost the same to print a label on regular paper (NYC)- I use an adhesive and secure it to the packaging and then I put tape over the label. I always put 1-2 additional info. inside the package with the ship to and return address. Will include phone number as well. I follow this same rule when I ship internationally- I stick it to the piece and put another label outside of it when bubble wrapped……emails and phone numbers included. Mike will tell you how much he hates opening up packages coming from me…….
 
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Tim Shettlesworth

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Sorry to hear that. I made it a point to never print the shipping label on paper. I use photographic paper as it is thicker, stronger and it cost the same to print a label on regular paper (NYC)- I use an adhesive and secure it to the packaging and then I put tape over the label. I always put 1-2 additional info. inside the package with the ship to and return address. Will include phone number as well. I follow this same rule when I ship internationally- I stick it to the piece and put another label outside of it when bubble wrapped……emails and phone numbers included. Mike will tell you how much he hates opening up packages coming from me…….
Good idea, I think of all the packages I have sent without packing slips. Been lucky but I put them in since the first time it happened to me.
 
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Mike Hill

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Mike will tell you how much he hates opening up packages coming from me…….
Grumble, grumble - but they get here! and in one piece! However, biden & co. might not like all the throwaway though - so I keep it a secret and they don't know!
 
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Arn213

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Grumble, grumble - but they get here! and in one piece! However, biden & co. might not like all the throwaway though!
I have to be better and get more “green” about it. Going to work on that.
 

Mike1950

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I do it a different way. Tape the crap out of them with filament tape. I probably send 50-100 packages a month. 5 are on front porch this AM. Fed ex lost one this year and paid for it. I lost 1 through USPS last. person had moved and new occupant denied it being delivered. I also use real label material. Tough and sticky. As far as being green- there is nothing Green about shipping wood in the mail. JMO
 

Arn213

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I do it a different way. Tape the crap out of them with filament tape. I probably send 50-100 packages a month. 5 are on front porch this AM. Fed ex lost one this year and paid for it. I lost 1 through USPS last. person had moved and new occupant denied it being delivered. I also use real label material. Tough and sticky. As far as being green- there is nothing Green about shipping wood in the mail. JMO
I got packages from you and the filament tape I honestly think it is the best way to secure wood packages. The “green part” is omitting the foam peanut fillers and the plastic bubble wrap. Use newspaper instead as filers as those can be recycled. I use to deal with high end electric guitars and amplifiers- I pack the way I pack as it has to do with that with having someone’s invested arrive to them in one piece. Plus, I don’t know if any of you have dealt with any shipping courier when it comes to lost or damaged claims on high ticketed items- you will lose anytime if you don’t conform to their standards if you don’t provide the proper inches required around the box for say a guitar in the case for proper buffer spacing. There is an easier way to lose a case actually and that is to have a guitar with a neck stock angled break without any damaged visible in the exterior. You will lose anytime and be out $$$$.

I have shipped guitars and wood internationally- you always have to leave a secondary label inside and you do that because customs will open your package at random or they see something funny looking in the x-ray. Ask me how I know. Australia for wood is on my black list to ship as their customs is a pain in the ars$e.
You basically have to ship wood there clear of natural defects. A couple of pin holes will draw a “red flag” and $ 40 quarantine cost to spray for bugs.

This is why I packed the way I pack @Mike Hill and why I leave a “to and from” label inside the package just in case something happens to the exterior label.
 

phinds

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I have sent/ received easily 1,000 packages in the last 15 years or so and have had exactly one that got "lost" and that was to a guy in the Virgin Islands and there was something about his email that made me think it actually got to him and he was conning me, but I didn't have the tracking info so just resent the order.

I did have one that took 28 days to be delivered. It was to New Orleans, sent a few days before Katrina hit.

So ... from my point of view you've had unusually bad luck, BUT ... what's also true is that the P.O. has been going downhill for the last few years, mostly due to political interference from both sides.
 

Mike1950

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I got packages from you and the filament tape I honestly think it is the best way to secure wood packages. The “green part” is omitting the foam peanut fillers and the plastic bubble wrap. Use newspaper instead as filers as those can be recycled. I use to deal with high end electric guitars and amplifiers- I pack the way I pack as it has to do with that with having someone’s invested arrive to them in one piece. Plus, I don’t know if any of you have dealt with any shipping courier when it comes to lost or damaged claims on high ticketed items- you will lose anytime if you don’t conform to their standards if you don’t provide the proper inches required around the box for say a guitar in the case for proper buffer spacing. There is an easier way to lose a case actually and that is to have a guitar with a neck stock angled break without any damaged visible in the exterior. You will lose anytime and be out $$$$.

I have shipped guitars and wood internationally- you always have to leave a secondary label inside and you do that because customs will open your package at random or they see something funny looking in the x-ray. Ask me how I know. Australia for wood is on my black list to ship as their customs is a pain in the ars$e.
You basically have to ship wood there clear of natural defects. A couple of pin holes will draw a “red flag” and $ 40 quarantine cost to spray for bugs.

This is why I packed the way I pack @Mike Hill and why I leave a “to and from” label inside the package just in case something happens to the exterior label.
I put real peanuts in to keep heavy wood from rattling around. Sorry- I am an old guy heathen that could care less about being green. In fact last time I was green, I had way too much Tequila.
 

barry richardson

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Plastic grocery store bags wadded up make good light packing, we seem to accumulate a lot of them. Not green, but at least they are being re-cycled once.... And the price is right......
 

Arn213

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I put real peanuts in to keep heavy wood from rattling around. Sorry- I am an old guy heathen that could care less about being green. In fact last time I was green, I had way too much Tequila.
Can’t win with you elders…….
 

Mike1950

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You know, if they are not the fumigated kind, I'd be happy to get real peanuts as packing. This time of year they would be 100% recycled... I used chestnuts as packing last month.
might work great in USPS- but chestnuts are heavy- They add to cost when shipping fed ex.
 

Arn213

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Marc- I saw the chestnut fillers in your for sale thread. Hmmm……..about perfect time of the season between Thanksgiving and Xmas that I can put a vendor stand on Central Park- sell roasted chestnuts and pretzels to the tourist. I believe back in 2011 the going rate for a dozen chestnut from a vendor in CP was about $ 4. Let me see 2021 inflated prices, issue with chain supplier- they probably go for $ 8 now?
Nah, way too cold for that to stand there for a whole day. Lol.
 
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