# New USPS click-n-ship



## Dale Allen (Feb 9, 2014)

Anyone else have problems with the flat rate label creating website?
I use firefox and the page obviously looked different than before.
It has been a while since I have shipped anything.
I messed with it for over an hour, trying different PCs with different OS and also IE8.  Could not get it to list the flat rate boxes.
I finally noticed that the declared value field had an asterisk in it so I entered a value and the box selections appeared.
Who designs these pages anyway.....nerds?  dumb geeks!


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## walshjp17 (Feb 9, 2014)

Lowest bidders


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## Fireengines (Feb 9, 2014)

I had the same problem. Now I know what the problem, I can live with it.


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## thewishman (Feb 9, 2014)

I want to know why the check boxes have to be* virtually INVISIBLE!!!!!!!*

It's not like real estate on the web site is expensive - make the boxes easier to see!

(Rant over)


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## SDB777 (Feb 9, 2014)

Website was probably created by the same people that made the one of that 'Care' healthy thing.....just saying, more then likely was done by someone in India.  Nothing like giving all that information to someone in a foreign country.



Scott (had a problem too) B


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## Dale Allen (Feb 9, 2014)

Well, they are 'supposedly' loosing money hand-over-fist!
Not that I believe that mind you.

My advise to them would be to stop paying high salaries to a$$-wipe managers who don't do anything of value and much money would be saved.   Just sayin!!:biggrin:


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## Toni (Feb 9, 2014)

I had some problems as well.  Hopefully I figured it out and got the postage right.  There wasnt a page where you can choose the box you want which pissed me off.  I dont like the new set-up.


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## alphageek (Feb 9, 2014)

They tried to make the whole new page "interactive".. Lots of javascript, loading pieces when they are 'ready'... Like not choosing the box type until the address, etc is verified.

However, their workflow on the page is AWEFUL.  It isn't top/down nor is it obvious which piece is not causing the button to show up.   It would be much better to show the button then tell the users what they did wrong.   

In addition it went from a pretty easy form to a bunch of active data which means any cart systems that want to pre-fill the data have to work much harder.   I'm following a couple of other threads on the web that are complaining about the changes too.   

It will be interesting to see if they change again or if everyone just "has to adapt".


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## bruce119 (Feb 9, 2014)

I just stumbled through it myself  took me about an hour to figure it out. I was using chrome used to use I.E. but couldn't get that to work at all...I hate when they change something that works :bulgy-eyes:

.


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## Brooks803 (Feb 9, 2014)

I had tons of issues to. I've gotten the hang of it now. First thing is I had to load every address in my address book and then select from that. Then click on flat rate and declare a value (I put in $50 unless my customer is paying the extra). Then you should be able to click on "get prices" and the list of box sizes will come up. It's a real PITA!

Don't forget to click on the box accepting the insurance!

For what it's worth, I just used the site to print out a half dozen labels. Used the steps I gave and all went well.


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## LeeR (Feb 9, 2014)

Dale Allen said:


> Who designs these pages anyway.....nerds?  dumb geeks!



Maybe the same ones that did healthcare.gov?

By the way, the feds issued more contracts to that company ...


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## TimS124 (Feb 9, 2014)

I'm betting they were designed by a committee…  :biggrin:


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## Smitty37 (Feb 9, 2014)

Dale Allen said:


> Anyone else have problems with the flat rate label creating website?
> I use firefox and the page obviously looked different than before.
> It has been a while since I have shipped anything.
> I messed with it for over an hour, trying different PCs with different OS and also IE8. Could not get it to list the flat rate boxes.
> ...


Flat rate box now includes $50.00 insurance which is why they want the value.


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## Smitty37 (Feb 9, 2014)

I use Endicia and it is much easier and you can integrate it with a lot of address books. I don't personally do that but it isn't hard.  Stamps.com would probably also work.

I got a label printer too, well worth it for an average of even 1 package per day.


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## cal91666 (Feb 9, 2014)

Dale Allen said:


> Well, they are 'supposedly' loosing money hand-over-fist!
> Not that I believe that mind you.
> 
> My advise to them would be to stop paying high salaries to a$$-wipe managers who don't do anything of value and much money would be saved.   Just sayin!!:biggrin:



If you have ever been to a Dist. Center you would immediately realize why and how.  When they have 3-5 people per tour (shift) to do a specific job and the labor is union but the management is not so no one is held accountable to do a job so a vendor (me) gets called in.  This is just 1 specific aspect (material handling equipment) of the operation so imagine it happening in every aspect at every dist. center.  Yep .......... losing money!!


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## Dale Allen (Feb 10, 2014)

So, if a flat rate box is automatically insured for $50 and the value of the package is less than that, why require the entry of the value field.
I still contend that it is a poorly designed page and functions badly.


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## alphageek (Feb 10, 2014)

Dale Allen said:


> So, if a flat rate box is automatically insured for $50 and the value of the package is less than that, why require the entry of the value field.
> I still contend that it is a poorly designed page and functions badly.



NO arguments there.... I have been working in IT on applications for over 20 years now and I think that whoever wrote this release was focused way to much on the "rules" and the "auto-updating" pieces and never even began to think about how a normal person would be trying to use it day to day.


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## Smitty37 (Feb 10, 2014)

Because Insurance does not pay more than the actual vaue. The insurance is "Up to $50.00" hence to have a record for insurance they need an actual value. I was not addressing the design of the page, just the reason they asks actual value of the shipment. I don't use the web page so I'd have no comment. Other things on the site don't thrill me though.





Dale Allen said:


> So, if a flat rate box is automatically insured for $50 and the value of the package is less than that, why require the entry of the value field.
> I still contend that it is a poorly designed page and functions badly.


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## MesquiteMan (Feb 10, 2014)

Smitty37 said:


> Because Insurance does not pay.



There, I fixed it for you!  In my opinion, as someone who spends a LOT of money on shipping, paying anything at all for USPS insurance is an absolute waste of your money.  Try getting them to actually pay a claim.  My experience with trying to get a claim paid has been 0 for 3 now.  I stopped paying for the insurance a year ago, even though some of my packages have a quite high value.

The worst example...I had a package with 5 gallons of Cactus Juice shipped to Canada go MIA.  I followed all the proper protocols, let them do all the research, and finally had them tell me it was lost and that I could file an insurance claim as I had it fully insured.  I asked where to fill out the forms and they told me they had to mail them to me.  I requested them and then waited.

I waited two weeks and did not see the forms so I called back.  They claimed they had mailed them so I gave them the benefit of the doubt since it could have been tossed as junk mail and asked from them again.  Two weeks later, I called and said I did not get them again.  Same song and dance.  This went on 3 or 4 times, never receiving the form.  I finally gave up.  They got my insurance money AND I had to eat the cost of the lost Juice and postage.  That was a $500 +/- lesson learned and I have never paid for insurance since then.


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## Smitty37 (Feb 10, 2014)

Curtis, I learned long ago that if you are going to insure packages - DO NOT EVER use postal insurance. Always go to a third party insurer.  I don't insure often because losses are so rare with tracking but when I do it is with a third party insurer.

There is a company called U-PIC www.u-pic.com  that charges less than USPS and my experience is that they do Pay for losses. If you do a lot of shipping insured check them out, even if you only insure a little now and then check them out.  They underwrite the insurance I use and the rates are considerably lower than USPS.




MesquiteMan said:


> Smitty37 said:
> 
> 
> > Because Insurance does not pay.
> ...


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## MesquiteMan (Feb 10, 2014)

THANK YOU for the info, Smitty!  I did not know anything like that existed.  Will they insure international?  I ship all domestic via UPS since their tracking is far superior, their insurance actually pays, and my negotiated rates are better than USPS but I still use USPS for international.


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## MesquiteMan (Feb 10, 2014)

I went an looked...they do offer international insurance.


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## Smitty37 (Feb 11, 2014)

MesquiteMan said:


> I went an looked...they do offer international insurance.


 You got the answer before I saw the question....but almost all of the insuring I do is international.  However, they will not cover all countries (probably because some "lose" so many packages.


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## kovalcik (Feb 11, 2014)

On a related note, what size labels do I need to print a shipping label using the click n' ship web page?  For some reason I cannot find anything on the usps site that tells me.


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## bruce119 (Feb 11, 2014)

kovalcik said:


> On a related note, what size labels do I need to print a shipping label using the click n' ship web page?  For some reason I cannot find anything on the usps site that tells me.



Heck you can use just a plain piece of paper and tape it on with clear packing tape...


.


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## gimpy (Feb 11, 2014)

Just used it last night, no issues


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## kovalcik (Feb 11, 2014)

bruce119 said:


> kovalcik said:
> 
> 
> > On a related note, what size labels do I need to print a shipping label using the click n' ship web page?  For some reason I cannot find anything on the usps site that tells me.
> ...


 
Yeah, thats what I usually end up doing, but if there were a standard Avery label that worked it would make things simpler.


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## healeydays (Feb 11, 2014)

Worst case set your printer as a PDF file and then open that file and print it.


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## The Penguin (Feb 11, 2014)

tried to create a shipping label his morning.

failed.

guess I'll use FedUP this time.


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## walshjp17 (Feb 11, 2014)

The first time I used the new site, I, too, had some problems until I notices the insurance field was required.

On a brighter note, up until this change, I could not print a label using Firefox or Chrome.  I had to use Safari to print.  No longer have to do that.


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## bruce119 (Feb 11, 2014)

kovalcik said:


> bruce119 said:
> 
> 
> > kovalcik said:
> ...



There is Avery 5126 *HERE* I can get it at Staples or Office Depot 


.


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## Smitty37 (Feb 11, 2014)

bruce119 said:


> kovalcik said:
> 
> 
> > bruce119 said:
> ...


It does add 22+ cents to your shipping cost though.  That's assuming no misprints.


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## BSea (Feb 11, 2014)

walshjp17 said:


> The first time I used the new site, I, too, had some problems until I notices the insurance field was required.
> 
> On a brighter note, up until this change, I could not print a label using Firefox or Chrome.  I had to use Safari to print.  No longer have to do that.


I had that printing problem too in Firefox.  So I just save every label as a pdf.  then open & print it.  After I know it's delivered, I delete the pdf.  I'm so used to this method, I haven't even try to print it directly since the update.  

Oh, and I also had the problem with the amount field needing an entry till I figured it out.  It can be a real PITA using the site.  Also, I can't understand the logic of only tracking 11 scans.  What if it takes 15 scans to get where it's going?  Granted in most cases 11 scans is enough, but still . . . . .


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## Fireengines (Feb 13, 2014)

I live in Dallas and here is the USPS tracking for a package I have coming from LA.  I have not idea how it ended up in Wilmington, DE where they called out the National Guard because to winter weather!


February 13, 2014 															 															 														
  


Depart USPS Sort Facility   															 														


WILMINGTON, DE 19850  														
 													 												 	 												 													 														 															 																February 12, 2014 																, 																11:34 pm 															
 														 														 															 																 Processed through USPS Sort Facility  															
 														 														 															 																WILMINGTON, DE 19850  															
 														 													 												 													 														 															 																February 10, 2014 																 																 															
 														 														 															 																 Depart USPS Sort Facility  															
 														 														 															 																LOS ANGELES, CA 90009  															
 														 													 												 													 														 															 																February 10, 2014 																, 																10:22 pm 															
 														 														 															 																 Processed through USPS Sort Facility  															
 														 														 															 																LOS ANGELES, CA 90009  															
 														 													 												 													 														 															 																February 10, 2014 																, 																6:29 pm 															
 														 														 															 																 Dispatched to Sort Facility  															
 														 														 															 																SAN PEDRO, CA 90731  															
 														 													 												 													 														 															 																February 10, 2014 																, 																4:56 pm 															
 														 														 															 																 Acceptance  															
 														 														 															 																SAN PEDRO, CA 90731  															
 														 													 												 													 														 															 																February 9, 2014 																 																 															
 														 														 															 																 Electronic Shipping Info Received


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## bruce119 (Feb 13, 2014)

Are you sure they got the rite address.....

I'd be worried the shipper got the address wrong or maybe the wrong zip code...


May be time to give the shipper a call and double check the address...


.


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## Smitty37 (Feb 13, 2014)

Lots of things could have happened.  Rerouted airplane because of closed airports etc.  Wilmington isn't as bad as they made it sound on TV the NG was called out even before the storm hit.


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## Fireengines (Feb 13, 2014)

Correct address, I made the label out myself and emailed it to the shipper.


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## teamtexas (Feb 14, 2014)

I was having issues with the USPS site also so I emailed them. This is the response I got.
Dear Dan,

Thank you for contacting the USPS Internet Customer Care Center. I do understand this is frustrating, the technical team is working hard to get this resolved. I am very sorry but at this time, we are experiencing issues with creating/printing labels. We do not have a timeframe, in which this will be resolved. We are working hard at resolving this issue. We ask that you try back later or mail from your local Post Office. 

At this time we have no ETA on when it will be running properly. I do have a few tips that might help.

1.If you use I.E., It's not working

2. Change browser

3. Clear cookies and Cache 

4. Always put a Value in the value Field

If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact us again.

Thank you for emailing your Postal Service,

Kendra S
USPS Internet Customer Care Center

The same day I got this response, one of my customers emailed pictures of a damaged shipment I sent via USPS Priority service. Four out of 5 items sent were lost due to a damaged package. I filed a claim for the package, but I'm sure it will turn out to be a waist of time. :at-wits-end:

Dan


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