Shipping Kiosk at USPS

I actually have a couple of those. :blush:

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This is what I don’t get: if the scan doesn’t constitute proof of anything, what is the point of scanning at the kiosk?

Besides what @aerides said about it being a step up for sellers, I think we (or at least me :smile:) sometimes forget that the post office doesn’t exist just for online sellers. There are real people that use it too, who may simply want that scan as reassurance in case Jimmy’s package of Christmas cookies goes missing and the postal person asks them - do you have proof that you shipped it?

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I’m sure you were asking a rhetorical question but saves loads of time if you’re standing in line for counter scans because in AZ, unless one is in Phoenix, rarely a line for the kiosk.

Our prepaids window is always overflowing and can’t countenance throwing our well-packaged orders on top of someone else’s grubby looking parcels. I know-makes no sense, since they’re only going to be thrown together w/ worse-but I’m OCD!! Plus seen the guy who empties that window, dependent on volume, either scan them in or throw straight into the canvas bin. So, the kiosk probably has a higher percentage of being scanned in!!

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Our prepaids window is always overflowing and can’t countenance throwing our well-packaged orders on top of someone else’s grubby looking parcels.

Have you ever asked your staff if you could drop them off at the back dock yourself? Our post offices here all prefer that, but they don’t all volunteer it as an option. Sometimes, you have to ask. I’ve been doing pickups since COVID, but before that, always just dropped the tubs on the dock with the scan sheets inside.

The local dock worker only scanned scan sheets, not individual packages (as instructed by his boss), but I never had any problems with it. I liked your explanation of trusting the Kiosk drop-off to have your packages scanned - very well said. I did similar, dropping off on the dock - knew they wouldn’t be scanned individually at the local PO, but after realizing it didn’t cause problems, eventually learned to trust it. It was never a problem with Amazon, and I never lost any INR’s or A to Z’s because of it either.

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While I think this is a good idea, it is so dependent on the local office.

So in our office with our last postmaster, who sadly left, they wanted to scan every single item. He made it mandatory, told me he was goaled on volume through the facility.

We went every night to the “Dutch Door” and rang the bell. The greeted us by name and to our (their) bins. Gave us our new ones and, “See you tomorrow!”

Then… Someone cut into the containers outside the building, that we commercial people never use.

They removed the containers, bolts and all right off the sidewalk.

The Dutch Door now had a sign on it, “Due to security reasons we will no longer open this door.”

I used to arrive at just before 5pm, so I could put the shades down and they locked the door behind me.

No longer. Sad, so sad. I used to claim I was looking for a job, though in jest, it’s not a bad gig if you can get it when you are young.

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Yes, for sure. Your post office sounds very different than the ones I use. My DCU looks just like this -

Pull in, set the tubs of mail on the dock, and back out (and don’t hit the yellow pole :laughing:).

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I too was allowed access to the back until a husband went berserk when his wife got fired.

Then I got told to go to the dock and ring the bell. A temp supervisor chewed me out and said use the front door.

So I did and basically laid on tbe bell.

About a week later a long time clerk from the front window said just skip the line and give them to me. Now all three of them let me do that. I only wait on line when I need more tubs.

They understand to scan them and si far so good. I want do that in Montgomery. No sireee.

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There are wonderful USPS employees at the Thornydale P.O.in Tucson!! Helps they all like my husband whom they see nearly every workday.

If he happens to be in line, asked by employees to assist those who’ve been flummoxed by the kiosk or locate a form in front of the counter so they don’t have to leave the counter Now he’s retired, suggested he ought to volunteer there but he just shakes his head!! Doubts they would accept him on an unpaid basis due to the USPS union which might see his presence as usurping someone’s job. .

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A post was split to a new topic: Self-scan kiosks at UPS or FedEx?