How to avoid Chinese registered mail ? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: ez24
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2015, 12:17:40 am
content: HiA few months ago I ordered a bunch of electronic stuff from China via Aliexpress. Most packages were just delivered to my mailbox, but a few came "registered" and if I was home the mailman would knock on my door and have me sign the form. If I was not home he left the form for me to fill out and he would deliver it a few days later.Now I have a new carrier and as far as I know he did not even try to deliver it, he just left the form with instructions I had to go to the "special" annex to pick it up. The annex is over 10 hard miles to get to. The item I ordered is worth about $10 and I refuse to drive there and pick it up. I'd rather lose the $10.A couple of questions- What happens to undelivered Registered Packages? Do those asses get to keep them?- What shipping method did the seller use? I need to find out so next time I don't buy from a dealer that uses a shipping method that comes US Registered.thanks

author: crispy_tofu
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2015, 09:37:10 am
content: Quote from: ez24 on November 21, 2015, 12:17:40 amGreat news!Quote

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2015, 11:59:39 am
content: i dunno about where you live, but in a lot of countries you can sign a form with your local postal/courier company to override the 'signature required' status for all mail to your name+address. You basically just accept all responsibility for it getting stolen from your doorstep.Other times they offer a service where you have a lockable box install at your door where the package can safely be stored if you're not home.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2015, 12:00:39 pm
content: Oddly enough I have the same problem although the post office isn't that far away. For some parcels from China I get a note saying I need to pick it up at the post office. They say it has to do with the way the parcel is send. Perhaps the Chinese got fed up with people claiming their packages didn't arrive so they use registered mail instead.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2015, 12:05:59 pm
content: Anything sent to NZ as regular postalmail which is declared over a set value is held for collection at local post office instead of delivered.Luckily for me the collection place is ~1km away.

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2015, 12:15:08 pm
content: Quote from: ez24 on November 21, 2015, 12:17:40 amThat will be hard - it depends on the sender, if they mail it using a method that requires signature on delivery, then it will come as registered.The sellers are doing it because unregistered mail is often impossible to track and there is no recourse if the package gets lost, stolen or an ass client tries to scam them. So usually anything above a certain value will be sent as registered.You could probably proactively ask the sender to explicitly send without signature but I doubt that many will honor it - it is not really their problem. You are likely better off arranging for having the items delivered elsewhere. For example, it is often possible to have things delivered to your office where the receptionist signs for mail - I do this for anything UPS/DHL/TNT/Fedex to avoid these problems.Anyhow, from what you are describing it is more a problem with your post office not bothering to attempt a delivery than the sender - complain to the post office! What if the next package or letter is not a bunch of cheap stuff from AliExpress but some official paperwork that simply requires signature?

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2015, 06:18:46 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on November 21, 2015, 12:00:39 pmThis. They're doing it specifically so things you order don't get lost.You could find out how long they keep items in storage after they've arrived, and let a few of them collect there before going to pick them up in bulk.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2015, 06:28:45 pm
content: Quote from: ez24 on November 21, 2015, 12:17:40 amDoes the form have a redelivery checkbox?If so, check it.If not, call your local postal supervisor or postmaster and ask to have the package redelivered.(BTW, my carrier just leaves registered mail on the porch, go figure.)

author: CrashO
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 21, 2015, 06:33:42 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on November 21, 2015, 12:00:39 pmThe Dutch situation is different. Since October the Dutch postal service has agreed on a new delivery fee with China post, and in order to save costs decided no longer to deliver registered ChinaPost items to the door, but rather have people pick them up at pickup-counters...Internal PostNL memo from PostNL to their pickup-counters announcing this:

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2015, 06:46:28 pm
content: Quote from: Psi on November 21, 2015, 11:59:39 am+1Just provide a semi secure location that parcels can be left and we have no problem once authorisation has been given to your postie/courier.For high value items it's best to have other arrangements.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2015, 07:11:04 pm
content: Quote from: tautech on November 21, 2015, 06:46:28 pmThe OP lives in the US. The USPS does not provide this option for registered mail. It has to be signed for in the mail carrier's presence.

author: ez24
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2015, 12:33:15 am
content: Quotetrue

author: ivaylo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2015, 07:32:45 am
content: Yeah, I had a mailman like that. I am home and the idiot won't even take the box out of the car and knock on the door. Caught him twice just sticking the prefilled orange form in the mail box. First time didn't know what was going on, second time ran after him, screamed at him and took my box. I am glad I moved from there, but you are always at their whim...

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2015, 12:00:43 am
content: Quote from: ivaylo on November 22, 2015, 07:32:45 amOver here they get paid by the number of actually delivered package. A while ago I got a heavy HP PSU in the mail and the postmen came back to my address again to get rid of that friggin heavy box.

author: Falcon69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2015, 08:32:47 am
content: Make a complaint with the supervisor of that particular mail carrier distribution center. Each neighborhood area has a central location that all mail trucks come out of for local deliveries. If that mail carrier gets enough complaints that he didn't even try to deliver the package for some reason (i.e. lazy a$$ who prefers not to step out of truck), he'll get put on review or get fired.It is their job to make an attempt to try and deliver, in snow or rain even, if not, then a note is left in mailbox for pick-up.I had the same problem, happened 5 times in a row, and each day, I was home.....all day waiting for it. For some reason, a couple weeks after my complaint, I had a new regular mail carrier.