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...The parking lot of the new main post office, which opened in April at 2277 Martha Berry Highway, has three times more parking spaces than the old location downtown.
That will be a nice perk this holiday season, said Customer Service Supervisor Bobbie Jordan, as Romans start shipping holiday mail and packages.
At least you’ll have a place to put your car while you stand in line.
But the lines, in fact, will be out the door as usual beginning Saturday, Jordan predicted, making the next couple of days the ideal time to finish your shipping if you want to avoid the crowds.
“It never fails, the last two weeks before Christmas are always our busiest,” Jordan said, adding that Monday is expected to be the busiest day of the yea
Brooke Clark, seen through bubble wrap, packs a box Monday for shipment at the UPS store at Central Plaza. “Next week will be really busy,” said owner Carol Sawhill. Ryan Smith / RN-T |
r at the post office.
Making use of the post office before Monday is also critical if you want some assurance your packages will arrive before Christmas Day without paying higher rates for faster or guaranteed service.
Saturday is the last day you can send a package by domestic regular post if you expect it to be there by Christmas, and Dec. 20 is the last day for letters and cards.
After Saturday, you’ll pay a premium for either Priority or Express Mail.
But even with Priority Mail, which starts at $4.60 for one ounce and delivers packages in two to three days with Dec. 20 as the cutoff, you might be wise to allow a little breathing room.
According to the U.S. Postal Service Web site, the average mail volume during the holidays increases to 1 billion pieces of mail a day, which Jordan cautioned can definitely add extra travel time for priority-class packages.
Overnight Express Mail, which starts at $16.25 for as much as 7 ounces, must be sent by Dec. 22 for guaranteed next-day delivery as the postal service will not guarantee delivery on Christmas Eve. There is no delivery on Christmas Day.
Don’t bet on private carrier UPS for Christmas Day delivery either, said local UPS Store Manager Misty Puckett.
Puckett said that stragglers always come in on Christmas Eve expecting UPS to do what the federal postal service can’t.
But by then it’s always too late.
“We close at 1 p.m. on Christmas Eve,” Puckett said, “and we’ll mostly just be wrapping gifts for customers.”
Click here for the USPS Holiday shipping calendar.
SHIPPING TIPS
Don’t procrastinate. If you wait too late to send your gifts and packages, you may find yourself spending much more money on expedited service.
Choose the right box. If you need to ship gifts yourself, be sure to package them in strong, corrugated cardboard boxes. Check the bottom of the box for a weight limit. U.S. Postal Service, UPS, DHL and FedEx have boxes available, some of which are free.
Use the right packing materials. Invest in some packing peanuts and bubble wrap, especially if you’re sending anything fragile. For breakables, it might be better to let a professional shipping company pack it for you.
Ship perishables carefully. Send baked goods, meats, cheeses and fruits on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, ideally via next-day delivery. If you send them on a Thursday or Friday, make sure the foods can handle extremely hot or cold temperatures for as many as four days. This may require the use of frozen gel packs.
Take out batteries. Remove batteries from toys and electronics. Wrap and place them next to the toys inside the box.
Learn how to send high-dollar items. Ship expensive jewelry and other valuables via next-day delivery in a box no smaller than 7-by-4-by-2 inches. Look into insuring the item through your insurance company, since most shipping companies put limits on claim amounts. Don’t attach anything to the outside of the box that would reveal the item’s value.
Shop around. To get a sense of how much it will cost to send a package somewhere, call these numbers and use the automated rate services: U.S. Postal Service, (800) ASK-USPS (275-8777); FedEx, (800) GO-FEDEX (463-3339); UPS, (800) PICK-UPS (742-5877); DHL, (800) CALL-DHL (225-5345). You’ll need ZIP codes, the weight of the package and the gift’s basic shape.
