Non-Machinable Stamp

[King44]

I received a card today in a PWE with a "Non-Machinable Surcharge" stamp. I was unaware of these, but the concept is interesting for low-end cards especially with first class rates continuing to rise over the years. It appears to be 71 cents and as I understand it they don't go through the machines as normal PWE do. Has anyone used these?

[shrevecity]

Originally Posted by King44

I received a card today in a PWE with a "Non-Machinable Surcharge" stamp. I was unaware of these, but the concept is interesting for low-end cards especially with first class rates continuing to rise over the years. It appears to be 71 cents and as I understand it they don't go through the machines as normal PWE do. Has anyone used these?

They are not suppoused to, but I have seen many that do get sent through machines. To the point I no longer ship non-machinable on single PWE cards and have not had one reported damaged in the past 500 or so. Only one PWE lost for 2 cards and it came back to me clearly ran through the machines despite stating Non-Machinable and 71 cent postage paid.

After the increase those actually went down to 70 cents though.

[3124508 on COMC]

Originally Posted by King44

I received a card today in a PWE with a "Non-Machinable Surcharge" stamp. I was unaware of these, but the concept is interesting for low-end cards especially with first class rates continuing to rise over the years. It appears to be 71 cents and as I understand it they don't go through the machines as normal PWE do. Has anyone used these?

Is there a long, thin barcode at the bottom of either side of the envelope?

[shrevecity]

Originally Posted by 3124508 on comc

is there a long, thin barcode at the bottom of either side of the envelope?

Any marks like these on the envelope?
Attachment 446550

Attachment 446551

[King44]

Originally Posted by shrevecity

Any marks like these on the envelope?
Attachment 446550

Attachment 446551

Mine came with them on both sides.

[JeffG1954]

Yup, I use the butterfly non-machineable stamp. They went down in the last postage increase from $.71 to $.70.

Even with the non-machineable stamp they are usually put thru the machine. I am not willing to take the chance of my customers getting a postage due notice or the envelope being returned to me. For me the $.15 extra cost over a regular forever stamp is worth it to know that I at least tried to do it the right way.

[3124508 on COMC]

Originally Posted by King44

Mine came with them on both sides.

That means it was actually machined, as all PWEs are.

[shrevecity]

Originally Posted by King44

Mine came with them on both sides.

Those are from machines. You are paying for a service they do not provide.

[King44]

Originally Posted by 3124508 on COMC

That means it was actually machined, as all PWEs are.

Originally Posted by shrevecity

Those are from machines. You are paying for a service they do not provide.

That seems silly. I wonder if putting them in a different type of envelope would help. The square type, like invitations come in. They may go so quickly once they see those simple rectangular envelopes and throw them in the regular batch. Oh well, I’ve never sent “non machined”, and really only sent pwe a handful of times. Just curious really.

[shrevecity]

Originally Posted by King44

That seems silly. I wonder if putting them in a different type of envelope would help. The square type, like invitations come in. They may go so quickly once they see those simple rectangular envelopes and throw them in the regular batch. Oh well, I’ve never sent “non machined”, and really only sent pwe a handful of times. Just curious really.

It won't matter, letters are generally sorted into the same bins regardless of what is written on them. I have seen clerks drop packages marked fragile and laugh.

I have sent hundreds of PWE cards on Ebay with no more issues than any other shipping method has.

[coachnip13]

Maybe the problem is that people are just assuming that the non-machinable stamp will get it sent to the right bin. I take my non-machinables to the counter and they cancel the stamp by hand. I would be really surprised if the USPS guys I've been dealing with for years are watching me spend 70 cents while knowing that the envelope is going through the machine anyway.

[3124508 on COMC]

Originally Posted by coachnip13

Maybe the problem is that people are just assuming that the non-machinable stamp will get it sent to the right bin. I take my non-machinables to the counter and they cancel the stamp by hand. I would be really surprised if the USPS guys I've been dealing with for years are watching me spend 70 cents while knowing that the envelope is going through the machine anyway.

It’s not just sent though the machine at your local post office. How do you think they sort regular mail at the Regional Sort Centers?

[shrevecity]

Originally Posted by coachnip13

Maybe the problem is that people are just assuming that the non-machinable stamp will get it sent to the right bin. I take my non-machinables to the counter and they cancel the stamp by hand. I would be really surprised if the USPS guys I've been dealing with for years are watching me spend 70 cents while knowing that the envelope is going through the machine anyway.

It may not be where you are, but once it gets into the system it is free game. I have come to believe its just another USPS money grab. Those marks on the envelope are not cancellations they are a means for the USPS machines to route the mail correctly.

[coachnip13]

Originally Posted by 3124508 on COMC

It’s not just sent though the machine at your local post office. How do you think they sort regular mail at the Regional Sort Centers?

I know the USPS isn't the most well-run organization on the planet, but I don't know if I buy that they are committing fraud when they tell me that my rigid envelope needs a non-machinable stamp if they know that the envelope is going to go through machines.

[coachnip13]

Originally Posted by shrevecity

It may not be where you are, but once it gets into the system it is free game. I have come to believe its just another USPS money grab. Those marks on the envelope are not cancellations they are a means for the USPS machines to route the mail correctly.

Obviously there is going to be technology involved, but are there different types of machines at different points in the process?

[shrevecity]

Originally Posted by coachnip13

Obviously there is going to be technology involved, but are there different types of machines at different points in the process?

Non-machinable should mean just that NO MACHINES.. So now you are saying some is OK.. LOL.. According to my friend who used to work in a processing plant there is only ONE machine that does everything, all letters are dumped into a feeder on one end and it comes out in bins on the other end that are being routed to the next destination.

Something like this..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiJjujTznFk

[coachnip13]

Originally Posted by shrevecity

Non-machinable should mean just that NO MACHINES.. So now you are saying some is OK.. LOL..

Where did you see me say that it is okay? I asked a question. Re-read it so it makes sense.

There is a machine that is designed to find and verify the stamp. That wouldn't need to be done at any other point. Perhaps the canceling machine is the one in which thick or rigid envelopes can get stuck or mangled.

[coachnip13]

Originally Posted by shrevecity

According to my friend who used to work in a processing plant there is only ONE machine that does everything, all letters are dumped into a feeder on one end and it comes out in bins on the other end that are being routed to the next destination.

So you're on board with the nationwide fraud being committed by the post office. What about the machine on the other end? Or at the hub?

[Technochocolate]

I recently went to three different locations to buy non-machineable stamps.

Location #1: Told me they don't exist. They tell me I have to bring in the envelope to be mailed myself, and they'll mark it right there and then as non-machineable, and pay then.

Location #2: Told me they don't exist, but if I use an extra ounce stamp plus a regular stamp, it'll be treated as non-machineable. Also told me no need to mark the envelope any other way, the extra ounce stamp would be sufficient.

Location #3: Actually heard of them! They were out, and wanted to sell me two ounce stamps as replacements, and said as long as I marked the envelope as non-machineable, it's good.

If their own damn employees don't know what a non-machineable stamp is, OF COURSE they're not going to handle it right when it enters their system.

[shrevecity]

Originally Posted by Technochocolate

I recently went to three different locations to buy non-machineable stamps.

Location #1: Told me they don't exist. They tell me I have to bring in the envelope to be mailed myself, and they'll mark it right there and then as non-machineable, and pay then.

Location #2: Told me they don't exist, but if I use an extra ounce stamp plus a regular stamp, it'll be treated as non-machineable. Also told me no need to mark the envelope any other way, the extra ounce stamp would be sufficient.

Location #3: Actually heard of them! They were out, and wanted to sell me two ounce stamps as replacements, and said as long as I marked the envelope as non-machineable, it's good.

If their own damn employees don't know what a non-machineable stamp is, OF COURSE they're not going to handle it right when it enters their system.

There is the issue, you can go to 5 Post Offices and get 10 different answers. Ours refuses to scan online postage, saying scanning it in is considered counter service which online does not get. Another one I know of refuses to accept anything that has an incorrect date on it. So if I printed it yesterday and not mail it til today they will not take it.

[shrevecity]

Originally Posted by coachnip13

So you're on board with the nationwide fraud being committed by the post office. What about the machine on the other end? Or at the hub?

No because I no longer pay that extra. Even you stated you were going to run out and buy a lot of stamps before the increase. When actually the increase was a decrease if you are using the non-machinable stamps.

To me its not worth getting upset over.

[coachnip13]

Originally Posted by shrevecity

No because I no longer pay that extra. Even you stated you were going to run out and buy a lot of stamps before the increase. When actually the increase was a decrease if you are using the non-machinable stamps.

That's just an assumption on your part. I bought 400 .50 cent stamps. I waited until after the increase to buy more non-machinables.

[coachnip13]

Originally Posted by shrevecity

To me its not worth getting upset over.

Agreed. You should probably grab some coffee.

[pineknot]

If you pay the higher price for non-machinable stamp and then mark it with gigantic one inch font sized painfully obvious letters on the outside saying "non -machinable" so the sorter doesn't run your non-bendable envelope through the sorter destroying the inflexible contents insidek then what you get for your money and extra effort is an envelope that gets run through the machine anyway and the contents destroyed. I've been sending envelopes to a friend of mine like this and they are getting destroyed or ravaged. I sent him a metal trading card and arrived to him shaped like a banana with a roughly 11 inch diameter curve in it which is the size of the sorting cylinder that machinable mail gets run through. The post office is a friggin nightmare and now lately a political weapon used to stop or enable election fraud.

[shrevecity]

Originally Posted by pineknot

If you pay the higher price for non-machinable stamp and then mark it with gigantic one inch font sized painfully obvious letters on the outside saying "non -machinable" so the sorter doesn't run your non-bendable envelope through the sorter destroying the inflexible contents insidek then what you get for your money and extra effort is an envelope that gets run through the machine anyway and the contents destroyed. I've been sending envelopes to a friend of mine like this and they are getting destroyed or ravaged. I sent him a metal trading card and arrived to him shaped like a banana with a roughly 11 inch diameter curve in it which is the size of the sorting cylinder that machinable mail gets run through. The post office is a friggin nightmare and now lately a political weapon used to stop or enable election fraud.

Should never send a thick card or metal card that has zero flex via pwe even marking non machinable is no guarantee. With the standard envelopes those are only being scanned when they go through the machines