Return to sender??

[griff2311]

Ok so how about this for strange.

I live in Portland OR, and when i mail out cards from here to all you up north they without fail make me use a customs slip. Well when im visiting my parents in Pittsburgh the particular post office never makes me fill out a customs slip. I prefer not to, i dont want any customs agents with sticky fingers knowing whats inside.

Well i mailed out a trade from Pittsburgh to Canada but put my Portland return address not to create any potential confusion between my fellow trader an I. I sent this in the mail about two weeks ago and i just got it back yesterday at my Portland address! No explanation, no nothing. Anybody ever have something like this happen, or know why something like this happened? I'm baffled personally.

[RGM81]

That's very strange indeed. I don't know about the USPS regulations, but Canada Post doesn't make you fill out the customs form if you're sending a photo/documents/other paper products. I never have to fill out the annoying form.

Did your stamp fall off? Maybe they felt it was odd that an item with an Oregon return address was mailed from Pennsylvania?

[Glenn]

Whether you fill out a Customs form depends on how big or how heavy the package is. Bulk cards can be pretty heavy; if it's a set, there will be some size there also. If it qualifies as a "parcel" (as opposed to a "small packet") there will likely be a customs form involved. The small green C-1 form is for small packets, the larger form that requires your name and address is for parcels.

Always fill out your Customs form as "Hobby Supplies" -- that term is generic enough that it will likely deter inspection since hobby materials are routinely duty-free. If you want to declare the item a Gift, that is up to you and will eliminate the need to enter a value (which can usually result in duty).

As far as getting the item back in Portland, I can only assume that it didn't leave the U.S. There are two possible reasons for this:

(1) The postage fell off, so it was sent back to you to put stamps on; or

(2) Canadian customs refused it since it didn't have the declaration on it.

How big was the package?

[Cerialthriller]

i just sent out a couple bubble mailers with cards in them to canada yesterday, they didnt ask me to fill out a green slip but they asked the lady in front of my to, i hope they dont send mine back.

[Drewk86a]

Three possible explanations:

1) If the envelope had a barcode on it when it was returned to you in Portland I would say the USPS automated equipment read your return address as the "TO" address and applied a Portland barcode.

2) If your mailing was a bubble mailer it probably wound up on the Automated Package & Parcel Sorter when the same thing happened. Either the machine's computer program read the wrong address, or a keyer input the wrong address.

3) You package was returned for a non-machinable surcharge if it was too thick or bulky. However, this would usually bear a red "Return for postage" stamp.

[mw83krk]

My local post office always makes me fill out a customs slip whenever I send a bubble mailer to the States. I just asked for a bunch and fill them out at home to save time and line aggravation.

[griff2311]

Well, i thought i did everything up to par as far as postage was concerned. Well really no harm done. Everything was intact when i got it back so its just back in the mail with only some time wasted. Thanks for the reply, appreciated.

[cnshockey]

hmm weird. i got a package back before and it had an explanation on it. i don't see why taping over your stamps is so bad

[Drewk86a]

hmm weird. i got a package back before and it had an explanation on it. i don't see why taping over your stamps is so bad

The USPS frowns on taping over stamps because the cancellation ink can be wiped off many types of tape and an unscrupulous person could try to reuse the same postage. Also, some stamps slip through uncancelled and people try to cut the uncancelled stamps off a used envelope and tape them onto a new envelope.

Domestic Mail Manual Section 604.1.3.d Postage Stamps Invalid for Use: The following are not valid to pay postage for U.S. domestic or U.S.-originated international mail:

d. U.S. stamps that are mutilated or defaced; cut from stamped envelopes,aerogrammes, or stamped cards; covered or coated in such a manner that canceling or defacing marks cannot be printed onto the stamps; or overprinted with an unauthorized design, message, or other marking.

That said, it is usually is OK if you only put tape around the edges. As long as the majority of the stamp is uncovered you should be all right.

[leafsfandan]

I never use customs slips.. and I ship from canada.. never had an issue..