Begin rant.
I was mailing two envelopes (taxes) for my mom, and another one for myself (Verizon Wireless mail-in rebate). I wanted to use Certified Mail, so I’d know that it got there.
In the rare case that I have to go to the post office, I don’t wait in line anymore — I’ll use the Automated Postal Center (APC). The first IRS envelope went through fine (First-Class, Certified Mail). The next one didn’t let me; it just printed the stamp.
Why? Because the machine ran out of Certified Mail cards! The kicker: the machine didn’t tell me that. I thought I’d try sending it Priority Mail, but Certified Mail wasn’t an option there, either. So, I got Priority Mail for the second envelope for nothing.
So, I went from the Arcadia post office to the one in Temple City for my last envelope. I was able to send it First Class, Certified Mail, just perfectly.
My point: The APC interface is simple, but it’d be nice to know if it was out of something. That way, we’re not wasting our money trying various services.
End rant.
