eBay

msau4301 · ‎03-25-2023

I have shipped several times to Puerto Rico in the past and was able to use Tracked Package USA with tracking. My understanding was Puerto Rico is a territory of the US (though not sure exactly what that means?!), but do know tracking still worked and I never had a problem before.

I just had a buyer (who has purchased from me before) saying she is trying to bid but it is saying I don't ship to Puerto Rico. I am currently set up for Canada and the US only. Does anyone know if something has changed recently? Thanks to anyone who can help shed some light for me.

reallynicestamps · ‎03-27-2023

@lotzofuniquegoodies -- Technically Lake Superior is a freshwater sea. I saw it on the interwebs so it must be true.

marnotom! · ‎03-27-2023

@doc_scribe wrote:
But even out here in TROC we have a similar headscratcher over the use of United Kingdom (UK) vs. Great Britain (GB). I have no idea what the distinction might be in terms of postal rates or delivery. Some counter staff have suggested that in practice they're interchangeable...which is only true I guess until the day they're not.

There is actually a geographical difference between "Great Britain" and "The United Kingdom" but I don't know if it would affect mail delivery unless the destination is Northern Ireland:

https://www.britannica.com/story/whats-the-difference-between-great-britain-and-the-united-kingdom

@doc_scribe wrote:

Wasn't avoiding this kind of confusion the entire point of Country Codes?

You mean those codes that make people wonder if someone is referring to Canada or California? 😁

Back to @38e_avenue's post, I'm surprised that the "CP computer" functions only in French. Is this a postal outlet you're referring to as opposed to a Canada Post corporative location? Where I am in BC, I often see in post offices signs to the effect that they're able to serve customers in both official languages, so that would mean that the computer system would have to function in French as well as English, non?

38e_avenue · ‎03-27-2023

@marnotom! wrote:
Back to @38e_avenue's post, I'm surprised that the "CP computer" functions only in French. Is this a postal outlet you're referring to as opposed to a Canada Post corporative location? Where I am in BC, I often see in post offices signs to the effect that they're able to serve customers in both official languages, so that would mean that the computer system would have to function in French as well as English, non?

In theory - yes. But believe me - many workers at our CP office do not speak English AT ALL. 😃

On their terminal, they have a list to choose the country from. If it's set up for French, the UK will not appear at all. Officially, in my neighborhood only 2% of people speak English, so why someone would set up the terminal language to "English"..? 😃

38e_avenue · ‎03-27-2023

@marnotom! wrote:
Back to @38e_avenue's post, I'm surprised that the "CP computer" functions only in French.

Nothing surprising here. If you start a system (any system), you need to choose the language. It's like your Windows - if you set up it in English during the installation, it will not understand any command in French. A command "delete" doesn't exist in the French version, so you need to write "effacer". The same rule applies to CP terminals. So yes, they definitely can function in English, but nobody here is choosing that language, maybe except of West Island, where the majority of people speak English.

38e_avenue · ‎03-27-2023

@doc_scribe wrote:
To be polite...that is...uhm..."absurd". 🤐

Nothing absurd here, just another language. Even today, 2 hours ago it happened again! Shipped a parcel to Chechia - "not found", Czech Republic - "not found", so I finally suggested "Tchéquie" - BINGO!!!! 😆

I suggest you do a little experiment with your next shipment to US: replace "US" with "États-Unis" - and watch the clerk's reaction 😆

doc_scribe · ‎03-27-2023

You mean, "CZ" didn't work? For anyone working in the postal system, regardless of province or primary language, I would expect all of those ISO country codes be the first thing committed to memory. I mean, from a business standpoint, clarity in terms of postal "destination" should be at or near the top of any agent's list.

Nevertheless, I stand corrected...this is...uhm..."absurde!" 🤗

msau4301 · ‎03-27-2023

Interesting stuff! Hadn't thought about that but makes sense!

Makes me think of my days collecting stamps as a kid and realizing countries had different names than the ones we used at school (like finding out Deutschland was Germany and so on! I know, but I was only like nine!). We tend to live in our own little bubbles and sometimes forget about the massive and complex world out there!

As a follow up to my original post, my buyer from Puerto Rico was able to bid/buy my items, I easily sent combined invoice which shows US on the address and shipping with Tracked Package USA. I'm waiting for payment so haven't printed the label itself yet but I will double check before I click (as warned!) but so far all is looking good!

doc_scribe · ‎03-27-2023

@msau4301 wrote:
Interesting stuff! Hadn't thought about that but makes sense!
Makes me think of my days collecting stamps as a kid and realizing countries had different names than the ones we used at school (like finding out Deutschland was Germany and so on! I know, but I was only like nine!).

...so discovering that DE is the country code for 'Germany' didn't throw you, did it? For me it was CH for 'Switzerland', having a cousin who spent some time in 'Confœderatio Helvetica'.

In retrospect, appreciating the value of Stamp & Coin collecting as a youth seems much like those Typing classes I was forced to take in grade school...never imagining at the time...for any possible good reason...the slightest chance of recurring use in the future... 🤔