I deal with 2 POs.  One just came to our Sr. Ctr where we pack and left a brochure and when I called, they didn't call back.  So, I went to MY local PO and talked to my friendly guy and he said:  It doesn't matter to us which form you use (online or printed).  For APO/FP addresses we can bypass inputting the contents and just scan the top of the form.  But, if we were to send an ordinary pkg to Europe, etc. he would have to input all contents.  

This "problem" originates with the Customs Dept. tho and not the PO.  Whether or not a pkg is returned will ultimately be decided by them.

 Also, forgot to say:  I just put in arbitrary weights and even got the total wrong (on the online form) and it printed the 5 pages and when I got to the PO, it weighed less, but the guy just scanned the top and put it thru.  It's a FLBox and they really don't care how much it weighs.

It is strange isn't it? Its like they can't make up their own minds! They gave me a letter about how to this this and one of my options is to do it online OR wait in line while they type in the info. I'm not sure if she felt overwhelmed my my 3 large boxes and 1 small one or not and maybe she was going to enter the info into the computer later, I'm not sure I didn't want to tempt her so I didn't ask. Also the online form WILL NOT let me turn off the delivery confirmation of the package. And I think and I could be wrong, that means the soldier has to go where the mail comes in and sign for the package. No good, some of these soldiers are out in the middle of no where. I guess I'll just stand in line and wait for the clerk to do it. Not sure what everyone behind me is going to think, ya know since the post office is down sizing and there are fewer people there to help. Gotta love government!

My soldiers have never signed for their packages and they still arrive-unless the Taliban burn them.  The mail gets tranferred from the APO in the US.  All have delivery confirmation.  the delivery confirmation is only good in the US and only tells you if it gets to the APO, as is the insurance...Once in the hands of the MPO all in their hands.

twinsinjuly,

The delivery confirmation is automatic if you use click-n-ship and it doesn't cost anything.  If you check for delivery, it will just give you the date it arrived at the US APO or FPO.  It doesn't inconvenience the troops at all. 

I try to print the postage myself as much as I can, you not only save on postage, but it is traceable to a certain point.  You can't print parcel post at home that does have to go to the post office. It is supposed to be easier to print customs forms at home now, but I haven't tried lately.

 

 

The customs forms are easy to fill out online and print at home.  The down side is they eat up a lot of paper and ink.

Just did a test run for my 1st on-line customs form--because the new "hand filled out" forms are worse!  It seemed to print quickly and not a lot of ink on my HP laser printer*. So maybe the PO assumed that's what everyone has.

*A tip: I carefully highlighted each page and copy/pasted onto a Word document as a bitmap. I was able to get 2 pages of the form on each piece of 8.5 by 11 paper, so used 2 1/2 pages instead of 5.  AND that may be why it was quicker and cheaper to print then the actual USPS web application screen.

 I don't send as many packages as others here; if someone else tries this, let us know if it works better than printing directly from the web application.

That's what my PO said to me when I mailed my last box peachy.  The clerk was relieved that it was being sent to an APO address.  Weird, but then again, I guess good for us.

I sent a package a couple of days ago. The clerk said that APOs don't have to have every item entered individually. He also seemed to imply that I don't have to put each item on it's own individual line...which means I can send a larger variety of items---yay!! He said until they hear differently or have one returned  to continue as I used to do before the new forms were used.

I sent out another box yesterday and the mail clerk screeched, tongue-in-cheek, "Oh no a customs form"!  I said, it's an APO address and she laughed and said that was good because the other way just slows down the whole process.  She also said that she wanted to "meet the genius" that designed this form - it makes it so difficult around the holidays. 

I asked about the online customs forms and if they were easier and she said not really, because they have to key everything in again anyway (I'm assuming for International, not APO addresses).  She was just as flabbergasted as we are.   

 

Karen,

When you filled out the form online, did you check redirect if undeliverable?   I tried to, but it wasn't set up for an APO on the redirect address.

Did you use the one that follows the postage label on click and ship?