Which consumer happenings cheered you this week and which one made you want to scream or weep?
Here are my best and worst consumer experiences:
My best consumer experience: Getting a free pair of fitovers
Recently, I lost my beautiful, purple, prescription sunglasses.
While it was upsetting, I’d been thinking for some time that I should wear “fitovers,” sunglasses that fit over regular glasses.
Fitovers aren’t attractive, but they offer better protection for the eyes because the sun’s rays can’t get in behind glasses. Consumers need to protect their eyes from ultraviolet rays to prevent eye problems, such as cataracts, later in life.
I was pleased when my sister gave me a pair of fitovers. She had an extra pair.
The photo shows what fitovers look like.
Flickr photo by cobalt123
My worst consumer experience: A ‘secure’ mailbox that isn’t secure for letters I'm mailing
Recently, my neighbor came over and asked if I was interested in getting a new stand for the mailboxes she and I share with another neighbor. She said she was buying a secure mailbox.
I’d been thinking about buying a secure mailbox, so I said yes right away.
My neighbor indicated her handyman would be coming the next week, and, if I purchased a new mailbox, he’d install it when he put hers up. I agreed.
I went to Ace Hardware, Lowe’s, Target, and Home Depot. Only Lowe’s and Home Depot carried secure mailboxes. I didn’t have time to shop further or check the Internet.
I selected a mailbox from Home Depot made by Architectural Mailboxes for $118. It was more than I wanted to pay, but I had a deadline.
The mailbox has two sections. The letter carrier puts the mail in the top section, and it falls down into the bottom section, which is locked.
After the mailbox was installed, I called the U.S. Postal Service to see how I could get the second key to the letter carrier. I wanted to put letters with checks and other personal information that I was mailing in the locked bottom section.
An employee told me that the Postal Service doesn’t accept keys for secure mailboxes. They don’t want the liability.
I was flabbergasted. The box for the mailbox made by Architectural Mailboxes says “U.S.P.S. Approved.”
I’m going to call the company about it. It appears to be false advertising.
That’s too bad about the secure mailbox, I’m sure if you hadn’t had a deadline you would’ve had a chance to check with the post office before buying it. I hope there is a handy street mailbox in your neigborhood. At least you know the mail will be secure!
Hi Lisa,
I called Architectural Mailboxes. The sales associate said the U.S. Postal Service approved the size and color of their mail boxes. However, it doesn’t require their letter carriers to have keys to people’s secure mailboxes. What a learning experience!
Let the buyer beware,
Rita
Hi Rita,
I would first like to thank you for buying our Oasis Jr. locking mailbox – Our best seller! I wanted to explain what is required to be a USPS approved mailbox.
The mailbox must be able to receive express mail envelopes. It cannot have any sharp edges, it must pass a salt fog test, an impact test (which replicates a baseball bat) amongst many other tests. These are actually done in an independent testing lab. This service is paid for by the mailbox manufacturer. The process is a long one that starts off with engineered drawings and several submissions to the USPS. Once you have met all of their standards only then can you be provided with a USPS approval for the specific design.
Your post office was accurate when they told you they cannot keep your key. That is not how residential single family delivery is handled.
Mail carriers will carry only one key for their entire route. This is called an “Arrow” key. This key opens the entire zip code they deliver to. This is a key that can open all the centralized mailboxes. For the USPS to provide an arrow lock the project must have a total of 3 gang style mailboxes operated by one arrow lock. The carriers check the key out in the morning and return it at the end of their delivery route. As you can imagine these keys are closely monitored to protect the recipients mail from theft.
I hope you are enjoying your new mailbox and should you ever need anything please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Vanessa Troyer
Vice President – Founder
http://www.architecturalmailboxes.com
Hi Vanessa,
Thanks for writing. I appreciate the explanation for what “USPS Approved” means in terms of a secure mailbox. However, it still seems to me to be misleading.
A friend of mine lives in an apartment house, and the letter carrier has a key to the gang-style mailboxes. That’s where I got the idea that the letter carrier would use a key for the mailbox I purchased.
Rita