I went to the post office to mail 2 small 'packages'.

Envelope #1 contained one 6 1/2" block and the 7" x 8 1/2" envelope was flat.
Envelope #2 contained a few FQ and some other small fabrics and the envelope was 'thick'.

I could mail #2 as first class and apply delivery confirmation.
I could not mail #1 as first class and get delivery confirmation - *because it wasn't thick enough*. I had to step up to Priority for $4.95 and then I could get delivery confirmation. I was told that people actually put cardboard or something in these flat envelopes to make them thicker so that they could be mailed 1st class.

This does NOT make sense - why are things so complicated.

Because it is a rule that things have to be complicated so more people have govt. jobs!:>)

Wow, that is strange and complicated.

I discovered that too! It doesn't make anysense to me either! I guess that's how they make their money.

You cannot get delivery confirmation on "letters" or anything packaged similar to a letter, whether it is in a standard or manilla envelope. I went through this same thing 2 days ago.
If the envelope is thicker than a 1/4" it becomes a first class "package", which you can then get delivery confirmation.

I was told on my fabric postcards I could mail them in the manilla envelope for 44 cents, first class, no delivery confirmation, OR pay $4.95 for priority first class plus .70 cents for delivery confirmation... THAT was not going to happen for each postcard!!

I didn't find out until today I could have stuffed a wadded up clean kleenex in the envelope and mailed it for a total of $1.20 LOL
Some people will add one packing peanut to the envelope.

actually thicker than 1/4" it could be a large envelope, you can't get DC on that either.

To qualify as a parcel, has to be

Over 3/4" thick OR

Rigid OR

Irregular (lumpy)


but why would you want to put DC on an envelope with one block? 80 cents to see if it gets there, if it doesn't get there the PO will not do anything for you.

Very few items get lost in the mail, save up your 80 centses and you will have nice little fund to reimburse the occasional person who does not receive your package.

YES that's what he was saying - it had to be 1/4" or thicker and then told me people put 'stuff' into it in order for it to qualify. Geesh

I wanted DC so the people receiving it couldn't say they didn't get it and I'd have proof I mailed it.
Neither envelope was insured.

OUCH! Guess who among us works for the Post Office as a Postmaster! The reasoning for the Delivery Confirmation rules is the machinery that the items are processed with. Letters, large envelopes and parcels are each run on seperate machines that process mail differently. The rules are all logical if you understand how the mail is processed. Anyways, I suggest you use the packing peanut trick to bump your envelope to the parcel rates if you want to get the Delivery Confirmation.

Anything run by the goverment usually does not work very well