I came into a staples to buy some package supplies. The lady at the UPS shipping center said she can ship USPS, so I gave the package to her. USPS Ground Advantage

I checked online and I saw mixed things about USPS and Staples. I also got a receipt. Is this ok?

I'm putting this here because it seems like the best place for this information to go. Too often, there are issues for me and other customers who drop USPS packages off at Staples. We do it for a variety of reasons... I have a rinky-dink local post office and I ship so much UPS stuff through Staples that it's just easier for me to drop all my eBay packages off at once. When I don't have the original manual for something I sold on eBay, I have the Staples team create a new booklet. I also get a discount on my shipping supplies when I drop stuff off at Staples.

Here's the thing, Staples is a UPS shipping center. For that reason, UPS is guaranteed to make a pickup at Staples every day. Staples is NOT a post office. Therefore, USPS comes to Staples on its regular route. Just like any business at any address, the mailman comes when he is summoned or when the address has mail to be delivered. If your boxes have lingered on the shelf in the back of a Staples print and ship center for days, they aren't being ignored by the mailmen; there just isn't any mail for that particular store this week.

There's a simple fix: summon the mailman. If you intend to continue dropping USPS packages off at Staples, go to the USPS website and schedule a pickup. It takes less than a minute. Whenever I do this, USPS usually comes and grabs my stuff (and everyone else's) the very next day. Make sure to say there are about 40 to 50 boxes because I promise you will be the only person requesting a pickup.