Can you mail someone something and have them pay the post office when they get it?

Question

A friend of mine said she once got a letter from her sister that she had to pay the post office for? So could you send someone a package and have them pay for it when they get it? Like could my cousin send me a box without having to pay the post office, then i would pay them the owed postage when i got it?

Well i would be the one that would have to pay the owed shipping.. was thinking because my cousin told me she got me something for my birthday, but shes all depressed cuz her mom wont mail it for her, and she cant really go do it herself.. i told her to just hang on to it for me, and she can give it to me next time i come visit.. shes still depressed tho, i feel bad cuz i live so far away and stuff, maybe i can get in touch with one of my old friends from back home and they can help her mail it.

Answer 1

Maybe you could send her the money for the cost of shipping.

Answer 2

That sometimes depends on your mail carrier. My Mother was a mail carrier for years and years. She got to know the people on her route and would often deliver mail that people had forgotten to put a stamp on. She'd leave a note with it in the persons mailbox stating that she had paid the postage due for them and the next day they'd have her money waiting for her back in their mailbox. So maybe thats what happened with your friend?

Technically, you can send a letter for as little as a penny (a 1 cent stamp) as long as the person on the other end is willing to pay the postage due. If they aren't you'll get your letter back.

You'll have a hard time doing that same thing with a package unless it's small enough to fit into a drop box. Anything else you're going to have to take in to mail and they aren't going to let you send it without paying the postage up front.

Answer 3

if you put their address on it with no return address and no postage, they would try to collect from her. but thats not a good idea for one - she would have a right to refuse the package and then it would go to the dead letter office. Also they may not necessarily try to collect from her and it would go to the dead letter office, a letter may be one thing and a package may be another.

it's not a good idea.