USPS - media mail rate with Priority boxes???

[george graves]

SO long story short, I move to Nor Cal, still have clients in So Cal that I am doing work for (video production) and that means sending a lot of tapes and DVD's through the mail.

I love using the USPS Priority Mail FREE boxes - but I'm finding myself sending out tapes every day, and want to cut down on shipping costs.

Since this is "media" I wanted to take advantage of the "media mail" rates, but still use the Free boxes. What do I have to do - turn the box inside out to and tape it all up and it's all cool? Wrap it in brown paper?

Anyone else know the trick to this?

(and yes, I know I'm being a cheap ass)

....

[Rigmaster]

SO long story short, I move to Nor Cal, still have clients in So Cal that I am doing work for (video production) and that means sending a lot of tapes and DVD's through the mail.

I love using the USPS Priority Mail FREE boxes - but I'm finding myself sending out tapes every day, and want to cut down on shipping costs.

Since this is "media" I wanted to take advantage of the "media mail" rates, but still use the Free boxes. What do I have to do - turn the box inside out to and tape it all up and it's all cool? Wrap it in brown paper?

Anyone else know the trick to this?

(and yes, I know I'm being a cheap ass)

....

Don't be a cheap ass... :)

USPS takes this pretty seriously- they now have "PRIORITY MAIL" stamped on the inside of the Priority boxes so you can't turn them inside out.

Hell, I tried to use one of those USPS Address labels once on a non-priority package- I trimmed the top part off so it looked like a plain white label. The clerk recognized it as a Priority mail only label and told me I had two choices- either pay the extra $$ to ship the item priority mail, or remove the label. I peeled the label off right there in front of her and wrote the address directly on the package. I think that might have been the same clerk who told me that a flat rate priority mail envelope that I was trying to ship could not be shipped because it was "bulging"........she said that since it was a flat rate envelope, it had to be "flat"....I'm not kidding. I took it to another post office and they were fine with it.

Just go buy a shitload of tape/DVD boxes and it shouldn't be more than .10-20 cents per box- you could add a handling fee to cover that if you want.


Bret

[RobertK]

I think that might have been the same clerk who told me that a flat rate priority mail envelope that I was trying to ship could not be shipped because it was "bulging"........she said that since it was a flat rate envelope, it had to be "flat"....I'm not kidding. I took it to another post office and they were fine with it.

LMAO... I would have asked to speak to that manager of that dumb bitch.

On topic.. usually the small US Priority boxes and the long skinny boxes don't have the print inside them so I flip them inside out all the time to ship with Media Mail. Hell.. even BMA does this to ship parts sometimes.

[Dave]

All of the priority boxes at my post office have the print in them now.

[browntown]

I've done the brown paper business before, when I can't find a box around the house. Buying boxes moves the price of shipping something way up. I feel your pain.

[Dave]

They take the Priority thing quite seriously. I was recycling a box and it had a small scrap of the Priority Sticker on it from the last use, and the clerk told me to scrape it off, or I could not send it parcel post.

Also had a guy send me some brake discs. He used the Free box, and apprently used the self-service postage machine and put parcel post rate on the box. I got a postage due notice for like $9!

But Bret's story takes the cake. I've used those labels before with no hassles. And the clerks at my PO will tell people to cram as much as they can in those envelopes.

[Rigmaster]

All I can say is that whoever misuses the free priority mail supplies and causes the USPS to stop giving them out for free should expect a knock at their door from 2 Samoan gents who will promptly kick you in the nuts until they turn black, shrivel up and fall off.



Coming from a professional cheapskate- just buy some fucking boxes!

[Dave]

Hell, I haven't bought a box in LONG time. I recycle them. After all the stuff we had delivered to the House at Christmas, I have a huge stash of them in the garage. So many, I am contemplating throwing some of them out. And for a cheap-ass like me, that is saying something.

[JGood]

Ask your friends or family. I have a friend who works at a store that recieves shipments daily, and he keeps all the boxes for me. Just ask around for something like that, you might be able to get a hook up that way.

[europeanplates]

Just send it in bubble bag or static bag. We ship out 1000 things a month using priority and the free boxes are great.

Thanks,

TYler

[AndrewBird]

Just get you boxes from a grocery store or shipping warehouse. They throw tons of them away daily and are willing to give them away. Free and easy.

I work at a place where we ship out car parts. We have a giant cardboard dumpster that we fill daily with all kinds of boxes. small to large.