Shipping Question

[Cozumeleno]

Question regarding USPS Flat Rate shipping envelopes. I often have card lots that are too large for a small flat rate box but have a lot of left over space for the medium ones. Generally, I ship them via regular Priority Mail in my own box if it is being shipped to a closer location, which can be a few bucks cheaper than the medium flat rate.

On eBay today, I noticed that there is a flat rate envelope option. An item can be up to 70 pounds inside of it and it costs only $5.00 or $5.25. Can you take your own box and pack it inside of there, and then ship it that way? That would save a lot of money. My only question is if there are thickness regulations on it. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Cozumeleno]

Never mind - just realized these are likely the cardboard envelopes, which wouldn't accommodate a box. I have some wider mouth envelopes here that I believed to be flat rate that are the thinner material (sort of like a bag envelope) which holds a box. But these are just regular Priority envelopes - not flat rate.

[Eggoman]

The cardboard envelopes WILL accommodate some boxes as will the Flat Rate Bubble Mailers. I OFTEN put MY boxes inside Flat Rate Envelopes, esp. the Flat Rate Bubble Mailers!

[buymycards]

There are a couple of other options. You can use a flat rate padded bag and stuff a box inside for $6.10. The only problem is that Post Offices are not allowed to keep them in stock. You will have to order them from USPS.com. They are free and shipping them to you is free. You will need to open up an account, with a username and password.

If you are mailing larger items to zones 1 through 5, you can use the regional rate boxes. There is a weight limit, but I have been mailing cards to Colorado for about $8 while a medium flat rate would cost around $12. Once again, Post Offices are not allowed to stock the Regional Rate boxes, so you will have to order them from USPS.com. You can save even more by printing the postage yourself. At this time, there are 3 different pricing tiers, with 2 styles of boxes for each tier. Regional A, Regional B, and Regional C. The Regional C's will be eliminated on Jan 17th, so don't order them.

Up to date pricing is available at USPS.com, then click on the link for Postal Explorer.

http://pe.usps.gov/text/dmm300/Notice123.htm#1083767

Click on the link for Priority Mail - Commercial, and scroll down to Regional Rate.

This should save you some bucks.

Rick

[glchen]

BTW, when I went to the Post Office a month or two ago, the clerk said there was a recent change in policy regard Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelopes. Basically, you can't cover it with a whole bunch of tape anymore. I guess people would stuff a whole bunch of things inside, and then cover the envelope with packing tape, where mailer would basically look like a ball. The clerk said that's no longer allowed, and you basically can't use any tape besides the seal already on the mailer. (Maybe you can use one piece of tape to cover where it seals, but that's it.)

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by buymycards

There are a couple of other options. You can use a flat rate padded bag and stuff a box inside for $6.10. The only problem is that Post Offices are not allowed to keep them in stock. You will have to order them from USPS.com. They are free and shipping them to you is free. You will need to open up an account, with a username and password.

If you are mailing larger items to zones 1 through 5, you can use the regional rate boxes. There is a weight limit, but I have been mailing cards to Colorado for about $8 while a medium flat rate would cost around $12. Once again, Post Offices are not allowed to stock the Regional Rate boxes, so you will have to order them from USPS.com. You can save even more by printing the postage yourself. At this time, there are 3 different pricing tiers, with 2 styles of boxes for each tier. Regional A, Regional B, and Regional C. The Regional C's will be eliminated on Jan 17th, so don't order them.

Up to date pricing is available at USPS.com, then click on the link for Postal Explorer.

http://pe.usps.gov/text/dmm300/Notice123.htm#1083767

Click on the link for Priority Mail - Commercial, and scroll down to Regional Rate.

This should save you some bucks.

Rick

Yup, the Flat Rate boxes rarely work out for me. Do a little testing with the regional rate boxes.

Also, I've been using Priority box sizes 1097 and 1092 for years. They are smaller then the medium flat rate boxes but much bigger then the Small Flat Rate boxes. They are priced by weight, but the zones close to you can end up costing much less then a medium flat rate or regional box, and not much more then a flat rate envelope, especially if what you're shipping is under 5-6 lbs or so.

If you are shipping across the country however, you have to improvise a bit more with your options.

[Cozumeleno]

Thanks for the help, guys - I will look into some of those. Appreciate the help.