Free USPS Packing Supplies

[Jeff7181]

Damn... if they'd offer them in smaller quantities for personal use it would be easier... I don't need 25 flippin boxes... only need like 5 or 6. Oh well, I guess I'll keep em around for future use. Don't know about any of you, but I find it annoying at the post office here when there's no boxes out that are the size I need, so I have to ask them for a box, and they take their leisurely stroll into the back and 5 minutes later appear with a box of the wrong size, or only one when I asked for two. Having my own packing supplies really speeds up the process.

 

[RobCur]

Originally posted by: KrAzyWuLpH
I actually did this and got tape and boxes. From USPS

<a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://shop.usps.com/cgi-bin/vsbv/postal_store_non_ssl/display_products/productDetail.jsp?OID=1003566">7 x 7 x 6 Boxes</a>
<a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://shop.usps.com/cgi-bin/vsbv/postal_store_non_ssl/display_products/productDetail.jsp?OID=1003567">12 x 12 x 8 Boxes</a>
<a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://shop.usps.com/cgi-bin/vsbv/postal_store_non_ssl/display_products/productDetail.jsp?OID=1003575">Rolls of tape</a>

I got 50 rolls of tape, 25 small boxes and 25 larger ones, they came in about 2 and a half weeks and I didnt spend a penny.

50 rolls of tapes?! jesus! its no wonder they no longer have it for free :thumbsdown:

 

[RobCur]

Originally posted by: bradm20
The big boxes are great for moving when you don't feel like paying for boxes

so true lmao but they are too small!

the post office can we just grab them off the wall? i feel like im stealing

it will be paid back plus interest when you mail everything using their boxes even if it weight less then an ounce!

 

[beansbaxter]

Boxes are still free...but you can no longer order the Priority Mail tape anymore. Doh!

 

[Maverick2002]

sucks you can't get the tape anymore. still, just ordered my boxes. this is awesome. I always use USPS so this makes things a lot easier!

 

[Keitero]

Still have about 20 boxes worth of stuff the last time I ordered.

 

[1911]

Can't get the tape anymore, but stil able to make it for the boxes. Thanks OP

 

[caivoma]

thanks op

 

[weizur]

Sweet got a pack of each of the boxes, I ship priority all the time since its easiest and this must makes it easier.

 

[paulDunne]

would be moving soon. Should get these. Thanks OP!

 

[Karaktu]

Keep in mind that the cost for these items are built into the price of Priority and Express Mail. If you get these items and don't use them for what they're intended, you're just driving up the cost of shipping in the long run.

 

[VaG]

Originally posted by: paulDunne
would be moving soon. Should get these. Thanks OP!

Would be dipshit. Should get these largest 12x12 boxes to pack his barbie doll collection in because mattress and milk crates won't fit. Thanks dipshit!

 

[Buz2b]

Originally posted by: tedinde

Originally posted by: magis123<BR>I just wanted to add this in, to those that are ABUSING this privilege, please do not ... <BR><BR>I mail quite a bit of stuff, like in the neighborhood of 10-15 packages per day, via USPS Priority mail for my business ... these free supplies can almost be a small miracle for small businesses like myself ... for example the 12x12x6 box that they offer FREE costs $1.69 at OfficeMax for one ... if I ship 10 items at that size per week, that means I would normally be using $16.90 (+ 6% PA Sales Tax = $1.01) worth of my bottom line to purchase shipping supplies, this may not seem like much but over a year that equates out to like $878.80 (+ 6% PA Sales Tax = $52.73) ... again this is my part time business so losing nearly $1000 @ year would just "hurt" my bottom line and any extra income I bring into my family ...<BR><BR>My post office is very grateful for the amount of business, and amount of money I spend per year on Priority Mail shipments ... plus if and when I have extra supplies (such as the time they sent me 10 rolls of the priority mail tape) ... I took it back to my local P.O. and they were pleased because they will readily use it quicker than I would ... and I have been told by my local post master that because people ARE abusing the system and using the boxes for storage, moving, turning them inside out and shipping media mai/parcel post, using them for trash recepticles, etc., the USPS is considering switching to a FEE for these items when ordered in bulk and also when used at the post office ...<BR><BR>Just my $0.02 but probably worth less than that to those that are abusing the system ...

<BR><BR><BR>They should charge for these and maybe they wont be in "debt" every year. And have to keep raising prices for people abusing. Im not suggesting charging a lot for them. But enough where someone wont order them to say?? Heat their house in a wood burning stove with the boxes.

You need to check your facts! The USPS just recently stated that they have enough of a surplus that they are not planning any rate increases (at least as far as standard mail prices), probably until 2006 or beyond. Yes, in this current world of "the bad news is the best news", you probably missed that one but it is a fact. Get off of the trashing of something you don't understand. In additon, carboard doesn't burn for squat in a wood stove. An entire "order" of these boxes wouldn't last longer than 10 minutes in a wood stove and would not burn enough to provide any sort of usable heat.
The fact is that these boxes don't cost them any significant cash. What they do is provide an additional source of income for them because, even if half the people that order them abuse this, they will still get more than enough from the other half.

 

[luvya]

Damn, now what am I going to do with all these boxes?

 

[MaStAViC]

Thanks! Now I don't have to buy boxes and package envelopes anymore!

 

[MaStAViC]

I don't want 25 of the boxes.. just maybe 5... crap.

 

[ynotravid]

This is going to be very convienient. THANKS KRAZY!!

Now if only I could get some tape!!

 

[Ecliptic]

i cant believe i spent $3.95 for a box at the post office the other day!!!!!!!

oh, and the link to the tape doesnt work... I NEED TAPE!! hahah

 

[zerocool1]

the tape link doesn't work anymore

 

[ardenJ]

When I ship things that I sell in the For Sale\Trade forum, I usually use Priority Mail becuase the free Small Priority Mail boxes are the perfect size for the things I sell.

I have a question though. Once in a while I ship to Canada. I don't have any small plain boxes and the Global Priority Mail boxes are too big. Since the Small Priority boxes are the perfect size for what I ship, I'd like to use those for shipping to Canada also, but since they say Priority Mail on them I can't ship them internationally. One time I forgot that the thing I was packaging was going to Canada, and I used the Priority Mail box. When I got to the post office, the lady pointed out that I used a wrong box, so she took around 4 of these Global Priority Mail stickers and just cut the Global Priority Mail logo (the top of the sticker) and stuck them on top of the Priority Mail logos. My question is, do you think I can or should do this when I need to ship to Canada? Or do you think the person at the post office may not allow it and possibly detain and question me (like the guy in the story posted earlier) lol.

 

[moshquerade]

always some lamers being greedy :roll:

 

[atwnsw]

Thanks for answering....

 

[ardenJ]

Originally posted by: atwnsw
I found mail stickers but I didn't find any rolls of tape.

I would love to order 50 rolls of tape if they are clear or strapping tape.

I just don't want to order tape if is full of all the USPS logo on it.

Can somebody who has received it clarify it's appearance and
maybe provide a link for me?

Thanks

Anthony
atwnsw@lycos.com

They don't give out the rolls of tape for free anymore because of people abusing it (ordering too many rolls). The tape should only be used for packing and sealing USPS packages, not for personal use. One roll usually lasts around 100 boxes. I doubt you would really need 50 rolls of tape if you were only using it for packaging USPS shipments.

And no, the tape is not clear. It has the USPS logo on it.

 

[Buz2b]

Originally posted by: Wag
<blockquote>Quote
send some stuff with these boxes flipped inside out to save a little on shipping costs (some can be flipped, others cant). Most post offices took them, but I did get told once that I couldn't do that... So YMMV, and it is technically an abuse of the system....

They started stamping the inside of the box so you can't do that anymore.[/quote]

Uhmm, OK I'll bite here. Look, I don't promote blatent fraud on this but you don't have to flip boxes inside out or paint them. Simply wrap them in plain brown paper. It's not hard and doesn't significantly add to your shipping costs. As I mentioned earlier, USPS will not go broke if a few folks don't use their boxes as they should; they will gain more than enough income on those that use them as they should. Besides, they have already stated that they have enough of a surplus to avoid any rate increase for standard postage until 2006. So, invest in a $2.50 roll of brown paper (cheaper if you can find it) and use your free boxes at will.
One last thing I would suggest is to carefully compare the cost of shipping when you go to your local Post Office. It seems that the difference in price of Priority shipping vs either Parcel Post of First Class has gotten smaller. Depending upon the item shipped, there can be less than 50-75 cents difference in sending Priority or First Class. Given the better time factors of Priority shipping, that's a pretty good upgrade.

 

[alm4rr]

Glad you are ripping them off so they can rasie postage rates