Favorite Fabrics

I believe that the 3/4" thick rule applies to Critical Mail (and no, I am not sure what that is) ... and also to distinguish between "flats" and "parcels" in First Class Mail.

If you poke through all the details of the DMM it does not specifically mention a thickness for the FREs.

So that "Customer Mailing Guide" is adding to the confusion.

That said... it is certainly possible that the Post Office will at some point change the rules about the FREs. If they do, my hope is that they will publicize the change far enough in advance that everyone who uses the FRE service will not be caught off-guard.

Zappycat

Today I saw this on a site that sells fabrics and patterns:
** Special Note on Flat Rate Envelopes:


In January 2011, the USPS started changing their policy on how much can be shipped within the Flat Rate Envelope. In has been our general practice to ship up to 6 yards within the envelope, although some shops have gone up to 8 yards. Now, packages are being delivered to customers with postage due if the Flat Rate Envelope is too thick.


The USPS does not stipulate in their package preparation instructions a thickness limit. It just states that the package must be sealed with the package glue strip and that the sides cannot be opened. It seems to be up to the individual post offices and the discretion of individual employees as to whether additional charges are applied.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Then on another site a pop up from USPS came up showing a flat rate envelope that might as well have been empty, sited as the CORRECT way a flat rate envleope should look, and then a big fat overstuffed envleope (that looks like MINE do) sited as INCORRECT!!

Why doesn't the post office concentrate on getting their mail delivered in a timely manner in good condition rather than this nonsense!! And yes... it seems that some postal workers are jerks and won't accept the fat packages. This has caused me to drive further to a post office. I always hear about how much $$ the post office is losing... do they really think that THIS ATTITUDE is going to help them?!!

Sorry... had to vent. This is upsetting and will really hurt people with mail order businesses and eBay and Etsy sellers. Life is tough enough without the post office picking on us... but then again... the post office IS a government entity. (enough said) : (

Favorite Fabrics

I hear your frustration. I've been told by my contact in the Consumer Affairs office of USPS, that there had been a memo circulated around the end of December saying that the envelopes could be no more than 3/4" thick. And of course, you are correct in noting that there is no maximum thickness mentioned on the USPS website, at least not as part of the definitions of the flat-rate envelope service. Or anywhere along the path one would take to purchase postage for such an envelope.

However, there is a publication on www.usps.com - I think it's called the Consumer's Guide to Mailing - where it does specify a 3/4" thickness, though it does not really specify what kind of envelopes or what class of mail service it pertains to.

So the confusion will continue. However, I have not had a report of an envelope being delivered postage due in a couple of weeks now.

And yes I just knocked on a wooden chair to be safe!

jajudd24

that is what I was told at post office where I shipped..just as long as flap attaches where sealed and I could use tape to secure.

luvTooQuilt

my chubby flat rates ship just fine.. My PO accepts them.. Shes even helped me hold one closed while i sealed the envelope it was soo chunky.. Sorry you guys are having such a hard time with FRE"s

dreamer2009

would be ideal if we could get a copy of this letter to take with us to the PO every time they say that to us.
Nancy, can you make this happen...

MistyMarie

I actually went to the post office to mail my last doll quilt and then a few days later, the package ends up in my mailbox because of insufficient postage. I was fit to be tied since their machine weighed it and I didn't add anything but the shipping label to it before putting it in the mailbox. I was livid. That is not right. I added two postcard stamps to it and put it back in the mailbox. I could understand if I had weighed it at home and tried to guess at the right postage, but actually making a trip to the post office to ensure that there was sufficient postage and then to get it back was infuriating.

Leota

I had the postal person pack my flat rate envelop and seal it! He said if it fits it ships...
I personally think some postal people don't know what they are talking about... BECAUSE U.S.P.S. advertises "IF it fits, it ships"... if the postal person says otherwise that = FALSE advertisement and is liable for suit.

np3

I can't remember the name of the shop but I will look.

dreamer2009

Thanks Nancy,
if we add it to thread everyone can copy and take to PO
:) :) :)