Priority Mail Boxes from USPS

Have you noticed that they now have "Priority Mail" printed on the inside of the boxes, too.

When I got busted by the PO for reusing a Priority Box for NON Priority use, they said they were doing this for that reason. These boxes are free, people were taking them, turning them inside out and using them for cheaper mailing fees.
If the PO notices the PRIORITY words under a brown paper wrapping, or the words while xraying/scanning them...and you have NOT payed the Priority fee, they will return the package to you, and then you have to pay AGAIN to remail it.

The PO told me that the only way to recycle these boxes is in the recycling bin :roll:

Can they be re-used for priority mail?

I re-used mine for priority mailing........there wasn't any question by the clerk about it.

How can one turn a box inside out? I've received a couple that had been - and the box didn't look mangled. (This was over a year ago)

All they told me was that I could not reuse them for any mailing purpose but Priority Mail. The punishment is you have to pay twice to mail that package LOL There is fine print somewhere on using these...and they COULD do more and they might...if they really wanted to. She pointed out the signs all over the PO regarding this service and the use of the boxes.

They can be reused over and over with the PO's blessings as long as they are ALWAYS mailed as Priority :wink:

You can pull the boxes apart and reglue them. Which is what I did, because this box had been used twice for Priority Mail already. You can do this on other boxes too, not all companies use strong glues, remember how easy some of the bottoms come loose when you tear them down to flatten them out?

I used my glue gun to reglue them :wink:

This is how it was explained to me by the PostMaster...the PO provides the boxes free, but only for the Priority Mail deliveries...they SELL boxes for everything else.

I take open packages to my PO and they tell me the cheapest way to mail them/tracking/insurance included in the different options. Sometimes Priority is cheaper, sometimes it is First Class, or bulk prices...

It's like in the thread that I posted when this all came to my attention... It's a gamble you take mis-using these boxes... My package was late getting to a board member because it was returned, and I had to pay TWICE to mail it...

The PO looks at it like stealing... You are stealing a free box to be used for a purpose that it was never meant to be used for....

It pays to ask. Sometimes priority mail is actually less than parcel post.

Or maybe only a nickel or so more.

I bought an electronic scale that is fairly accurate (maybe to within 1/4 of an ounce) - I weigh what I want to send and then look up the USPS rate calculator to get an approximate cost.

(The scale cost around $30 if I remember correctly - this was purchased during one of my diet phases)

I use it often enough to be glad that I have it. It only goes up to about four pounds, though.

Ours closed on Saturdays about 6 weeks ago...the neighboring town is still open.

My SIL is a union rep, two cousins are a PostMasters...they all say the government is really pushing to close ALL PO's on Saturday and there is also talk of stopping mail delivery on Saturday's too... Wouldn't that be a MESS at Christmas time???

Also...look at all of the mail carriers across the nation who would be out of work... One out of every 6 I think the numbers were, but don't quote me on that.....

It seems like so many organizations (government and business) are trying to save a nickel - but will this nickel savings eventually cost a dollar in the long run?

Here is the discussion we had on my Priority fiasco LOL and it seems that some PO's have let this slide... but like I said...it is a crap shoot...you may win, you could lose :wink: Your PO can let it go through and then it gets shot back to you by another, like mine did :roll:

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-25480-1.htm

Amma are you writing us all from the "pokey"? Gee wiz can't they realize you are recycling. I guess I don't understand all the hub bub!

LMBO I did have offer's of bail money though when this happened last fall:D:D:D

Did you mail it (the first time) from a post office? Did you hand it to a clerk?

If you handed it to a clerk, and he/she did not say anything to you about the box, I think it should have kept on going and not been returned to you.

reused shouldn't mean paying for the box again though. sigh. oh well it's only the Post Office.
i reused one sent to me from Australia and worried what they would do. I just paid for mailing it, not for the box again. whew.

Yes, I went to the PO and handed it to a clerk, who weighed it, stamped it and took my money... I went back to the same clerk when it was returned and she said if she would have noticed she would have told me about this policy/rule. She really is a nice woman, and I believe her.


EDIT***** When I reused the Priority box, I had to wrap it in brown paper to cover up the stamps and labels that were all over the top and bottom of it. So it was not easy to see the Priority stamped on the box itself.

These Priority boxes are free, you only pay the shipping fee to mail them.

Once you pay for their other boxes, (these are not printed with the words Priority) you can reuse them as many times as you want... no problem

I found mailing packages first class is cheaper then priority mail and it goes on the same truck and gets the same 'priority'. Media and 3rd class mail goes last on the truck.

The flat rate boxes are different then priority boxes? I think I'm getting a flat rate box and it ends up costing more to mail it then the flat rate charge! And it's already sealed and ready to mail so no way I'm going to redo it in another box. Always ask for a flat rate box but sometimes that cost more than 1st class. Crazy.

You can use any box, take it to the counter and ask what way is the cheapest to send it. If Priority is cheapest, they just stamp Priority on the box. I have had them do this for me many times.

With a Flat Rate Priority Box, if it fits, it ships (to USA addresses) - there is a weight limit, but it's fairly high.

Other mail is based on weight, size of package, and distance.

I ran into this with Secret Santa :hunf: I had used a box from work, not a Post office box, nothing priority in it, on it or around it. Took it into the local Post Office... the clerk started to rip the box open, asking "Is this a priority box turned inside out ?" when she saw that it wasn't and I told her NO , she tells me well the box is partially opened now, you need to retape it .. uuhh HUH? Do I look like I carry a tape gun in my back pocket ? :hunf: :hunf: I paid for the shipping and left.. My person received it and I did not retape it

I will say that the people that work at our local post office are nice - and they will even put extra tape on a package if necessary

The only time I had an issue was when one item out of seven arrived broken. I only wanted damages for the one item and this clerk (I know she was new) insisted that I had to return everything. I went to the next-up-the-line post office and was able to make a claim for just that one item.

It is an effort to make an insurance claim - the Post Office does not make it easy - one of the "cute" things was - the person making the claim and with the item has to present the post office with the ORIGINAL proof of insurance and the item - I guess the sticker on the box isn't adequate. It did pay - eventually -
The original proof of insurance is with the sender, for crying out loud.

When this happened to me, I had mailed it from the post office. I returned there to find out why the package was returned and filled out a form to get my original postage back. I had to ask for my money back first, or I would have been out of luck.

Let me just add that if I am going towards the next town, I prefer to do my mailings from there. The service you get is totally determined by the postmaster, and some are just jerks.

Thanks for the info. I have Priority boxes and shipped in them, my son used E-bay and got boxes of boxes. I've found that the other UPSide/down company will take them and the postage is very similar. Maybe to recycle you have to use Brown.

i have a 10 pound scale from the post office,i bought. it really helps. i also click and ship from home. no more waiting in line for me! the weight limit is 70 pounds. Flat rate is cheaper if it is heavy. i re-use all boxes. i like recycling them.
there is a list of prices and the weights ..

http://www.usps.com/prices/priority-mail-prices.htm

I just mailed a large size box last Wed. 1st class. The postal worker asked me if I wanted to send it 1st class, it was cheaper. The postal workers in this town seem to use the rules when they want to. I get different answers from different workers.

This is what I do too. It's nice because you get a break on the shipping cost, delivery confirmation is free (when applicable) and you can see right online which way is cheaper to ship. Saves a ton of time because I print the paid shipping label from home and no waiting in line at the post office. Sweet deal!

:thumbup:

Interesting discussion....I have to mail my Quilt for Kids back and am wondering how you all sent yours back?? Mine came in a plastic bag from UPS..What's the best way to send it back?? Thanks, Nancy

I usually use what ever means is the least expensive. I will be sending 2 back at a time and if I could get them both in the $5 priority envelope in they would go :D:D:D I will put them in a box and let the PO tell me which way is the cheapest :wink:

I use to use these boxes a few years back, by turning them inside out and regluing them. I noticed this year they are printed inside as well, so I figured it was a bust. I have family outside the state and it is a necessity to mail things, so this year I sent all my grandbabies a Holy Bible NIV, and bought their flat rate boxes.....well they added $2.86 to the price of the box. The first one I mailed, was flat rate, no other cost. Then I went in to mail the other three and bam, bam, bam! $7.81 each was too much, so I bought one bigger box and went to another post office and mailed it for the one flat rate. Now I wonder what the extra was for, any ideas? I'm a windy old bag, sorry. Thanks for the vent.

Were you using their boxes that are not marked priority? Those are the ones they sell and they can cost $2.86 or MORE... I paid $1.49 for one of their manilla type envelopes when I was out and in a hurry to get squishy mailed out.
Even Walmarts shipping boxes here are $2 and up.

I'm slow, by the time I get my user name and password in and wait for this dinasaur to bootup, I forgot what I wanted to say and the page with your reply is missing and gosh, I'm a clutz with this.....but if I remember correctly you asked about the type of box. It was those new folded ones they have out front they call flat rate. The first one was mailed at the price of the box. The next weren't, so I got only one bigger and put all the Bibles in it. Just amazes me how I can get so fogged OUT. SOmetimes I can't remember what I'm saying or doing. But thank you for your reply, amma. And I love your quote. Sam Levenson was quite a witty man, as I remember. Blessings, Ruth

Before using these make sure you check other ways to ship your box. I have found a few times that it is cheaper not to use them.
When I sell flat rate boxes full of fabric I always check both ways and if its cheaper to pack in a regular box I bring it back home and add a little more fabric to make up the difference.
Judy in Ohio

I think the flat rates have a weight limit. I wonder if you went over the weight limit and they charged you more for that ? They get you coming and going and then wonder why they are having such financial issues ???? DUH.....