Can be ordered on line from USPS.com

They have Flat Rate Legal Size envelopes- shipping rate same as flat rate envelope

They also carry Flat Rate Padded Envelopes at no charge as well

https://shop.usps.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10052&cate goryId=10000036&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=10000002&top=&sort=&viewAll =Y]https://shop.usps.com/webapp/wcs/sto...ort=&viewAll=Y[/url]

If you set up an account - you can order them on line & they will ship them to your home at no charge

Yep, love this service.

So much handier, and my PO doesn't carry all of the sizes and styles either. :D:D:D

yes, so much handier to get the boxes and envelopes delivered to your house

Thanks for the link. My PO is always out of the size I need :(

Check out the new game board box. It is 24" long, big enough to fit a bolt of fabric.

I like the Legal Flat Rate Envelope - lets you get more fabric in it - it's 9 1/2" x 15" - which makes it 3" longer than the standard Flat (9 1/2" x 12")

yep, but you need to order NOW...they take months to get them to you...and come fall you will not get them at all due the all the ebay shippers getting ready for the holidays!

Jacquie I order from them online and they usually come with a week or so. I used to sell on eBay and did a lot of shipping. Our post office is small Richard our Post Master has me order supplies for him. He said they can only order so many of each size. I can get all I want. So when I send in an order I ask him if he needs anything and we split the order. They are cracking down on the flat rate ones now. He told me they can only be 3/4" thick or they will charge the person receiving it postage due when it's delivered. He says they were designed to send documents in. I tried to argue with him about that because it doesn't say that anywhere on the website when you order them. Also on the commercials on TV the Mail guy shows them and says "IF it fits it ships!" They do have a 70# weight limit but I doubt you could fit anything that weighs that much into a flat rate envelope. We sold tractor parts and I used them to ship heavy backhoe bucket pins. I made out like a bandit on those shipments. The boxes probably weighed over 25 #'s and they went for the cheap rate. I think back then the flat rate box cost about $8 to ship. This was several years ago. crafty_linda_b

I was under the impression that if they accepted the package - there was no other charge.

I print out all my labels thru Paypal, even if someone sends me a check for an item. I put the red flag up & leave a note in my mailbox asking the mailman to come to the door to get my packages. He gets them & scans the bar code for each package.
I've never had a problem with the depth of my Flat Rate Packages (knock on wood)- I know they have cracked down on the thickness of the envelope - but I was told, if you can close the envelope - using their sticky strip, it can go. But I do tape around all the edges & around the length and width of the envelope
Guess I have been lucky

I ordered the game size in the large priority and the padded 4.95. Got the padded ones today so the boxes will come soon. Wish you could order more than 10 padded ones at a time. LOL. I love those. HOld more fabrics. Haven't tried a game board size yet. Can't wait to see how much I can get into one of those. ♥♥

Check out flat rate priority game board size.

https://shop.usps.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10052&catalogId=10001&productId=10007423 &parent_category_rn=&orderItemId=230654556&rn=Orde rItemDisplay]https://shop.usps.com/webapp/wcs/sto...derItemDisplay[/url]

I don't remember any mention of other size Flat rate boxes on the tv commercial- besides envelope, the small, medium & large boxes.

By the way, you can place more than 1 order at a time. Place another order for your padded envelopes a day or 2 apart.

I just got some packages returned to me that were in flat-rate envelopes for the first time ever. They told me I had too much tape on them and were misshapen- they were really stuffed.
So I've started using the padded envelopes instead. So far so good.
Jacquie, when I order supplies I get them within a week!

Does anyone know what you can put in the legal size flat-rate?? I realize they're bigger but have not used them.

I think the legals work the same way as the regular flat-rate.

And yes, there was a LOT of confusion earlier in the year about how much you could put in a flat-rate envelope. It is NOT true that they can only be 3/4" thick. But it might be true that some Post Office workers did not read the memos explaining that yes, if it fits, it ships.

You can put tape on the envelope too, including over the closing flap, and around all the seams. Even over the pull tabs. But I think you should limit it to only a single strip over the closing flap.

Can the legal flat-rate be used Worldwide??

I don't know if it can or not - - -

but MAKE SURE that the legal size envelope says "Flat Rate" on it somewhere.

USPS also has priority mail legal size envelopes that are exactly the same size as the flat rate ones - and the charge for mailing them is based on weight.

I always get mine in 8-10 days-never had a problem

Yes. This is great! I'm especially fond of the flat rate legal size. You can get quite a bit of fabric in one.

Yes, they can. We mostly use the regular flat-rate envelopes, but we have sent a few of the legal sized ones internationally.

At no charge, wow. Didn't know that. Thanks for the tip.

I love the padded envelopes, but you can only order 15 at a time.

Thanks for the info about legal size flate rate. I just ordered some!

Thanks for the info about legal size flate rate. I just ordered some!

Yep, I love this service! The PO does Rock at time..LOL!

Be careful that the "flat rate" that you are using DOES actually say "Flat Rate" on it! I have had several people use the wrong type envelope for swaps. Luckily my PO workers are normal sane people and they help me "cut" the prepaid postage off and put it on the correct envelope. But its easy to get confused on these.

Crafty,

Do you need to use all this stuff for the address???

Mary, just go to USPS.gov and they have a lot of info.

This sounds like a good way to send items - I'll have to check it out and see what the cost is to ship flat rate.

But you can order several times. I have ordered three days in a row before and received them all. I have never waited more than 2 weeks to get them even during holiday time. And I have been an eBay holiday shipper.

I use them all the time with my own postage and tape when I need. If it fits, it ships. No problems anywhere with them, but I do take them to the regular post office, not a postal substation. That can be a problem as they have different rules.

Thanks for the link about the game box and the legal size envelope. I'll go order some now.

And did you also know that they won't let you send fabric in the flat envelopes anymore? If it puffs up the envelope at all, they'll tell you it can't be sent that way. :thumbdown:

Just sent some on Saturday in the flat cardboard Flat Rate envelope. No problems at all. And it was packed full.

Nan, I checked the website for legal size flat-rate envelopes Worldwide and it didn't have them, only for the US :(

For some reason the post office can't seem to get their act together. I had no trouble shipping stuffed envelopes until about 2 weeks ago and now nobody around me will accept them all taped. Everyone seems to have a different experience, including me. What a pain!

OK, dumb question time, but I have never used these before. The site says no charge for the envelopes and boxes, but how do you find out how much the postage is on these? Do you pay 10 times the postage when you order a box of 10? Thanks for your info on this.

June, My Postman told me to never put the red flag up on our mail box. He said that is a "red Flag" to all identity theives and mail theives. He said that all postman look in your mail box. If there is outgoing mail, they know and pick it up. We live in a very safe neighborhood, but the postman asked if I every saw people driving through on trash pick up days.....yes. he said that they are cruising for free "stuff". A red flag on your mailbox is an invitation.
D in TX

I've brought the FRE to the post office window - stuffed to about an inch thick - and they were accepted.

And the clerk knew that they contained fabric.

Another clerk did tell me that it should only need one strip of tape on one of the envelopes - but he took it anyway.


Sure seems like we are getting different information from our local post offices!

They no longer have different boxes/envelopes for domestic mail vs. international. You use the same shipping supplies for both. On the USPS website it states: "All domestic Priority Mail packaging, including the flat rate envelope and boxes, are available for international shipping."

As to the tape issue: I was arguing this issue with three or four post offices across the country back in January.

And here is the official ruling taken from the USPS website: Note: Flat Rate prices are available when material is sent in a USPS-produced Flat Rate Envelope or Box. When sealing a Flat Rate Box or Flat Rate Envelope, the container flaps must be able to close within the normal folds. Tape may be applied to the flaps and seams to reinforce the container; provided the design of the container is not enlarged by opening the sides and the container is not reconstructed in any way.

Here is the link to the page on www.usps.com where you can find that: http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm100/flat-rate-reference.htm

If you are having trouble with your local Post Office, just print out that page from the USPS website and bring it along with you. It is "the word from on high"; just ask to speak with the Postmaster and bring it to his/her attention. He/she should not be able to argue anymore upon being presented with the official ruling.

Yes, USPS is hurting for money and their workers tend to be looking for ways to bring more of it in, even a dollar or two at a time by assessing extra fees on envelopes that already had proper postage. Chalk it up to insufficient communication plus general nervousness on their part. Mostly the former!

The envelopes and boxes do not already have the postage on them. You can either fill the envelopes/boxes and pay the postage when you take them to the Post Office, or you can print your labels online and pay the postage online.

USPS brings the boxes/envelope to you for free. It's really a very good deal; if you had to purchase boxes they would probably cost you about 75 cents or more, including freight.

If you're looking to find out how much postage is for the various flat-rate products, follow this link:
http://www.usps.com/tools/calculatep...lculatepostage

Thats how I get my envelopes, boxes, and such. What a great service.

debra

Oh Yes. Tried that this week and had to pay a different rate for them. :thumbdown: