Shipping Boxes

[kmmcrafts]

Yesterday while dropping off several packages at the post office the counter person asked me where I get my boxes from.. I told her and she said I can get Priority boxes free from the USPS web site.. I thought only the "Flat Rate" boxes was the free ones... but apparently not..  All this time.. I've been buying the boxes.. while not really expensive.. but any money saved is money made for my pocket.. Just thought I'd share here in case anyone else thought the same.. 

Most of my clocks I ship priority mail.. unless they are international shipping.. then I will use my own box and ship it First Class.. 

You can go to the USPS site and order the boxes you need and they will bring them to you.. NOTE: minimum order quantity of 10 or 25 pack bundles..

  

[Phantom Scroller]

Um interesting thanks for the tip. Roly

[meflick]

53 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

Yesterday while dropping off several packages at the post office the counter person asked me where I get my boxes from.. I told her and she said I can get Priority boxes free from the USPS web site.. I thought only the "Flat Rate" boxes was the free ones... but apparently not..  All this time.. I've been buying the boxes.. while not really expensive.. but any money saved is money made for my pocket.. Just thought I'd share here in case anyone else thought the same.. 

Most of my clocks I ship priority mail.. unless they are international shipping.. then I will use my own box and ship it First Class.. 

You can go to the USPS site and order the boxes you need and they will bring them to you.. NOTE: minimum order quantity of 10 or 25 pack bundles..

  

Are post office has them available for pickup in the lobby area.  As long as you are shipping Priority you might as well get their free boxes.  However, if you don't necessarily want to ship priority, its still usually cheaper to supply your own box and have them ship regular 1st class on most things.  I have checked several things and found that to be true.

[kmmcrafts]

2 hours ago, meflick said:

Are post office has them available for pickup in the lobby area.  As long as you are shipping Priority you might as well get their free boxes.  However, if you don't necessarily want to ship priority, its still usually cheaper to supply your own box and have them ship regular 1st class on most things.  I have checked several things and found that to be true.

Yes, most all my items go first class, however.. items that are expensive or weigh more than the 16oz limit I mail priority.. many times when you get upwards of 13+ oz.. by the time you pay postage and if you want / need to add insurance.. it's actually cheaper to ship priority.. as priority has insurance provided.. depending on where you buy your postage the insurance is $50 - 100.. PayPal is $50 if you ship via etsy it is $100.. or last I knew anyway, LOL 

[amazingkevin]

the post office wanted $100, to ship 8 i love to quilts 20" size .UPS wanted $25.00 ? what a difference!

[kmmcrafts]

3 hours ago, amazingkevin said:

the post office wanted $100, to ship 8 i love to quilts 20" size .UPS wanted $25.00 ? what a difference!

Shipping small items in my experience is cheapest with purchasing shipping online through USPS.. UPS is great for shipping large items that are heavy and or going a long distance... Also.. large heavy stuff is cheaper shipping through either Greyhound bus or Fasten-all company.. but.. the person that is receiving the item needs to pick the items up at the nearest terminal or store.. Maybe I have forgot mention that I also sell lawnmower/tractor parts shipping lawn mower motors and mower attachments such as mower decks, snowblowers, etc.. so yeah.. been there done that on shipping large stuff.. Don't do this much anymore though since I started scroll sawing..

[Denny Knappen]

As a custom framing shop, our glass is shipped in cardboard boxes that I reuse and make custom boxes.  A little bit of time, but no cost.

[wedo scroll]

On 11/2/2017 at 12:18 PM, kmmcrafts said:

Yesterday while dropping off several packages at the post office the counter person asked me where I get my boxes from.. I told her and she said I can get Priority boxes free from the USPS web site.. I thought only the "Flat Rate" boxes was the free ones... but apparently not..  All this time.. I've been buying the boxes.. while not really expensive.. but any money saved is money made for my pocket.. Just thought I'd share here in case anyone else thought the same.. 

Most of my clocks I ship priority mail.. unless they are international shipping.. then I will use my own box and ship it First Class.. 

You can go to the USPS site and order the boxes you need and they will bring them to you.. NOTE: minimum order quantity of 10 or 25 pack bundles..

  

Another service from USPS is you can print an on-line "stamp" and schedule a pickup at your place, front porch or mail box and you don't have to drive to post office. That's handy, which I think is only for priority mail. First class you can just place in your mail box.  

[orangeman]

On 11/2/2017 at 1:18 PM, kmmcrafts said:

Yesterday while dropping off several packages at the post office the counter person asked me where I get my boxes from.. I told her and she said I can get Priority boxes free from the USPS web site.. I thought only the "Flat Rate" boxes was the free ones... but apparently not..  All this time.. I've been buying the boxes.. while not really expensive.. but any money saved is money made for my pocket.. Just thought I'd share here in case anyone else thought the same.. 

Most of my clocks I ship priority mail.. unless they are international shipping.. then I will use my own box and ship it First Class.. 

You can go to the USPS site and order the boxes you need and they will bring them to you.. NOTE: minimum order quantity of 10 or 25 pack bundles..

  

Thanks for the tip! I thought the same thing. A shipment of boxes from the USPS came this week! When I mailed my last package this week I noticed that the Post office had the shoe box size and a smaller one available.

Thanks for posting!

bb

[kmmcrafts]

49 minutes ago, orangeman said:

Thanks for the tip! I thought the same thing. A shipment of boxes from the USPS came this week! When I mailed my last package this week I noticed that the Post office had the shoe box size and a smaller one available.

Thanks for posting!

bb

I'm glad this posting has helped someone..   The post office actually had a couple sizes that I frequently use.. well I use a lot of the 12 x 12 x 4.. but the post office ones are 12 x 12 x 6.. I just cut them down.. I'll still be buying boxes due to international shipping as I only offer first class for those international orders.. 

This reminds me.. I need to order more boxes already.. I ordered bundles of 25 on the sizes I'd use.. and they are already almost gone. 

[Jim Finn]

Thank you for the information in this thread.  I ordered and received 25 boxes from USPS.  No cost and just the right size I needed. 

[tomsteve]

On 11/18/2017 at 10:27 AM, Denny Knappen said:

As a custom framing shop, our glass is shipped in cardboard boxes that I reuse and make custom boxes.  A little bit of time, but no cost.

i dont ship as much as other people- mainly this time of year. im fortunate to have a niece that buys a LOT of black friday and cyber monday stuff so i have a LOT of varying size boxes to use and customize.

[kmmcrafts]

3 hours ago, tomsteve said:

i dont ship as much as other people- mainly this time of year. im fortunate to have a niece that buys a LOT of black friday and cyber monday stuff so i have a LOT of varying size boxes to use and customize.

I used to do this same thing when I was selling car and tractor parts on ebay years ago.. but now I'm busy enough I don't have time to chase down boxes.. This time of year it's about 20 boxes a week..

[heppnerguy]

But remember if one uses the post office boxes for anything other than to mail your things as the intended "priority mail" , it is a federal felony  punishable by a fine and jail 

Dick

heppnerguy

[kmmcrafts]

On 11/18/2017 at 10:46 AM, wedo scroll said:

Another service from USPS is you can print an on-line "stamp" and schedule a pickup at your place, front porch or mail box and you don't have to drive to post office. That's handy, which I think is only for priority mail. First class you can just place in your mail box.  

While I do this when possible.. sometimes it's just easier to take them in.. plus.. I actually sold items to postal workers..and a few times there customers, LOL.. and on a side note.. my accountant says to keep all my receipts for proof I drove there.. as it's a $.55 per mile tax deduction for any travel expenses related to business...