I see nothing wrong with using a USPS flat rate envelope to ship a box that isn't a new, unused USPS flat rate box. In that scenario, "if it fits, it ships" is correct usage of the envelope.
Clever or Cheat?
- Thread starter Zany_in_CO
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Somewhat of a sidebar, but I was able to pack 8 bars of soap into a USPS padded flat rate envelope after wrapping them in a recycled Amazon bubble bag (So, double layer of bubble wrap), and with cardboard from recycled boxes slipped in on both of the flat sides for extra protection. It’s not pretty, but then I’m giving the soap away...
Just so you know: Printed on every Priority Mail Box and Envelope:
"This packaging is the property of the United States Postal Service and is provided solely for use in sending Priority Mail shipments. Misuse may be a violation of federal law. This packaging is not for resale."
Flat-Rate Boxes & Envelopes ARE Priority Mail; they are called Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes or Envelopes
Check for yourself. I just did; I looked at every one of them I have in my house from packages recieved and boxes awaiting to be filled to mail out.
So even if a postal employee tells a customer to misuse postal property in this way, the fines for violation would still fall on the customer who sent the mail. It may never be found out, but if the package were broken open in transit and the violation observed, and it were found out, who would be to blame? The person who paid the postage and mailed to package.
Clever? When is violating federal law clever? Cheating? This is worse than cheating. At the very least, it is theft of service, and that in and of itself is illegal and has been prosecuted in many instances. At worst it is a federal crime.
Remember the USPS is a federal agency and violating USPS regulations can and does lead to federal prosecution in many cases. If you don't care about ethics, at least consider what it would mean to you and yours, should you ever be convicted of a federal crime in the US. It haunts you for the rest of your life, and in some states, you even lose your right to vote.
"This packaging is the property of the United States Postal Service and is provided solely for use in sending Priority Mail shipments. Misuse may be a violation of federal law. This packaging is not for resale."
Flat-Rate Boxes & Envelopes ARE Priority Mail; they are called Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes or Envelopes
Check for yourself. I just did; I looked at every one of them I have in my house from packages recieved and boxes awaiting to be filled to mail out.
So even if a postal employee tells a customer to misuse postal property in this way, the fines for violation would still fall on the customer who sent the mail. It may never be found out, but if the package were broken open in transit and the violation observed, and it were found out, who would be to blame? The person who paid the postage and mailed to package.
Clever? When is violating federal law clever? Cheating? This is worse than cheating. At the very least, it is theft of service, and that in and of itself is illegal and has been prosecuted in many instances. At worst it is a federal crime.
Remember the USPS is a federal agency and violating USPS regulations can and does lead to federal prosecution in many cases. If you don't care about ethics, at least consider what it would mean to you and yours, should you ever be convicted of a federal crime in the US. It haunts you for the rest of your life, and in some states, you even lose your right to vote.
KimW
Well-Known Member
Good food for thought, @earlene. I completely agree, and I should have thought of this when our postal clerk shoved my package into an envelope. Reminds me of what we always told the kiddos: Just because you can, doesn't mean you should (as in, don't do the wrong thing out of privilege, because no one's looking, or because someone in authority told you to). And, of course, my own Mom's consistent reminder, "Ignorance is no excuse for the law". Thanks for the head-check, lady.
dixiedragon
Well-Known Member
I'm going to go with cheat, b/c I think the cost of the box is included in the flat rate box shipping cost, vs the cost of the envelope. That being said, it's possible she's recycling a box that's be used once, in that case that's just smart.
Did the box look new? I've reused boxes I've gotten from shipped items like this because it reuses packaging that I'd other wise toss in the recycle bin. I will use my heat gun to peel off labels and it looks like a new box. I suppose it could be a cheat but it could also be an upcycle.
Zany_in_CO
Saponifier
Yes. Tsk tsk.
Lin19687
Well-Known Member
I have several packs of Priority boxes that I use for holding my soaps- They were Damaged when they delivered them so I don't feel bad about using them for other purposes. Then again they are the Regional A boxes so not like they are huge and I use them for moving.
I also got a couple packs on CL 2 years ago from someone that couldn't use them, the USPS would not take them back. Even though there was nothing wrong with them
I reuse what I can, USPS, UPS, Fedex for home stuff but not for shipping to other people especially now.
I just looked behind me and there are 9 bigger boxes behind me that I saved from supply orders sent to me. 2 are filled with paper from the shipping
Personally I thought the Flat envelopes had to have things less then 1 inch thick and I don't want my soap ruined due to it being tossed around, so I mail in boxes only
I also got a couple packs on CL 2 years ago from someone that couldn't use them, the USPS would not take them back. Even though there was nothing wrong with them
I reuse what I can, USPS, UPS, Fedex for home stuff but not for shipping to other people especially now.
I just looked behind me and there are 9 bigger boxes behind me that I saved from supply orders sent to me. 2 are filled with paper from the shipping
Personally I thought the Flat envelopes had to have things less then 1 inch thick and I don't want my soap ruined due to it being tossed around, so I mail in boxes only
@Zany_in_CO here is a YT video where she explains that the package you received (priority box inside priority envelope) is a legal and allowed use of priority mail products.
Go to the 8:05 minute mark in the video where she says that she has confirmed this numerous times with the postmaster. She also explains some other uses of the priority mail products that are not legal.
Go to the 8:05 minute mark in the video where she says that she has confirmed this numerous times with the postmaster. She also explains some other uses of the priority mail products that are not legal.
Zany_in_CO
Saponifier
Isn’t it funny how we (or is it just I?) find something like this when we are totally looking for an answer to something else?
Zany_in_CO
Saponifier
So true!!!
I agree that it makes me mad. When we were shipping a lot of products we Purchased boxes that fit inside the padded envelopes. I do use a smaller previously used post office box, once in a while, to put inside a larger to separate items as long as it shows it a used box.
It is not unethical to put a box inside the padded envelope if you buy the box. If it fits it works.
@DeeAnna and @cmzaha
In the video I posted above, she explains that the USPS specifically allows you to put a new USPS priority box inside a new USPS priority envelope, and legally pay the lower priority envelope price. She says she has verified with the postmaster numerous times that this is acceptable use of their packaging, per their rules.
She also adds a disclaimer that it is not ok to use the free USPS mailing materials inside a FedEx or UPS mailer, since that is going outside the USPS system.
In the video I posted above, she explains that the USPS specifically allows you to put a new USPS priority box inside a new USPS priority envelope, and legally pay the lower priority envelope price. She says she has verified with the postmaster numerous times that this is acceptable use of their packaging, per their rules.
She also adds a disclaimer that it is not ok to use the free USPS mailing materials inside a FedEx or UPS mailer, since that is going outside the USPS system.
gladysjones
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The real question remains, can you use it for a mold?
Zany_in_CO
Saponifier
They don't GIVE it away to be used for any other purpose than for USPS mailing. It is a violation of Federal Law to use it for any other purpose.
You are not a US citizen, and probably don't realize the background on our Constitutional & Congressional history of our Postal Service.
The USPS was not created as a money making enterprise. It was created to provide a valuable service, interstate communication, to US citizens. The creation of Post Offices and Postal Roads was what Congress was charged with creating when it was added to the Constitution in Article 1 Section 8. It is the US Congress' responsibility to oversee the USPS. The USPS is mandated to adhere to regulations as set out by the US Congress, but it is here for the purpose of providing a valuable service to its citizens, which it does endeavor to do fairly within the restraints of federal regulation and oversight.
The real reason the USPS is losing money is because of a law enacted in 2006 by lawmakers that requires that Department to fund future retirement benefits (75 years into the future!) in such a way that no other federal program requires, nor do any private sector companies adhere to either.
In my opinion, it was totally asinine to create such a ridiculous rule for the US post office, but the purpose was clearly to force the USPS to either raise prices exponentially &/or force it to lose money so they (Congress) could make a case for disbanding this service to our citizens in hopes of privatizing it, which in turn would end up removing it from being a citizen-owned enterprise to a for-profit enterprise that could/would decrease services & increase costs, which invariably is what happens when public services are privatized. (My interpretation of the facts as evidenced by legislative attempts & actions over past decades.)
That is what is really going on with the USPS. Some lawmakers want it to fail so they found a way to make that happen with total disregard to what is right or fair or for their actual constituents.
I am not saying this for any political reason, but merely to educate those who don't understand what is going on and why your statement is based on insufficient knowledge of the facts.
No, not legally. At least not the Priority mail boxes. And not the boxes used for sorting mail or for use by Non-Profit mail. This question has been addressed in the past. Read the statement written on the boxes themselves.
See also: https://faq.usps.com/s/article/How-do-I-Use-or-Reuse-Boxes-Properly
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user 49910
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I agree with the above statement to some degree, however the USPS has been losing money for decades. One of the major reasons is the junk mail rate the USPS charges. Look at how much junk mail each household receives on a weekly basis. The postal carriers do not like handling it as it slows them down, etc., but the reason it's there is because of the ridiculously low rate that is charged to the customer. Other than helping to start a charcoal fire starter, the only other use for this voluminous amount of printed colored paper is to scrunch it into balls and use it for padding INSIDE the USPS Priority Mailing boxes. Compare the weight of the junk mail, especially the big tabloid-style ads to the first class mail. It was an eye-opener for me.
I know there are some who are the "Couponing" type of person... yet those are usually few and far between.
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