USPS Flat Rate Boxes

[donniej]

USPS offers several different sized boxes that are a single rate to ship, anywhere in the USA, regardless of weight. Has anyone used them? They seem like a great way to ship to customers. Do you have to take them to the post office or can you arrange pick up? If you have to take them to the post office, do you pay for them in advance and just drop them off or do you still have to stand in line to pay? I ask because the post offices in Philly suck and I'll ship via FedEx before I have to stand in line all day at the post office :wink:

Thanks!

 

[Tabitha]

I use the flat rates boxes most of the time. If you print hipping online you get a small discount (.50 cents on $10.00 med box I think). At my PO if you have correct postage you can hand them to the clerk w/o standing in line which rocks! They will pick them up for you as well. You can not alter the box in anyway. You can not cut it down or stuff a basket ball in it so it's no longer flat, etc.

 

[carillon]

You can really get your money's worth out of them if you load them up! I sent one box with 30lbs worth of stuff in it all the way to CA for under $10 using a flat rate box.

It's a good deal to print your postage online because as Tabitha says, it saves you .50¢ off of the regular price PLUS delivery confirmation is free. They will also pick up your boxes, but you can't ship anything liquid if they pick up.

 

[Val]

Where exactly do you print the labels online at?

Val

 

[Tabitha]

You can print at www.paypa.coml or www.usps.com .

Right about the liquid, because they need to hand stamp it liquid or fragile & the p/u doesn't carry the stampper thing.

 

[Val]

Thanks, I thought you could do it at paypal but seems they do not have the small box as a choice on the shipping methods. Has anyone ever went over the capacity of the small flat rate box when just selling soap?

Val

 

[Tabitha]

The post office originaly had only 1 size flat rate, the $10.00 box. It just added the lrg & the smll & paypal has not added those options to their menu. Maybe somenone needs ot tell paypal about the new sizes .

 

[xyxoxy]

Every post office in my area now has a 24 hour postage machine that includes a large drop box for packages. I have used it to mail packages at all hours. I'm pretty sure you can use them to ship the flat rate packages though I have not done that. Certain options like media mail are not available but for the most part you simply put your package on the scale and the computer walks you through the whole process including paying for postage, printing the postage sticker and telling you when to drop it in the box.

Just beats waiting in line.

 

[Tabitha]

After 911 it became part of National security for all boxes weighing over 14oz (I think) to be handed directly to a postal employee.

Are you sure you can drop boxes over 14oz in that machine? We lived in Dallas up untill 3 years ago & they had those at the larger locations but it was 14oz & under only.

I know things change, so I am just wondering.

 

[xyxoxy]

Are you sure you can drop boxes over 14oz in that machine? ...
I know things change, so I am just wondering.

I'm sure... I've used them as recently as a couple of months ago and I know some of my packages were a couple of pounds. It DOES have to fit in the mail drawer thingy which is (I'm guessing) about 30"x20"x20"? It's basically a large drawer with a lever. You drop the pkg in and push the lever to close it and the package drops through the wall into a bin.

It DOES ask you if the contents are Liquid, fragile,perishable etc... and you have to answer NO. I've never seen a weight restriction but it does ask you if the package will fit in the drawer. It also asks if you used any pre-printed USPS boxes... I just don't remember if that includes the flat rate boxes.

You can even do delivery receipts etc. The only other restriction I remember is that some of the cheaper mailing options are not available. I guess they don't want people sending everything media mail.

HTH

 

[Tabitha]

Interesting :wink: .

 

[Deda]

The Washington DC area post offices won't take packages over 14 oz in the box at the curb. You have to bring them in. You can have them picked up, that's much easier, and free.

 

[carillon]

No such thing as dropping anything over 14 ozs in mail boxes here either. You have to hand deliver them inside the PO.

The labels you print online are so convenient and I prefer to use Paypal to print mine, but like someone else said, they only offer the medium size flat rate box there, which is frustrating. It seems like it should be a simple trick to add the other sizes, but who knows what kind of government approval they would have to get before they could do it.

If you decide to print your labels online, beware that there's a section where it asks when you will ship the package. I think it's set for the current date by default, so if you won't make it to the PO that day, then you need to change it. Some PO's don't say anything if you print the postage one day and drop it off the next, but I've heard other people complain that at their PO the workers give them a hard time over it.

 

[bbkimberly]

I ordered my boxes online at usps.com- they even shipped FREE
I have 12 of the smallest boxes (which hold a couple of bars of soap) and the next size up, which holds a lot really.
I stuff it with that crinkle cut paper and biodegradable peanuts and voila!
It's ready to go and gets there quick, which clients like

 

[rubato456]

i use those automatic things at the post office ALL the time! and they are great! the weight restriction 14oz or under is only applicable if you use regular stamps, if you get the printed postage either on line or at one of those carousels, the limit is something like 70lbs!! i asked a worker at the post office to be sure. they confirmed this for me. i've mailed numerous boxes this way, way over 14 oz and never had a probl. and i love being able to do it 24/7. it rocks like you can't believe! it's the only way to go!

 

[gardengoat]

Not only do you get a discount on the regular postage of each size box; but you automatically get a delivery confirmation; which is an additional $0.70 if you purchase it over the counter.

 

[mandolyn]

I use the flat rate box that's $4.95. I can fit most of my orders in one of those boxes. I ordered the boxes on-line for free & they shipped for free as well.

 

[SilverMaple]

Has anyone come up with a low-cost way to ship one or two bars of soap or a body butter? I use the small flat-rate boxes most of the time (can fit 4-5 bars in) but my body butter is too fat and would need the medium box; which means shipping is too high unless someone orders several and/or multiple bars of soap with it.

I tried a 'trial mailing' with a bar of soap and a body butter to some friends, and all but one had significant damage to the items when shipped using a padded envelope...

Help?

 

[jennikate]

Hi My mom and I run a contract post office . Couple things cut off for blue boxes is 13 oz due to homeland security. Small flat rate box is about the size of a vcr tape. Med and Large are good if shipping some weight like 2lbs or more. Any less weight and flat rate costs more than by weight.

 

[jennikate]

silvermaple you could use reg brown box and send priority if it weights 16 oz or les still would be 4.95 or whatever discount is if getting label online.