Regional flat rate boxes

[Shawlerbrook]

Could someone explain where these are better(cheaper) than a standard flat rate box ? I understand that the A box is limited to 15#. Are the Regional boxes only cheaper when one needs to use a medium size box ? I use the sfrb mostly. Besides possibly the padded envelope, is there a Regional alternative that is cheaper than the standard sfrb ? Thanks in advance as the USPS website is about as clear as most government information.

[Bazoo]

Well I don't know bout the regional boxes, but I know just a normal package is cheaper lots of times. From ky to oh or va for example, a mould will ship cheaper in a regular box. No insurance, but with tracking.

I shipped a mould to Idaho a while back and it cost 15.00, so I repackaged it in a SFRB. In that instance, 'twas a savings.

[Omega]

I think it only matters if you are shipping close, and light. If it has to be a long way, then a flat rate would be better. I recently sent a regional box out to TX from TN and the cost would have been better as a flat rate, I could have fit more, and it wasn't all that heavy.

[gmsharps]

It all depends where it is going. I compare cost in a plain brown box and usually it just as cheap to go priority mail. The regional a or b boxes a lot of times are also cheaper. If you do click in ship on a regional box a or b sometimes it a couple of dollar’s cheaper. You need a good scale so as to get close to what the postal folks will weigh also.

[Handloader109]

All depends on what you are shipping, where you are shipping (distance) and what you want to accomplish. Regional is usually a buck or two cheaper than MFRB. But if shipping across the country, you aren't supposed to use. If you have a 15 or 20 pound box, Check Fedex and UPS if long distance. They can be cheaper than USPS.

[Springfield]

MFRB is almost 16.00. As long as I am under weight, like leather items, and don't ship more than halfway across the country a Regional box is closer to 10.00. 6 bucks is 6 bucks.

[Shawlerbrook]

Thank you for all the responses. You guys confirmed what I thought.

[higgins]

RR box rates are based on how far they go. Go to the USPS website and print a zone rate chart from your home zip code. Then go here and see if a RR box is advantageous, which they usually are unless your are shipping outside your region of the country. The "B" RR box is almost the size of a MFRB but only costs a little more than an A box. As stated, best for items that aren't too heavy.

https://pe.usps.com/cpim/ftp/manuals...DVlODBiZTVjYjQ.

[fatelk]

The A box is always cheaper than the MFRB, but the B box can be a lot more expensive if it goes very far.

The A box is great if you're shipping something kind of heavy but under 15 pounds, that fits in a box that size. Where the B box shines is shipping heavy stuff under 20 pounds, in a nearby region. I found that I could ship 20 lbs of brass several hundred miles for about the same cost as a SFRB. That same box cross-country though, is really expensive.

I use the A box quite a bit. It's typically $8 to $12 something, depending on region.

Another option is the padded flat-rate envelope. I don't put anything very heavy in them, though technically you can. I use them for things typically only a few pounds, but won't quite fit in a SFRB. They cost the same to ship as a SFRB.

[imashooter2]

Regional boxes are better when you calculate the price on the USPS site and it’s cheaper than a flat rate box. Most of it depends on distance. It is really hard to know without going on the site and checking.

[tomme boy]

They used to be really cheap till about 4 years ago. They rezoned all the states so now they are not really worth it unless it is going to a state connected to your state. That right after they started letting you pay for it at the post office. At first it was online only.