Shortages on small flat rate boxes

[sheepdog]

My Post office is always out. Its causing my outbound shipments to stack up. Anyone else see this in their area?

[Idaho_Elk_Huntr]

Go online and order and they will ship them right to you door for free. I get 250 at a time with no problems

[Idaho_Elk_Huntr]

https://shop.usps.com/webapp/wcs/sto...WT.ac=10000036

[44fanatic]

I just picked up a couple today. Didnt have any on the normal display, these were stuck in the corner. Last week at another post office, they didnt have any.

[mike in co]

what they said......and do the postage on line...drop off at po or arrange a pickup at your house...
and its cheaper( free del conf)


mike in co

[dbldblu]

You don't have to use the post office's boxes for priority mail. In fact, a similarly sized box that you supply will be a little cheaper.

[mooman76]

I just ordered and got them for where I work. It takes a couple weeks but they are free.

dbldblu We are talking about small flat rate boxes. They are one price any weight so they are cheaper if you have a pound or more.

[DLCTEX]

Our PO was out of them the last time I needed one, about a month ago.

[bohokii]

You don't have to use the post office's boxes for priority mail. In fact, a similarly sized box that you supply will be a little cheaper.

you must not understand the purpose of "flat rate"

[Buckshot]

You don't have to use the post office's boxes for priority mail. In fact, a similarly sized box that you supply will be a little cheaper.

.............A 13oz item that fits in a Small FLAT RATE Priority Mail box ships to all 50 states with online postage for $4.80 + free del confirmation. A regular Priority mail box costs like $10.45.

..............Buckshot

[mike in co]

You don't have to use the post office's boxes for priority mail. In fact, a similarly sized box that you supply will be a little cheaper.

but you pay for the box and will be limited on where you can ship for less...then it cost more.

flat rate baxes are free from the po ...they deliver them ans will pickup at no cost.

paying on line is cheaper than at the po.


so i just dont see your point.

[dbldblu]

My point is . . .
the post office being out of flat rate boxes would not be a problem for me. I would use my own box, use priority mail and I would expect it to be 20 maybe 30 cents cheaper than if I used one of the USPS boxes. They charge according to the dimensions of the box, not the weight. I am not limited on where I can ship. There is nothing special about the USPS boxes. At least that has been my experience at my post office.

[mike in co]

My point is . . .
the post office being out of flat rate boxes would not be a problem for me. I would use my own box, use priority mail and I would expect it to be 20 maybe 30 cents cheaper than if I used one of the USPS boxes. They charge according to the dimensions of the box, not the weight. I am not limited on where I can ship. There is nothing special about the USPS boxes. At least that has been my experience at my post office.

where have you been sleeping???

read our lips...you have been told several times

USPS FLAT RATE BOXES
FREE, DELIVERED TO YOUR HOUSE FOR FREE
PICKUP AT YOUR HOUSE FREE( if you do postage online...which is cheaper still)
and the fee to ship A FLATE RATE BOX IS CHEAPER THAN COUNTER RATES.

no, all is done by weight and zip...unless very large...which we are not talking about.


so you pay for the box, you do not get flate rate pricing, and you think it will be cheaper ??

wake up...

[BCall]

Sorry, a flat rate box is not necessarily cheaper than regular pricing. It really depends on what you are shipping. If an item is bulky, but light, then not using a flat rate box is cheaper.

As an example, I shipped 2 items today. If I had used a medium flat rate box, it would have cost me about $10.50 to ship each of them. I recycled boxes that I saved when something was shipped to me. Neither would fit in a small flat rate box. First item was right at a pound, shipped to east coast, cost- $5.24.

Second box weighed 1 lb 8 oz, shipped to California from MO. Cost- about $7. By using recycled boxes, I saved at least $8 in shipping. The box was free by recycling boxes I had received. I could have used flat rate boxes, but that would have required the buyers to pay the extra in shipping. This was cheaper and is still priority, so it still gets there in 2-3 days.

Don't assume that the flat rate box is the cheapest. Yes. if you are shipping a heavy item, or shipping it across several time zones, or to Alaska or Hawaii, a flat rate box is usually cheaper. But for a bulky lightweight item, flat rate boxes are often not the cheapest rate for priority. If you go to usps.com, you can calculate shipping costs on any box. Put in size and weight, from what zip code to what zip code, and it will tell you what all of the rates are.

As an aside, you can order priority mail boxes from usps.com that are NOT flat rate boxes, but they are still FREE. They have several more sizes than the flat rate boxes. I often use the 6x6x7 size box. I recently shipped a powder measure in one that was about 2 pounds(an older Bonanza measure), cost-about $7, still saved $3+ over flat rate. These are still free priority mail boxes, you just pay by weight instead of a flat rate.

Taking a little time and calculating shipping costs can save quite a few dollars that can add up. JMHO, Billy

Oh yeah, you can still print shipping on line, schedule a FREE pickup, and get free delivery confirmation by printing your postage on line. Those services are not limited to flat rate boxes. If you don't believe me, check it out at usps.com.

[smokemjoe]

I have taken the flat rate $4 .95 box, added more to make the sides stronger on the inside and filled them full of cast bullets, Like 200- 330 gr. bullets, If you go overseas you
had better stay under the wt. as stated, and mailed for $4.95 ,

[HangFireW8]

Sorry, a flat rate box is not necessarily cheaper than regular pricing. It really depends on what you are shipping. If an item is bulky, but light, then not using a flat rate box is cheaper.

I use this fact when selling on eBay. I charge "flat rate/Priority" to the buyer, and then send Priority by weight. The savings go towards gas to the P.O., packing paper, and my retirement. I have zero guilt due to a.) it's all up front and b.) I'm not selling a 99 cent item worth nothing with a $25 shipping fee like the Power Sellers.

The fact is, though, most people on this board are fans of Flat Rate because it is the cheapest way to ship Lead (the element), and it gets there in 2-3 days (most times).

-HF

[BCall]

The fact is, though, most people on this board are fans of Flat Rate because it is the cheapest way to ship Lead (the element), and it gets there in 2-3 days (most times).

-HF

I'd have to agree. Not only is it the cheapest way to ship lead, large lots of brass are shipped cheapest this way usually. Thanks, Billy

[mike in co]

yes...there is other processes than flat rate.
yes it works......
but
i have had no issues when shipping with priority mail, flate rate and delivery confirmation.

but i have heard horror stories from people using those other methods...


and ues i typically am shipping brass, gun stuff.

and the buyer always knows what his shipping costs.....no need to calulate and hope for the best that the package does not go over weight/size.


i dont whip a ton anymore.....

mike in co

[mike in co]

My point is . . .
the post office being out of flat rate boxes would not be a problem for me. I would use my own box, use priority mail and I would expect it to be 20 maybe 30 cents cheaper than if I used one of the USPS boxes. They charge according to the dimensions of the box, not the weight. I am not limited on where I can ship. There is nothing special about the USPS boxes. At least that has been my experience at my post office.

ok ...the problem with your assumtion is you do not know what he was shipping, where it was going, so it impossible for you to claim it would be cheaper.

i print my postage and shipping label at home, the usps delivered my supplies for free, they pick up my packages at my house.
time invested standing in line at the post office..ZERO.
MY TIME IS VALUABLE, how much is yours worth ??

what does the " I am not limited on where I can ship" have do do with this subject?

no different rules for priority mail with or without a priority box .


yes the boxes are special..they are free....

[lawboy]

If your item is over 2lbs, flat rate is nearly always cheaper.