Boxes for shipping pens

[Stephen-I-am]

I'm looking for a box about the same size as a small priority mail box that you can get for free from the US post office. It has dimenstions of 8.625" x 5.375" x 1.625". The boxes are free, but you have to pay the more expensive priority mail postage.

 

I'm not sure if having to buy the box yourself is offset by the extra postage. Anyone do this calculation?

 

Stephen

[saturation]

I sent a package to Parker that way insured.

 

USPS cost me $15. UPS ground charged $16, both with tracking and insurance.

 

Both boxes are free.

 

I didn't have a UPS drop office nearby so USPS won.

 

I recently had to make my own box for an item to CA from NY. $33 versus $29, USPS vs UPS, insured with tracking.

Edited March 7, 2006 by saturation

[memphislawyer]

i love bubble mailers you get at walmart for like 70 cents, and i have tons of bubble wrap that i use inside of the bubble mailer

 

sam

[memphislawyer]

take the box home and deconstruct it. turn it inside out. ive had that done with shave gear, then take it and mail it parcel post

 

sam

[Elaine]

take the box home and deconstruct it. turn it inside out. ive had that done with shave gear, then take it and mail it parcel post

 

sam

Besides being illegal, you can't do that anymore because they now print USPS Priority mail on the flip side. I suppose you could wrap it in brown paper.

[Gatorade]

take the box home and deconstruct it.  turn it inside out.  ive had that done with shave gear, then take it and mail it parcel post

 

sam

Besides being illegal, you can't do that anymore because they now print USPS Priority mail on the flip side. I suppose you could wrap it in brown paper.

Beat me to it! I used to do that as well but now they are printed in bold black ink UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE PRIORITY MAIL. I actually got into an arguement with a teller after I preprinted a Priority label and the buyer declined Priority service. I cut the top off and stuck it on and she said she had to bill me Priority and wouldn't budge. I took it home and taped a paper to the outside and labeled it that way. Now even the labels have USPS watermark printing on them.

[KCat]

take the box home and deconstruct it.  turn it inside out.  ive had that done with shave gear, then take it and mail it parcel post

 

sam

Besides being illegal, you can't do that anymore because they now print USPS Priority mail on the flip side. I suppose you could wrap it in brown paper.

really? Are you referring to doing so with an unused Priority box? Because I can understand that. But I've reused priority boxes by wrapping them in brown paper or even putting them in a large envelope. At that point, the box is already paid for. that would seem silly to make that illegal.

[Apollo]

If you read the boxes, they state: This packaging is the property of the U.S Postal Service and is provided solely for use in sending Priority Mail. Misuse may be a violation of federal law.

 

The "main" post office in my town sells packaging supplies and small boxes that don't have the "Priority Mail" printing. I think they sell for under $1.50. I always mail pens via Priority Mail anyway, unless it's being shipped out of the country, but figure it out this way:

 

You can pick up a free small "Priority Mail" box and mail it via Priority Mail which will run you $4.05 (larger/heavier packages will cost more) without Delivery Confirmation. Add Delivery Confirmation and you're looking at $4.55 (without insurance). Your package will arrive at it's destination in 2-3 days.

 

Or, pay the $1.50 for the box and send it parcel post which will cost you an additional $3.95. Delivery Confirmation is another .60 cents. Your package will arrive at it's destination in 4 days average.

 

Or you could go the cheap way and discard the box all together by sending the pen in a small padded envelope and mailing it 1st class. Even with delivery confirmation it'll run you $1.47.

[memphislawyer]

well, i plead stupid because i just reused the boxes my shave stuff came in and i know one time they just inverted the white priority side and i just got the brown outside with my name on it mailed to me.

 

for a pen, it could easily fit into a bubble mailer and you can send it first class or parcel post and delivery confirmation for less than $2.00

 

sam

[garythepenman]

Hello, I'm not sure of the postal rules un the US but I guess you want protection for a pen should it get crushed or bent. Cut of lengths of 1" PVC pipe from your hardware store, wrap pen in acid free paper, insert in to pipe, tape the ends up, write address in permanent ink of tube and post. Also those "go faster" tubes of fizzy tablets make good pen boxes.

Gary

[KendallJ]

i love bubble mailers you get at walmart for like 70 cents, and i have tons of bubble wrap that i use inside of the bubble mailer

 

sam

The absolute least expensive mailer that I have used is a bubble envelope, with the pen tucked in bubble wrap inside a length of 3/4" PVC sch80 piping. I wrap the whole envelope in packing tape, and you're good to go. Total cost is about 75 cents.

 

Also, the package can be shipped as a first class letter. Rarely pay postage more than 1$. I have shipped overseas letter airmail as well. First class arrives almost in same time as Priority Mail.

[drifting]

The absolute least expensive mailer that I have used is a bubble envelope, with the pen tucked in bubble wrap inside a length of 3/4" PVC sch80 piping. I wrap the whole envelope in packing tape, and you're good to go.

I think the "wrapped in packing tape" bit is extremely important if you choose to use a bubble mailer with a chunk of PVC tubing in it. Or even with just bubble wrap. I received a pen from overseas not so long ago - it was well wrapped in bubble wrap inside a bubble mailer. When it got here there was a half inch tear along the top edge of the fold-over flap - luckily not large enough for the wrapped pen to slip out, but another day in the mail system, and who knows...? I've received a number of pens from overseas in the past few months , and I'm always happy to see them arrive in a box of some kind.

 

Ryan.

[Betty]

take the box home and deconstruct it.  turn it inside out.  ive had that done with shave gear, then take it and mail it parcel post

 

sam

Besides being illegal, you can't do that anymore because they now print USPS Priority mail on the flip side. I suppose you could wrap it in brown paper.

Or you can put that box into one of those priority mail bags (flipped over to see the white side). I see so many people mailing things with the bags turned over and the employees don't say a thing. There's so many other more illegal things; I don't consider this harmful to society They will however, really charge you priority if you use the priority label, even if it's cut out.