luvmy2bears
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posted on March 29, 2001 09:34:39 AM new
I was told that priority mail supplies can be gotten for free at USPS's website, with no shipping charge either. So I went there all excited to get FREE boxes n stuff. But when I got there, this is what it says:
"You can order Priority Mail®, Express Mail®, Global Priority Mail®, and Global Express Guaranteed® shipping supplies here. The supplies will be sent to you at no additional charge.
Priority Mail® 10 Packs are available by calling 1-800-THE-USPS, Ext 1323. For $39.50, the cost of postage, we will send you 10 flat rate Priority Mail® envelopes ready for mailing. Our flat rate lets you ship a package of any weight (provided your shipment does not expand the pre-paid envelope beyond its normal design) for just $3.95."
Looks like they are free, but you do pay the shiping, right? Well, I decided to register. And they didn't ask for any payment info at all (credit card, check, cash). So went ahead and placed an order. Then the next screen said "Your order has been placed and will be shipped to: my address. Still no mention of payment info.
So are they truley free with no shipping charge even? Or will they ask for $$$ when the supplies arrive?
Has anyone done this before?
Thanks, luv 
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lanefamily
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posted on March 29, 2001 09:41:05 AM new
Yes, many times. As long as your getting the supplies and not the prepaid stuff it is totally free delivered to your door.
Remember now they are free as long as you ship priority mail in them. You get caught shipping other methods or turning them inside out and shipping cheaper rates it is called Jail.
Jim
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Zazzie
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posted on March 29, 2001 09:43:35 AM new
They are just explaining that when YOU use the Flat Rate envelopes to ship something-- they will only cost $3.95 to ship an item in them as long as you don't 'overexpand' their size limitation.
There is no cost for you to receive a supply of them from USPS
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kyriaki
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posted on March 29, 2001 09:47:47 AM new
"Remember now they are free as long as you ship priority mail in them. You get caught shipping other methods or turning them inside out and shipping cheaper rates it is called Jail."
Not at my post office it isn't called jail - they suggest turning the boxes and tyvec envelopes inside out if you need to!!!!!
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lanefamily
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posted on March 29, 2001 09:53:58 AM new
Hahahaha I do not know of anyone going to jail for this. I get these little cards from them to sign making sure I am using them for that purpose. They claim it is a federal offence if I use them for any other purpose.
I am still calming down from PayPal sending my customers e-mails on my behalf that I did not ask for. Was a little high strung there.
I will post more when I find it.
Jim
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airguy
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posted on March 29, 2001 10:04:44 AM new
I use to turn the small mailers inside out until I had a lady complain that her package came with postage due. they upgraded it to priority mail, stuck a priority mail sticker on the package, and charged her the difference which was something like 1.25 if I remember right. that was only one in about a few hundred that I had shipped, after that I stopped and I haven't done it again.
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luvmy2bears
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posted on March 29, 2001 10:05:44 AM new
Ok, PHEEEW!
Good to hear. Thank you!
kyriaki:
REALLY! My post office would never say that. However I have done it on occasion, and they didn't say anything. They just smiled and looked the other way.
But I wouldn't reccomend it. I did have an item sent me in a Tyvek turned inside out. I got a little slip that said I had a package at the post office to pick up. Which is weird because we have one of those big mail boxes with a key, specifically for packages. So I went in to get it, and it was the inside out Tyvek with a small item inside. Cost to ship: $1.19. But in order to pick it up I had to pay the differance of $2.31, so that the correct priority mail amount was paid, because it was in a priority envelope.
Edited to add: yep airguy, that's exactly what I'm talking about 
[ edited by luvmy2bears on Mar 29, 2001 10:07 AM ]
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wbmodrrsupaolcom
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posted on March 29, 2001 10:07:15 AM new
I have seen this happen twice, where somebody tried to ship a non Priority package with the box inside out, and the postal worker made them pay Priority rate. She was following a memo issued by the Postmaster General that they are supposed to enforce this. They are looking for any way to increase revenue....and this is one of them.
The postal worker seemed to get a kick out of doing this to the unsuspecting cheat, I kind of found it funny also.
James
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RainyBear
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posted on March 29, 2001 10:07:33 AM new
The ones that are $39.50 are a ten-pack of priority mail envelopes with postage already on them.
Priority boxes and envelopes which don't already have postage on them are, indeed, free.
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Zazzie
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posted on March 29, 2001 10:19:52 AM new
luvmy---I've received packages from people who have turned a priority box inside out. They were allowed to do it---but somebody at the main distribution centre recognized it as a Priority Box and tacked on Postage Due for me to pay---and had it go by that service rather than the Media Mail that .
Clerks at my post office says if they can't identify the inside out boxes they won't put catch-em & add on the postage due
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upriver
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posted on March 29, 2001 10:46:07 AM new
Wow, I guess we Canadians are lucky -- I didn't realize the reason the prisons in California were filled with so many prisoners, was with eBay'ers who have been turning priority mail boxes inside out.
(Just my little LOL, no bashes intended...)
~ ~
* *
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===
(Added because I'm too lazy right now to make smilies & still play Pong on my computer)
[ edited by upriver on Mar 29, 2001 10:46 AM ]
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jrb3
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posted on March 29, 2001 12:47:26 PM new
I have received several postage due items I simply refuse delivery then seller needs to pay priority both ways.
I only do this when seller charges me a handling fee to cover "supplies"
Joe B
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peekaboostore
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posted on March 29, 2001 12:54:53 PM new
You can also order these online, which is much more convenient and it is completely free. After two orders they will send you a card to sign stating that you are using the boxes for shipping only. They used to give out large quantities of the good vcr size boxes at the post office, but I guess people were taking a bunch of them and recycling them, so they quit giving those out. Anyway, here is the link to order online http://supplies.usps.gov/
HTH
Rachel
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beachbound
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posted on March 29, 2001 01:45:15 PM new
I order mine by phone...just my preference and easier for me. They will give you a customer # for identification use with future orders. You may order Priority address labels preprinted with your return address...free also. I like them...saves using my address labels and gives the pkg a bit more professional look.
Charlotte
not beachbound on eBay
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luvmy2bears
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posted on March 29, 2001 02:10:54 PM new
RainyBear: OK, I get it now. Now I understand. Thank you!
jrb3: I didn't think of that. Good idea!
Beachbound: I didn't know that I could order preprinted lables. Hmmmmmmmmm I like it!
luv
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lanefamily
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posted on March 29, 2001 09:33:52 PM new
From the web site:
* Express Mail®, Priority Mail®, Global Priority Mail®, and Global Express Guaranteed® packaging is the property of the United States Postal Service and is provided solely for sending Express Mail®, Priority Mail®, Global Priority Mail®, and Global Express Guaranteed®. Misuse may be a violation of federal law.
Seeeee I was right, I was right, I was right.
Jim
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mikeselis
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posted on March 29, 2001 10:08:04 PM new
These materials are only intended for priority use. You think that you are getting free packaging but you really are not because the Post Office just passes the cost on to the customers. You wonder why in the last decade stamps have gone from $.25 to $.34, part of it is due to people taking advantage of "free" services the PO has. If you really need free boxes and shipping materials just go to the grocery store they have all kinds of boxes they will give you free because they otherwise will have to pay to have them hauled away.
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tim99
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posted on March 29, 2001 10:16:26 PM new
Free priority boxes, tape, labels etc is indeed very cool.
But another thing I have found useful is to use the bigger boxes they ship the boxes in for MY bigger items.
The postal folks get a kick out of it because on the side they say something to the effect of 'contains 25 #7 Priority boxes' when it really contains some odd shaped thing I would have had to by a $3 box for.
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scooterboy5
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posted on March 30, 2001 08:41:25 AM new
The last batch of priority boxes I got at the P.O. each has "USPS" stamped all over the inside in big letters.
They've caught on...
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