Tips On Shipping (Mailing) Parcels

WB, yea, if your stupid printer was working!

There's free bubble mailers you can order too from the USPS website that hold more than the small box and are about the same price to ship

paxbrit, I do believe that he is referring to the used packing materials that he has already received his coins in and is there for recycling the old bubble line envelopes instead of throwing them away! Very smart and cost effective besides, why would anyone use a perfectly unused shipping envelope or box to cut up as filler

The post office does have priority boxes that are not flat rate that they do give away for free. In fact if you want a lot of them, they'll even deliver them to you for free. I would agree though that it's unethical to get them from the post office for free just to cut them up use for packaging. Used packaging that you've received though is fair game.

Crazyb0, while I ship USPS often here are some thoughts on the USPS as a general note for where I live.

First, thank you for the valuable information on shipping. I can certainly relate to all of that..

ok rant on..

Unfortunately for me, my mail carrier is about as incompetent as I've ever seen. This statement is also true for the Postmaster at the post office in my town. Routinely I get mail that is addressed correctly delivered to my address when it is not mine. I've had virtual wars with the post office over this and I no longer hand deliver or put the mail back in the box as mis-delivered. It is almost an everyday occurrence.

Secondly and routinely as I watch the tracking for packages I've purchased and have delivered a package will be marked 'out for delivery' only to never arrive. For years, no joke, years, I've had wars with the postmaster over this. Some of these are coin packages with high value items. When this occurs I call the postmaster to inform them that once again Joe Mailcarrier marked something 'out for delivery' only to not deliver it or deliver it to the wrong address.

I've reached a point where I actually have the personal cell phone number of the postmaster for incidents like this. While I don't want someone to lose their jobs I'm shocked that this individual is still employed and delivering my mail. The last time this occurred, I informed my postmaster that I will no longer call her but rather place a formal complaint with the USPS. This has put some additional pressure on her and this office and package deliveries have improved but still far from perfect.

It's an unfortunate reality that I have to deal with incompetence with my local post office. I absolutely refuse to ship with that office. The post office in the next town over is run so well that I travel to that town to make my shipments because I'm more certain that the package will actually be delivered.

Sigh... I just wish people would just take pride in their work...

Rant over..

Awesome Information! this is really helpful to know.

NSS, Use paper medical tape, enough stick to hold, very little residue and easy to remove...I hate staples, even on 2x2's, but that is unavoidable unless yoiu buy the expensive self-sticks. That is not cost effective in resale of the lower end stuff I sell. Now silver, or high $, wrap it like it was a baby! Most of these flips won't be used again, sadly, not in our throw away society!

You took that way to literally.... What I meant was that I have had many (way to many) civil discussions with the post office, the postmaster and the mail carrier. War was to strong a word. When all this began it was very civil. Once it reach ridiculous proportions I just stopped using them completely. I still have the issues of mis-delivered mail and packages that don't arrive when they should or at all. Now I just file a direct complaint with the USPS and let them battle the postmaster in my town.

As I said, I will travel to the next town over to make my shipments due to the incompetence of my towns post office.