Originally posted by: dimwit
Go to ups.com & there's a page where you can request plain, brown, unstamped boxes
UPS charges for the plain boxes, the marked ones are free, very similar to the USPS free ones.
Originally posted by: ihatetigerdirect
Originally posted by: Cheetah8799
I send some stuff with these boxes flipped inside out to save a little on shipping costs (some can be flipped, others cant). Most post offices took them, but I did get told once that I couldn't do that... So YMMV, and it is technically an abuse of the system....
OMG - One guy was arrested the other day for this - not kidding. The clerk was like hold on... so like always... everyone in line is pissed off because the line goes out the door... Then a cop walks in and asks the dude a bunch of questions and they take him to the back. He flipped about half a dozen usps priority/express boxes... It's really easy to tell which boxes are usps ....
:Q
Originally posted by: fzj80
Originally posted by: ihatetigerdirect
Originally posted by: Cheetah8799
I send some stuff with these boxes flipped inside out to save a little on shipping costs (some can be flipped, others cant). Most post offices took them, but I did get told once that I couldn't do that... So YMMV, and it is technically an abuse of the system....
OMG - One guy was arrested the other day for this - not kidding. The clerk was like hold on... so like always... everyone in line is pissed off because the line goes out the door... Then a cop walks in and asks the dude a bunch of questions and they take him to the back. He flipped about half a dozen usps priority/express boxes... It's really easy to tell which boxes are usps ....
:Q
I wouldn't call that being arrested, he was questioned and undoubtedly released, not arrested. I would guess the normal "We could kick your ass right now, but if you promise not to do this again, we'll let you go" speech. They would have a hard time actually prosecuting you, since you are using their boxes for their service. You are just trying to use the cheaper service, but it's still THEIR service, not like you took the boxes to UPS or FedEx or something.
It is really cool they have these boxes for free, my local post office only ever has a few, and I feel bad going in there and taking all they have, so now I have way more than they have. The USPS tape sucks though, it's really thin, rips way to easily, I got a few rolls and won't even use it, to flimsy. Also they should give free clear tape since if you do the print the form online you need clear tape, not that stupid logo'd tape. Course everyone and their brother would be getting free clear tape.
Out...
Originally posted by: vegetation
Originally posted by: fzj80
Originally posted by: ihatetigerdirect
Originally posted by: Cheetah8799
I send some stuff with these boxes flipped inside out to save a little on shipping costs (some can be flipped, others cant). Most post offices took them, but I did get told once that I couldn't do that... So YMMV, and it is technically an abuse of the system....
OMG - One guy was arrested the other day for this - not kidding. The clerk was like hold on... so like always... everyone in line is pissed off because the line goes out the door... Then a cop walks in and asks the dude a bunch of questions and they take him to the back. He flipped about half a dozen usps priority/express boxes... It's really easy to tell which boxes are usps ....
:Q
I wouldn't call that being arrested, he was questioned and undoubtedly released, not arrested. I would guess the normal "We could kick your ass right now, but if you promise not to do this again, we'll let you go" speech. They would have a hard time actually prosecuting you, since you are using their boxes for their service. You are just trying to use the cheaper service, but it's still THEIR service, not like you took the boxes to UPS or FedEx or something.
It is really cool they have these boxes for free, my local post office only ever has a few, and I feel bad going in there and taking all they have, so now I have way more than they have. The USPS tape sucks though, it's really thin, rips way to easily, I got a few rolls and won't even use it, to flimsy. Also they should give free clear tape since if you do the print the form online you need clear tape, not that stupid logo'd tape. Course everyone and their brother would be getting free clear tape.
Out...
I doubt any of this is true. For one, it's totally out of jurisdiction of the local cops. The FBI isn't going to bother with anything like this, however postal inspectors would, but they would never walk in "on-call" just to apprehend someone flipping over a few boxes. Most likely this guy tried to use a fake check, showed fake id, or something to that nature where the local cops would be able to do something about it.
Originally posted by: jabbu
Try this
shop.usps.com/cgi-bin/vsbv/postal_store_non_ssl/display_products/productCategory.jsp?prodCat=/Shipping%20Supplies/Business%20Use/2.%20Priority%20Mail&prodCatCursor=0&passFlag=1
Originally posted by: fzj80
Originally posted by: ihatetigerdirect
Originally posted by: Cheetah8799
I send some stuff with these boxes flipped inside out to save a little on shipping costs (some can be flipped, others cant). Most post offices took them, but I did get told once that I couldn't do that... So YMMV, and it is technically an abuse of the system....
OMG - One guy was arrested the other day for this - not kidding. The clerk was like hold on... so like always... everyone in line is pissed off because the line goes out the door... Then a cop walks in and asks the dude a bunch of questions and they take him to the back. He flipped about half a dozen usps priority/express boxes... It's really easy to tell which boxes are usps ....
:Q
I wouldn't call that being arrested, he was questioned and undoubtedly released, not arrested. I would guess the normal "We could kick your ass right now, but if you promise not to do this again, we'll let you go" speech. They would have a hard time actually prosecuting you, since you are using their boxes for their service. You are just trying to use the cheaper service, but it's still THEIR service, not like you took the boxes to UPS or FedEx or something.
It is really cool they have these boxes for free, my local post office only ever has a few, and I feel bad going in there and taking all they have, so now I have way more than they have. The USPS tape sucks though, it's really thin, rips way to easily, I got a few rolls and won't even use it, to flimsy. Also they should give free clear tape since if you do the print the form online you need clear tape, not that stupid logo'd tape. Course everyone and their brother would be getting free clear tape.
Out...
Originally posted by: KrAzyWuLpH
I actually did this and got tape and boxes. From USPS
7 x 7 x 6 Boxes
12 x 12 x 8 Boxes
Rolls of tape
I got 50 rolls of tape, 25 small boxes and 25 larger ones, they came in about 2 and a half weeks and I didnt spend a penny.
Originally posted by: MonkeyWithAnUZI
I've seen/read/bookmarked this post, and it suddenly dawned on me...
Not to burst your bubbles, but you do realize this 'free' packaging is coming from the UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE. Federal Government? You do realize that the dollars for this supposedly free material is coming out of YOUR tax dollars?
Just thought I'd add
Not, not really. They may get some emergency aid every now and then (for example, to cope with the anthrax mailings a few years back) but otherwise the postal service is mostly self sufficient in that their operating budget comes from revenue. The money that they DO get from Congress pays for government provided social services and to deliver mail to those places out in the middle of nowhere.Originally posted by: MonkeyWithAnUZI
I've seen/read/bookmarked this post, and it suddenly dawned on me...
Not to burst your bubbles, but you do realize this 'free' packaging is coming from the UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE. Federal Government? You do realize that the dollars for this supposedly free material is coming out of YOUR tax dollars?
Just thought I'd add
Plus if you look up the text of the House appropriaton bills, they pretty much draw out how much and when, and for what that money can be used for.The USPS does get some taxpayer support. Around $96 million is budgeted annually by Congress for the "Postal Service Fund." These funds are used to compensate USPS for postage-free mailing for all legally blind persons and for mail-in election ballots sent from US citizens living overseas. A portion of the funds also pays USPS for providing address information to state and local child support enforcement agencies, and for keeping some rural posts offices in operation.