Thread: USPS Shipping Boxes

https://shop.usps.com/webapp/wcs/sto...WT.ac=10001641

The link above is the store section of the USPS website. I found this yesterday and I was shocked. I've been buying these small flat rate boxes for the last 6 months at the post office for about $5 each. I find this website and they deliver a pack of 10 or 25 boxes to you for free, no shipping cost either.

I still have a few days to see if they actually show up or not but I'm not happy that I've been buying these from the same "company" who gives them away. Why did no one there tell me?


If the link doesn't work for you, go to USPS.com, on one of the top bars click "buy stamps and shop" then click the box in the middle of the page that says "for mailing & shipping." From there you can pick from a number of different options, I chose "flat rate" to view the small flat rate box that many use for shipping razors.

The boxes are free. The $5.20 you've been paying is for the postage. When your boxes are delivered, you'll still have to pay the same $5.20 to ship the items when you take them to the post office.

nope, I've been paying for the boxes then taking them home and printing a shipping label through Paypal. Overall it's been costing me about $11 to ship something, freaking post office

I think the people at my post office have been ripping me off and pocketing my money.

Something's not right there. The postage is supposed to be included when you get the box. My post office has always given me the box and charged me for the postage when I mail it.

I know a lot of people would get the box from the post office and then wrap it in brown paper so they could ship it cheaper. Maybe the post office caught on and is now making folks pay for the boxes (postage) up front?

I mailed out a razor to be honed a few weeks ago...cost just under $5 all told. Member received the package the next day

Originally Posted by ats200

I think the people at my post office have been ripping me off and pocketing my money.

I do not see how is that possible sinc eeverything goes trough a cash register?

Something is fishy. You go in to the PO, grab a box and walk out. Then you pack it and take it back. Pay the money then. I'm not sure how you're getting charged twice.........

I think the post office sells some boxes, envelopes and other packaging materials, but the ones designated for priority and express mail are and have always been free whether you order them shipped to your door, or you pick them at the post office.
I think I saw a postage paid flat rate packaging as well, so you don't have to put extra stamps or pay separately for the shipping, but not 100% sure.

Also you cannot use the usps address labels and tape that says priority/express on it for non priority/express packages, if you do you'll either be charged the priority mail rate, or you'll have to remove it and use regular label/tape.

There are better box/shipping options anyway. I use boxes from Uline - they are much stronger, don't rip/tear/crush, and, though they cost me $.50 each, they are typically $2 for USPS First Class. It's barely slower than Priority. Then again, they have to be bought 100 at a time... not ideal for the average person.

Originally Posted by medicevans

Something is fishy. You go in to the PO, grab a box and walk out. Then you pack it and take it back. Pay the money then. I'm not sure how you're getting charged twice.........

Do not grab and walk out!

Ask the man behind the counter or even make a phone call.

Wrap the razor in opaque craft paper, bring bubble wrap
tape and an address label fill the box. Tape it closed
address it and take it to the counter.

I think what is happening is the label has
a postage binary code on it that becomes additive to
the box. Because you print the postage on the
label it has to be paid for and so does the box.