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Author Topic: Ingenious shipping method via USPS  (Read 2905 times)

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Offline Quarzac

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Ingenious shipping method via USPS
« on: Wed, 20 June 2012, 14:18:18 »
So today I received a package in a bubble mailer. It was pretty sizeable, and I had no idea what it was. So I opened the bubble mailer and found... a small flat rate box. Then it dawned on me- this eBay seller packaged my item in bubble wrap and boxed it, and then put it in a bubble mailer to save on shipping. Absolutely ingenious. Thought I'd throw the idea out there for anyone else. I'll likely be employing it for larger orders when I start shipping out my WYSE buy.
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Offline thegunner100

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Ingenious shipping method via USPS
« Reply #1 on: Wed, 20 June 2012, 14:22:39 »
The bubble mailer must have been pretty big to fit a small flat rate box. Could you show us a picture maybe?
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Offline mkawa

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Ingenious shipping method via USPS
« Reply #2 on: Wed, 20 June 2012, 15:15:18 »
back before they started printing the inside of flat rate boxes, i got a couple ebay packages that were just inverted flat rate boxes. now i wouldn't be suprised if they just covered the "FLAT RATE POSTAGE ONLY" printing with masking tape.

oh ebay...
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Offline WRXChris

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Ingenious shipping method via USPS
« Reply #3 on: Wed, 20 June 2012, 16:30:49 »
Technically this is stealing (Priority boxes are included in the cost of priority shipping, they aren't free), so I can't recommend it.  And since USPS essentially is run like a non-profit, the only way to pay for this type of theft is by raising rates for everyone; it's not coming out of some fat cat d-bag's pocket.

If you do choose to do this, be sure not to use Media Mail because it is subject to inspection.  Also, I wouldn't recommend doing a bulk shipment like this because if the postal employees catch on you will either have to repack every package or pay for priority shipping for all.
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Offline mkawa

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Ingenious shipping method via USPS
« Reply #4 on: Wed, 20 June 2012, 16:57:51 »
yah i've had multi-hundreds of dollars in photo equipment sent to me as media mail as well (in a disguised flat rate box no less!)

never underestimate how irrationally cheap some people are.
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Offline The_Ed

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Ingenious shipping method via USPS
« Reply #5 on: Wed, 20 June 2012, 17:20:26 »
Has anyone else gotten a butane tank in a bubble mailer? I have, and it surprised me. What if they accidentally dropped it? It could have exploded! It's not legal, bet hey the shipping was cheap.
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Offline mkawa

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« Reply #6 on: Wed, 20 June 2012, 17:30:35 »
was it also sent media mail? that would have been the ultimate postal arbitrage
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Offline The_Ed

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Ingenious shipping method via USPS
« Reply #7 on: Wed, 20 June 2012, 17:39:32 »
No, just a regular very large bubble mailer with a large butane tank in it. My local post office always asks about liquids, but apparently not the sellers. How could they not have known either? I mean it felt like a heavy tank and sloshed when I tipped it... I guess postal workers don't worry about the trivial things such as that...
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Offline Wildcard

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Ingenious shipping method via USPS
« Reply #8 on: Thu, 21 June 2012, 23:37:16 »
Quote from: The_Ed;618079
Has anyone else gotten a butane tank in a bubble mailer? I have, and it surprised me. What if they accidentally dropped it? It could have exploded! It's not legal, bet hey the shipping was cheap.

Wow, talk about dangerous and illegal. I'm amazed that made it via USPS.
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Offline mkawa

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« Reply #9 on: Sat, 23 June 2012, 18:59:00 »
Quote from: The_Ed;618102
No, just a regular very large bubble mailer with a large butane tank in it. My local post office always asks about liquids, but apparently not the sellers. How could they not have known either? I mean it felt like a heavy tank and sloshed when I tipped it... I guess postal workers don't worry about the trivial things such as that...
actually in my experience with USPS, postal workers are mostly concerned with getting your stuff from point to point without destroying or losing it. i've had better luck with them than UPS (large packages sent UPS _always_ have multiple holes and crush points in them at their endpoint)
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Offline Parak

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Ingenious shipping method via USPS
« Reply #10 on: Sat, 23 June 2012, 22:13:39 »
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Offline demik

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Ingenious shipping method via USPS
« Reply #11 on: Sat, 23 June 2012, 22:33:33 »
Quote from: RiffRaff;619185
Wow, talk about dangerous and illegal. I'm amazed that made it via USPS.

really? it IS the USPS. nothing amazes me when it comes to them
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Offline The_Ed

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Ingenious shipping method via USPS
« Reply #12 on: Sat, 23 June 2012, 22:42:31 »
I'm STILL using that same tank of butane too. It's been over 20 months. Which means that there aren't any leaks. And it was only $6.40 for shipping.
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Offline thegunner100

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Ingenious shipping method via USPS
« Reply #13 on: Sat, 23 June 2012, 23:10:03 »
Quote from: Parak;620571
Relevant: http://improbable.com/airchives/paperair/volume6/v6i4/postal-6-4.html


Thanks for the interesting read!

The article was written pre 9/11 though, so a lot of it won't apply to today's USPS.
« Last Edit: Sat, 23 June 2012, 23:21:07 by thegunner100 »
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