Cost effective shipping methods and First Class vs Parcel Post?

[babystarz]

 I've only ever used recycled priority mail boxes, so I disagree that it's a "slap in the face" to the post office, at least after the first use. The boxes are presumably paid for in the first shipment. But if post offices elsewhere are opening them and checking, I guess I can't recycle them any more as I wouldn't want to stick a buyer with paying fees.

[Breyer600]

Use First Class for anything weighing 13 oz. or under (there's also a size limit but that's usually not an issue for ponies).  I wouldn't use Parcel Post at all - the estimated delivery time may only be within a day or two of Priority but it can take much, much longer - nearly a month the one time I did use it, and it's known for rougher handling of packages.  For lighter weight packages, the difference in price is minimal anyway.  If a package is over 3 lbs. or over 1 cubic foot in size (triggers the "balloon rate"), I always check into FedEx and UPS as alternatives.  I do always check with the buyer to make sure those are OK by them since some people have trouble receiving packages through those.  This is only for within the US though - international is another matter altogether.
 
You've already gotten good advice about packing materials, but I'll add Sam's Club as another place to check for padded envelopes.  I also recommend not using Priority boxes for anything other than Priority shipping - if you get caught they will charge you the full Priority cost.  (Whether they'll actually check or even care is probably dependent on your local office though.)
 
 

[mshesha]

Thanks ristvak and breyer600 for answering the First class vs parcel post question.
Regarding priority boxes: I bought a playset online and the seller took one of the mailing boxes from the post office that are the same size as the medium flat rate priority boxes, cut it in half and paid exact priority mail postage , not the flat rate. Is that still legit ? I thought it was genius!

[RockinPrettyBeats]

Just wanted to second everything Emery said. They will find out and it is kind of wrong if you try to use Priority boxes for something other than priority mail. They give the free boxes so you use the more expensive service that they provide.

So please don't do that everyone.

[KiwiSquirtBottle]

My understanding of what babystarz posted may be different, but it's a similar vein of questioning....

If I get mail in a priority box in the mail from someone, and turn it inside out/slap brown craft paper on it/whatever, is it okay to reuse the box and use it to send stuff to someone else?

[Breyer600]

My understanding of what babystarz posted may be different, but it's a similar vein of questioning....

If I get mail in a priority box in the mail from someone, and turn it inside out/slap brown craft paper on it/whatever, is it okay to reuse the box and use it to send stuff to someone else?

Unfortunately, the Post Office will still take issue with that even if the box has obviously been previously used.   
 

Regarding priority boxes: I bought a playset online and the seller took one of the mailing boxes from the post office that are the same size as the medium flat rate priority boxes, cut it in half and paid exact priority mail postage , not the flat rate. Is that still legit ? I thought it was genius!

If it was an actual flat rate box - I don't know.  Since it is no longer the size the flat rate was meant for and since it still went Priority, it's probably OK but I would avoid it just in case they do have a problem with it.  If it was one of the plain Priority boxes, I don't see that there would be any issue with that as long as it still ships Priority.
 
 

[babystarz]

My understanding of what babystarz posted may be different, but it's a similar vein of questioning....

If I get mail in a priority box in the mail from someone, and turn it inside out/slap brown craft paper on it/whatever, is it okay to reuse the box and use it to send stuff to someone else?

Sadly, it sounds like even this could be a problem, although I have received boxes this way. Which makes me really bummed, because like I said, I really want to reduce my carbon footprint and reusing is even better than sending boxes to be broken down and recycled, but I guess we'll have to find a different source for boxes to reuse. The idea about asking stores for their old boxes sounds like a good one for this!

[mshesha]

My understanding of what babystarz posted may be different, but it's a similar vein of questioning....

If I get mail in a priority box in the mail from someone, and turn it inside out/slap brown craft paper on it/whatever, is it okay to reuse the box and use it to send stuff to someone else?

Unfortunately, the Post Office will still take issue with that even if the box has obviously been previously used.   
 

Regarding priority boxes: I bought a playset online and the seller took one of the mailing boxes from the post office that are the same size as the medium flat rate priority boxes, cut it in half and paid exact priority mail postage , not the flat rate. Is that still legit ? I thought it was genius!

If it was an actual flat rate box - I don't know.  Since it is no longer the size the flat rate was meant for and since it still went Priority, it's probably OK but I would avoid it just in case they do have a problem with it.  If it was one of the plain Priority boxes, I don't see that there would be any issue with that as long as it still ships Priority.

It was one of the plain ones, not the kind that say "flat rate" not like the ones USPS mail to your house, but the ones you have to get from the P.O. yourself. .. I hope she recycled the rest of the box.  Anyways, I don't think I'll be doing this (custom box). Sounds risky.

[ponylady]

In my opinion it's not worth the risk.
 
There are alot of online stores that offer boxes, mailers, etc. in bulk at a pretty good price.  And there is always the option of checking your local stores and asking them to keep boxes for you.  I don't think they mind as long as you come and pick them up on a regular bases.

[FantasticFirefly]

On the bright side, that type of paper product is highly recyclable. (when I was in Ontario, many of the things we would recycle, would end up in the trash anyway. some plastics even though marked because they were tinted/coloured wouldn't get recycled. etc.) But corrugate and pop cans are two things that really make sense to recycle in the cost/energy used to process them.

Grocery stores are an excellent place to request boxes. FYI, the boxes that things like mouthwash/shampoo arrive in are usually super sturdy. And, on the smaller side. Pretty much anything coming out of the beauty isle would be more ideal for pony mailing.