Beware of Using the “free” USPS Priority Boxes

Everyone has heard of postal workers going postal, but postal customers can also go postal, especially when dealing with unfair business practices of the USPS. The rates of postage have skyrocketed in recent years, and the USPS is getting stringent with the use of their economy shipping rates like Media Mail and Parcel Post. One aspect that most normal people wouldn’t even consider a problem is the box that is used when utilizing these cheaper methods.

When shipping something, it’s not always easy to find a box. The easiest and best way is reusing a box that someone else shipped something to you. That is all well and good, unless it’s a Priority box from the USPS. If the item will be sent using Priority, then there is no problem, but beware of trying to use it for Media or Parcel Post.

According to one sour faced postal worker, those boxes are given away for free because it is assumed that the customer will be using the box for the more expensive Priority mail shipping. We aren’t allowed to mark through Priority or even wrap the box in brown paper, because if it’s even suspected that there is a Priority box beneath the paper, they will charge you full price. That’s right, even if they suspect it, you will be charged the exorbitant higher fee.

It does not matter if that box is used, they will still expect the higher rate no matter how many times that “free” box is used. So basically, it’s like charging full price for a used item, and they consider that a fair way to do business. Well, this is one consumer that will be far less likely to use the post office to ship another package.