Comments on: DIY Packaging When Selling Your Stuff

By: Cathy

Cathy — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 19:28:52 +0000

Seriously? Wow! I probably would have done the same thing!

I don’t have a priority mail box laying around here. Could you flip it inside out? Well, if it’s a federal offense, you shouldn’t do it! Harsh!

By: Stephanie PTY

Stephanie PTY — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 19:09:52 +0000

Lesson learned today: (and it seems obvious after-the-fact) Do not use old, used Priority Mail boxes for this. Those are what I had lying around, and I had three books (all the same book, but going to different people) to ship, and two priority mail boxes, and one other box. I thought, “perfect size!” and cut up and folded the boxes. Only to have USPS tell me I can’t use old Priority Mail boxes to ship – it’s federal offense, unless I pay and send them Priority Mail.

As I said, it seems obvious now – they have no way of telling if the box is a used one or not, so they have to have this rule… but I’m still pretty steamed. I have to completely open up the boxes I made, recycle the cardboard, and somewhere, somehow find more cardboard to send these books. And time is a limiting factor, here…

I wish I had realized it, you know, before I did everything and drove to the post office. I guess I’m mostly furious at myself, but a little bit at the post office, too. I mean, come on – it’s not like I’m a huge ebay-er trying to do this every day. I certainly won’t do it again, so I wish they would just give me a stern warning and send it anyway!

By: Cathy

Cathy — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 23:45:23 +0000

Thanks, Rich! I usually have big boxes and hate buying packing filler. It looks pretty professional with an online printed packing label from the USPS.

By: Rich Lykyu

Rich Lykyu — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:01:00 +0000

Hey that is a pretty snazzy method you have their. I usually just take an old box and jam it full of the foam peanuts I have left from my last newegg purchase.