usps flat rate is changing . the prices change to meet the different zones being shipped to . I guess flat rate does not mean flat rate
even shipping through paypal goes that route now .E-bay went up to 11% now. envelopes for shipping first class.seem higher to me
prices for shipping now come close to value of tools being shipped.  bob w.

Quote from: amertrac on August 12, 2011, 05:07:11 AM
usps flat rate is changing . the prices change to meet the different zones being shipped to . I guess flat rate does not mean flat rate
even shipping through paypal goes that route now .E-bay went up to 11% now. envelopes for shipping first class.seem higher to me
prices for shipping now come close to value of tools being shipped.  bob w.

Bob,
I don't think you are correct (I could be wrong) Regular Priority Mail prices go by zone and weight. Ther is also something called Priority "Regional" rate which no one I've talked to knows anything about. Maybe that's what you mean. Flat rate is still flat rate for now.

BTW There's a large flat rate box which is not widely known. It's called a Board Game Large flat rate box, and it's 23 11/16" x 11 3/4" x 3". You can fit a hell of a lot inside up to 70 pounds.

There is a new "Regional Rate" set of boxes, you can get them free from usps.com, along with a rate chart. The Flat Rate boxes are still good. Regional rate has a much lower weight limit.

Papaw is correct. below is a list of the new regional flat rate boxes that (cost varies by zones). Because I live about in the middle of the USA the postage using the regional boxes is usually cheaper than the old flat rate boxes.

The Four Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes
Remember, Regional Rates are only available to commercial customers or those using online postage - you can't get these rates at the post office window ("retail").

Priority Mail Regional Rate Box A - Side Loading (15-pound maximum weight)
Inside Dimensions: 10 15/16" x 2 3/8" x 12 13/ 16"
Outside Dimensions: 11 1/16" x 2 1/2" x 13 1/16"

Priority Mail Regional Rate Box A - Top Loading (15-pound maximum weight)
Inside Dimensions: 10" x 7" x 4 3/4"
Outside Dimensions: 10 1/8" x 7 1/8" x 5"

Priority Mail Regional Rate Box B - Side Loading (20-pound maximum weight)
Inside Dimensions: 14 3/8" x 2 2/8" x 15 7/8"
Outside Dimensions: 14 1/2" x 3" x 16 1/4"

Priority Mail Regional Rate Box B - Top Loading (20-pound maximum weight)
Inside Dimensions: 12" x 10 1/4" x 5"
Outside Dimensions: 12 1/4" x 10 1/2" x 5 1/2"

Eddie, Where do you get the large flat rate boxes? I can't seem to find them on line.

Quote from: Bus on August 12, 2011, 08:47:10 AM
Eddie, Where do you get the large flat rate boxes? I can't seem to find them on line.

Eddie, Never mind. I found them at:


https://shop.usps.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10052&catalogId=10001&productId=10007423&parent_category_rn=&orderItemId=230654556&rn=OrderItemDisplay 

I also just found out about "forever" flat rate envelops and boxes:

"Updated 5/11/11: Prepaid Forever Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes [You buy them at usps.com or at a local post office with a minimum purchase.]

New "Forever Priority Mail" prepaid boxes and envelopes now available.  Pay once and use whenever.  You buy at retail price now, and if the rates go up, it does not matter as your prepaid Priority Mail postage is good forever for use in domestic shipping!  Plus you get free Delivery Confirmation.

Here are the package details and sizes available:
1 Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Box (currently $5.20) – O-SFRB - Size: 8 5/8" x 5 3/8" x 1 5/8"
2 Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate Box (currently $10.95) – O-FRB1 "cube style" - Size: 11" x 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"
3 Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate Box (currently $10.95) – O-FRB2 "shirt style" - Size: 13 5/8" x 11 7/8" x 3 3/8"
4 Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Box (currently $14.95) – O-LFRB - Size: 12" x 12" x 5 1/2"

Prepaid Forever Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelopes
5 Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope (currently $4.95) – EP14F - Size: 12 1/2" x 9 1/2"
6 Priority Mail Legal Flat Rate Envelope (currently $4.95) – EP14L - Size: 15" x 9 1/2"
7 Priority Mail Padded Flat Rate Envelope (currently $4.95) – EP14PE - Size: 12 1/2" x 9 1/2""

Very interesting!

If you have something that is fragile you can get the bubble wrap style flat rate evelopes on line.

Dan

Bus

I found out about the board game boxes last month when I received one that contained a 3/4" ratchet, breaker bar, 2 extensions and 8 or 9 sockets. The box was bent when someone tried to pick it up from the light end (the sockets were wrapped together near the bottom.) If you use it to ship, make sure it first put the tools in a smaller box or between 2 pieces of taped cardboard to give it some extra strength.

No offense to anyone but I dont think the post office charges enough, imagine carrying a letter clear across the country for the price of a stamp. I am gratefull for the post office, it is the only goverment entity where I dont feel I am getting bent over  so I never understand why anyone would complain on the measley rates they ask just to ship a box
Aaron just sent me some pliers, I have no idea how many and at this point am afraid to ask but they charged less than 3 dollars to put them at my doorstep and that includes a tracking # and maybe insurance. I wouldnt carry a pair of pliers down to the end of the street for 3 dollars.

>I wouldnt carry a pair of pliers down to the end of the street for 3 dollars.

Neither can the post office, they are 2.2 Billion dollars in the red, and talking about layoffs....

Perhaps agreeing to ship 70 pound boxes of steel wrenches across the country for $3 wasn't the best possible business decision.....

Quote from: rusty on August 12, 2011, 07:08:20 PM
>I wouldnt carry a pair of pliers down to the end of the street for 3 dollars.

Neither can the post office, they are 2.2 Billion dollars in the red, and talking about layoffs....

Perhaps agreeing to ship 70 pound boxes of steel wrenches across the country for $3 wasn't the best possible business decision.....

Hey Rusty, even the post office isn't that stupid, they charge $14.95.

Priority boxes are one of the few profitmakers for the P.O.  They are handled by machine other than when they cross the counter, load into the delivery truck and are delivered by the carrier.  They are in a seperate mailstream from everything else as well.

The P.O. wouldn't be loosing money if they didn't have so many executive and manager bonuses, and quit making deals with bulk mailers such at the power company and the phone company.

It still remains an amazing operation when you consider the volume delivered by a large group of semi literate people.

Yes I know they have been in the red for many years and to ship 70 pounds of wrenches for 15 dollars again sounds to me like a faor deal, because of the volume they do maybe much more than 15 I might start complaining.
I agree 100 percent with this statement and it will add that it all starts at the top..........The P.O. wouldn't be loosing money if they didn't have so many executive and manager bonuses, and quit making deals with bulk mailers such at the power company and the phone company

Quote from: Aunt Phil on August 13, 2011, 01:41:40 AM

It still remains an amazing operation when you consider the volume delivered by a large group of semi literate people.

Ouch, that's a nasty generalization there. Did your mailman bite your dog?
The various 'literacy studies'  over the years have shown the literacy of the entire U.S. adult population to be a national embarrassment. Just curious why you single out the mail carriers.