KYSIGN 233 Posted April 30, 2015 I don't normally ship small decals so I'm a little confused. How would you ship small 5" x 5" and 7" x 12" decals with tracking? Does the envelope have to be 3/4 inch thick or just rigid for package price? Can i use a 6" x 9" envelope as long as it is rigid or does it need to be larger? I don't want to anger the post office or surprise a customer with postage due. What envelopes do you recommend. I would want to order a large amount to keep costs down. Thank you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DCMoney 91 Posted April 30, 2015 When I searched this a while back people were putting a packing peanut in the envelope/mailer to get the 3/4" thickness required for tracking, without adding too much weight. For decals larger than 5x5 I use 9.75x12.75 rigid photo mailers, never a complaint. Anything larger and I would start loosely rolling them in a box or tube. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted April 30, 2015 yup - 90 [percent of my packing peanuts are used that way now Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeremySI 18 Posted April 30, 2015 I would print through paypal and get tracking or go to the post office and use the self service kiosk and select the 3/4" or rigid option that way I never had to deal with the postal clerk. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CajunCustom 29 Posted April 30, 2015 i used these for most of mine , i pick them up at walmart Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joker 618 Posted April 30, 2015 I will sandwich mine between 2 pieces of cardboard or coroplast pieces and insert into a envelope and print label off paypal.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pshawny 410 Posted April 30, 2015 I use 9x11.5 rigid photo mailers. $0.25/each. Then I don't have to worry about the postal system ruining my decals. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KYSIGN 233 Posted May 1, 2015 Thanks for the input everyone. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BannerJohn 1,324 Posted May 1, 2015 the 3/4 inch requirement was done away with a few years ago. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted May 1, 2015 the 3/4 inch requirement was done away with a few years ago. not according to my post office they will return mine every time without it . . .I seem to test them every once in a while and they remind me with the returned mail piece - but isn't it 1/4" or more for the ones with tracking and not 3/4"? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pshawny 410 Posted May 1, 2015 not according to my post office they will return mine every time without it . . .I seem to test them every once in a while and they remind me with the returned mail piece - but isn't it 1/4" or more for the ones with tracking and not 3/4"? I ship flat mailers as package/thick envelope w/ tracking all of the time. No issues with it at my post office. What did you do to anger the mail gods? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fustratedinhawaii 71 Posted May 1, 2015 not according to my post office they will return mine every time without it . . .I seem to test them every once in a while and they remind me with the returned mail piece - but isn't it 1/4" or more for the ones with tracking and not 3/4"? Guess they haven't read their updates in a few years...Show them the "new" regs, and their likely to "misplace" your mail....or, you can try to write an "anonymous" letter to the General Postmaster and file a grievance..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DCMoney 91 Posted May 1, 2015 I ship flat mailers as package/thick envelope w/ tracking all of the time. No issues with it at my post office. What did you do to anger the mail gods? Same here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeremySI 18 Posted May 1, 2015 the 3/4 inch requirement was done away with a few years ago. Pretty sure I read that somewhere as well. However, every teller I have gone to would refuse me tracking on a flat envelope(be it this was not long after I read they changed it, so probably just poor training to update them on new policies). The self service kiosk thing also still asks if it is rigid or >3/4" thick, in which if I want to send first class with tracking I would just select that option. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted May 1, 2015 I ship flat mailers as package/thick envelope w/ tracking all of the time. No issues with it at my post office. What did you do to anger the mail gods? Guess they haven't read their updates in a few years...Show them the "new" regs, and their likely to "misplace" your mail....or, you can try to write an "anonymous" letter to the General Postmaster and file a grievance..... not sure who I angered but if it isn't the 1/4" they send it back and this past 2 weeks anything sent inside of Michigan is getting lost for 10 days + after it leaves the sort facility. they just announce another sort facility closure so maybe they are "protesting" but they are really getting on my nerves on that one - I am trying to clean up all lose ends before the trip - but there will always be a couple more even if you stopped shipping 2 weeks before leaving 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BannerJohn 1,324 Posted May 1, 2015 You can get tracking on media mail ...you couldn't for a long time. Just because your local idiots don't know what the national idiots are doing doesn't make it so. There is no longer a thickness requirement of course it is a good way to get rid of those peanuts. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
constricted 27 Posted May 1, 2015 I use 7x10 rigid photo mailers (like .22 cents each) for small decals and ship First Class Mail with tracking via USPS.. Never had anything returned back to me, and never had a customer complain that a decal was messed up during transit. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KYSIGN 233 Posted May 2, 2015 I made the mistake of asking the clerk at the post office about this. She didn't offer any insight on the issue but instead managed to mark several of my outbound packages as delivered instead of accepted. I hope the tracking updates before any customers see their packages as delivered. I ordered some 12.75" x 15" and 9" x 11" extra rigid photo mailers from amazon. I'm hoping they will be rigid enough to mail without any extra cardboard reinforcement. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,708 Posted May 2, 2015 I made the mistake of asking the clerk at the post office about this. She didn't offer any insight on the issue but instead managed to mark several of my outbound packages as delivered instead of accepted. I hope the tracking updates before any customers see their packages as delivered. I ordered some 12.75" x 15" and 9" x 11" extra rigid photo mailers from amazon. I'm hoping they will be rigid enough to mail without any extra cardboard reinforcement. When My clerks do the Delivered scan instead of Acceptance.. I have to tell my Postmaster, who has to go into the computer and manually change it...On my tracking, once it shows delivered to my town. It will not show anything else, beyond my post office,, because it has the green DELIVERED......with my town... I have had people try to open claims, but on the post office computers it will show different....And I had to use that printed off paperwork it to show EBAY that they really got their item... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KYSIGN 233 Posted May 2, 2015 Thank you for that information Mz SKEETER. I'll keep an eye on it and contact my Postmaster if it doesn't update soon. I'll use that as an excuse to ask him some of my shipping questions. =) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fustratedinhawaii 71 Posted May 2, 2015 .And I had to use that printed off paperwork it to show EBAY that they really got their item... Sounds like you have a few crooked customers, huh? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,708 Posted May 2, 2015 Sounds like you have a few crooked customers, huh? Well, they actually had not been delivered yet to the buyers..Buyers watch tracking too,,,So they saw it was delivered to a different state, where I live... and as soon as you ask where is my item, it opens a case on EBAY..... In my cases, both items were delivered later that day...But because they asked the question, where is my item, I had to prove they got it...So I went to the PO office and checked also,,,and they printed me out the PO office copy for EBAY, so I could close the cases without marks against my Ebay account. Some people don't use the correct question to ask questions...Earlier this evening, I received an email from a buyer on EBAY, the titile read, REQUEST TO CANCEL ORDER> I opened the email only to find the buyer saying, could you please leave me positive feedback....How STUPID to use that category question, to say that... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fustratedinhawaii 71 Posted May 2, 2015 The buyer probably wanted you to freak out and make sure you read it!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CreativePlethora 2 Posted May 10, 2015 I'll add my 2 cents in response to the original post... I actually asked my local postal worker about shipping rules a few weeks ago after I had researched this topic. Apparently, if the envelope weighs under a certain amount and bends easily, it can only be shipped w/ tracking if it exceeds the 3/4" thickness. However, if the envelope is rigid, it's automatically considered a package and is therefore eligible for tracking. The worker also told me to make sure I made those items as rigid as possible if I didn't want them bent, as carriers don't pay attention to "Do Not Bend" stamps. I've heard of people shipping small decals/stickers in regular envelopes to save money. Of course, that leaves room for dishonest "customers" to say they never received it so that they can ask for a replacement or refund and pretty much get a product for free. Personally, I never mail things without some sort of verification, even if it's just to have proof in case the postal service loses track of my item. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
