An online seller asked us, “Since USPS will be discontinuing the Regional boxes, I would like to know if they will continue with those SIZE boxes even if they do not have regional pricing.”
She was referring to our report in Thursday’s AuctionBytes Blog about new rates going into effect in January for US Postal Service “competitive” services, which confirmed our reporting from September that USPS was planning to eliminate Priority Mail Regional Rate in January.
The USPS describes PM Regional Rate boxes, which are zone based (not flat-rate) on its website. The page shows images along with the boxes’ dimensions.
In 2011, Stamps.com and ShipRush executives provided EcommerceBytes with some rules of thumb on using the regional boxes. Obviously rates have changed a lot since then, but it showed how shippers could save when using them for certain shipments.
It was just a year ago that the USPS went to the trouble of reducing the dimensions of the Priority Mail Regional Rate Box.
We sent an inquiry to USPS after getting the reader’s question on Sunday to find out if it planned to offer the same-sized box for shippers for Priority Mail shipments.
We also asked if sellers could continue to use those boxes after January 22, 2023 for regular Priority Mail shipments until they run out of stock.
We’ll update this article when we learn more – and let us know if you have other questions related to the USPS rate changes going into effect in January.
Common logic says that a shipper should be able to use any of the Priority boxes they have if they are willing to pay the standard Priority Mail rate for weight and dimensions. The not-so-common logic is that the USPS stocks the flat rate boxes at the Post Office and often people unknowingly use them even when the regular rate is cheaper and/or when Regular Priority boxes are not stocked. In other words the USPS is not your friend.
Of course he’s trying to RUN THE COMPANY INTO THE GROUND !!!
DeJoy’s investments include stakes in XPO Logistics, UPS, J.B. Hunt, Forward Air Corp, and Saia Inc, with total investments in USPS competitors of between $30 million and $75.8 million. These financial stakes in competing companies are illegal for DeJoy or his wife to own while he remains an active federal government employee.
I have been using the large “C” regional boxes, which service USPS discontinued months ago. (I sure wish I had ordered more of them when they were available!!!) I black out the “REGIONAL” references on the boxes and use them the same as any other Priority Mail box I am shipping. Have never been turned away or told I can’t do this.
USPS accepts all kinds of printing on boxes for Priority Mail, as long as the sender crosses out / blacks out things that might confuse USPS along the way, such as bar codes and anything that would look like an address. I grocery shop at a co-operative that gives empty boxes out free – they surely keep my shipping costs down and my environmentally conscious customers don’t mind a bit, because re-using boxes is one more use before the landfill. They don’t care if they are marked Organic Pizza Crust, as long as what they ordered is safely packed inside.
A Regional box is just another Priority Mail box, as long as you cross out or black out the “Regional” information on it.
Word to the wise: Don’t try this with Flat Rate boxes, even if they have been used. A Flat Rate is a Flat Rate forever.
USPS = Incompetent. Their employees will lose your packages and wash their hands off with a shoulder shrug.