Free USPS Ground Advantage mailing supplies.
Summary: The discussion revolves around the availability and use of USPS Ground Advantage shipping supplies. chuckboyce inquires about receiving these supplies on eBay, noting Poshmark offers them to its sellers. albertabrightalberta explains that eBay would need an agreement with USPS to provide the same. sassykzt mentions receiving supplies through a local postmaster, while others highlight the exclusive nature of Poshmark's agreement. christworks, a Poshmark seller and former USPS auditor, clarifies that Ground Advantage packaging is not exclusive to Poshmark and can be used by anyone with a USPS Ground Advantage label. They dispel misinformation, stating that these are not branded and those issues with acceptance by USPS staff should be addressed through proper channels.
I see that Poshmark offers their sellers USPS Ground Advantage shipping supplies like boxes and envelopes free of charge. How can we here on eBay receive these same Items.
christworks
·2 weeks ago@chuckboyce There is so much misinformation in this thread by a bunch of misinformed people or people who like to make stuff up, I don't know if I can address it all. I will stick to telling you the facts.
First, I am Poshmark seller. Second, I am former USPS auditor so I know the rules and what is true and what isn't when it comes to most things USPS. What I don't know, I can ask because I still have contacts above the local post office level.
USPS Ground Advantage packaging can be used by anybody as long as they have a USPS Ground Advantage label stuck to them. USPS has no rule against non Poshmark sellers using them. These boxes were around long before Poshmark shipping changed from Priority Mail to Ground Advantage. They are not exclusive to Poshmark. Other enterprise business account holders have access to them as well. These are normally business who have an exclusive contract with USPS, as Poshmark does.
USPS does not care who uses the packaging. The APV system does not sound alarm bells simply when it sees a non Poshmark label on GA branded packaging. There may be a handful of rogue clerks who don't know the basics of their job who refuse the packages, but they are not supposed to. Anybody having that issue should first talk to their lobby director, then up the chain of command to a supervisor, then postmaster. It should't have to go above that as every Postmaster knows they are supposed to accept that packaging regardless of who is using it.
Some large post offices keep the branded packaging in their office and will offer it to regular non business customers. Mine doesn't, but they asked if I would bring them some of my supply so they can provide them to poorer customers.
The packaging comes from Victory Packaging, the same logistics supplier USPS for their Priority Mail packaging. The packaging does not come from Poshmark nor is it shipped by them.
Ground Advantage packaging is free.
When Poshmark initially changed to GA, we had to email or call USPS to order as much packaging we needed. This is how it worked for the first six months or so. Poshmark later intergraded the ordering process into the app and their website. You are capped at 100 per item, but can order more once your order is delivered. Poshmark has not said this, but it is possible they may monitor how much selling you are doing on their platform and compare it to how much packaging you are ordering. I've not seen any reprots where Poshmark is cracking down on sellers who are ordering more supplies than they are selling on their platform. I do know as of June I was still able to order through the email address and I was not capped at 100 per item. You just have to provide your Poshmark closet name.
GA packaging can be used to ship eBay orders or any other orders you have. I use them all the time. They are not branded Poshmark. As I said, clerks should be taking them without issue.
ham*i*am46
·2 weeks agoI think some post offices let you slide because the boxes do not say Poshmark. My Post Office refuses them unless they specifically have the posh mark label on them. They are really nice; they even have padded envelopes.
sassykzt
·2 weeks agoDepends on your PO. If you sell a high volume and have a good relationship w/ your postmaster than can order the boxes and padded mailers for you.
albertabrightalberta
·2 weeks agoWe've always been able to order (online) free Priority shipping supplies. But the OP is talking about Ground Advantage supplies. Please give more details on how ebay sellers can have their postal clerks order GA boxes and padded mailers from them.
AFAIK, this is an exclusive agreement with PM and we can't order or receive them unless we're on PM. And they don't come from USPS but are send by PM.
sassykzt
·2 weeks ago · EditedThese are directly from from my local postmaster. When my carrier comes to pick up all my packages ( from various platforms) he drops off the boxes and mailers on a weekly basis. The are not the priority boxes/ mailers you would order online. Many other business use the GA boxes , not exclusive to Poshmark. I just received my tea, some ski clothes and some shoes in these boxes all from various businesses. My postmaster gives them to me -- I ship approx 250 packages per week through my local post office.
It would be so nice if eBay could do this one thing that could actually help sellers. The volume of eBay sellers using GA is substantial.
stainlessenginecovers
·2 weeks ago@sassykzt your experience is a 1 of a Kind and that Post Master is NOT supposed to be doing that. The GA plain boxes are a Poshmark Deal and as @ham*i*am46 stated, many will not honor them without a PM mark on the label.
This could also happen anywhere along the shipping line (various stops ie Dist Centers); same with Media Mail can be 'opened' anywhere along the line.
sassykzt
·2 weeks ago · Edited@stainlessenginecovers
I just received this week GA boxes from Harney teas in NYC, Cole Hann, Gorsuch, and Moncler. Again, these boxes are NOT exclusive to Poshmark.
My neighbor also receives them at both businesses she owns. She contacted a USPS specialist and negotiated a rate and access to the GA boxes.
I have never had my boxes/ mailers rejected. My postmaster has full authority to give these to high volume customers at her discretion. She is just strengthening a business relationship - she noticed a while ago when my numbers dropped and learned I was increasing my shipping w/ UPS due to price. Offering me these boxes/ mailers made me switch back to mostly USPS ( a few buyers will request UPS). My sis and I are adding another eBay store and 2 new Etsy stores - USPS will receive 99.9% of our shipping. A win- win!
albertabrightalberta
·2 weeks agoWe can't get them unless ebay enters into an agreement with USPS.
buyselljack2016
·2 weeks agomore on that subject from 6mo ago
Free USPS Ground Advantage boxes .... exlusively for Poshmark sellers | Shipping | eBay Community