USPS Ground Rigid Envelopes

[themick10]

Hello. I sell postcards. Usually ones for under $10. I ship them in a 4x6 semi rigid envelope with a stamp. No problems. I would like to sell more expensive ones. I’ve received expensive ones before in a 5x7 rigid brown eBay envelope  that have been shipped USPS Ground. They arrived perfectly with no bending or creasing. My question is,  Is there something I need to do to keep the rigid envelopes out of a sorting machine ( that could possibly bend them ) or is this just something that gets sorted differently ? Thank you

[slippinjimmy]

Ground Advantage shipments don't go through the same sorting machines that regular letters do, as long as your "rigid" packaging is actual rigid you should have no problems.

I'm not familiar with "rigid brown eBay envelopes", I ship 7" vinyl singles/records in a custom mailer using micro flute cardboard, 3 panels folded so 2 layers on one side and 1 layer on the other side. I've had one out of thousands damaged in transit, it had the tire tracks from a fork lift running across the mailer but the actual mailer was still perfectly flat (record cracked from the pressure). I can use those mailers for small paper items  I just use good quality scrap cardboard to make a sandwich and place that in a bubble envelope or poly mailer.

The Minimum charge for GA cover up to 4 oz so lots of room to play with.

[pjcdn2005]

As far as I know, packages don't get put through the same type of sorting machines that a first class mail envelope would.   But that is based on what I've read, not first hand knowledge. I'm sure that someone else could confirm (or deny) that.

[pennpicker]

Might consider sending them USPS Non-machinable First-Class Mail. Did so myself for the first time ever just a few days ago. Took it to my local  post office and my Postmaster even had a special stamp for the envelope marking it as such. Cost a little more and a few days slower but just what I was looking for.

https://faq.usps.com/s/article/What-is-the-Non-Machinable-Surcharge-for-First-Class-Mail

[slippinjimmy]

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@pennpicker wrote:

Might consider sending them USPS Non-machinable First-Class Mail. Did so myself for the first time ever just a few days ago. Took it to my local  post office and my Postmaster even had a special stamp for the envelope marking it as such. Cost a little more and a few days slower but just what I was looking for.

https://faq.usps.com/s/article/What-is-the-Non-Machinable-Surcharge-for-First-Class-Mail

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It's possible to use that but there are at least two reason why you might not want to.

1 - thickness is limited to 1/4 inch

I just tested my micro flute mailers, 2 layers just barely fits a 1/4" slot, "regular" corrugated cardboard would not. The common "photo mailers" are ok and maybe for postcards would only rarely get bent but they are "boxboard" instead of corrugated nowhere near as strong (advertised as "bend resistant").

2 - no tracking

A personal choice, I have no qualms about shipping with no tracking but I only have modest value items that could be send via any form of lettermail.

[12345jamesstamps]

There's meter mail and stamp mail which are both different.

Putting a stamp(s) on standard envelope...like a greeting card inside an envelope will get through with .73.

I usually don't use tracking for cheapo items...but will for sketchy buyers.

Items arrive 3-4 days cross country...with tracking much longer and sometimes tracking doesn't always show as 'delivered'.

Most buyers of post cards (I send stamps and sometimes post cards)...don't expect there to be tracking on items sent.

I never had a complain yet after years and going on 2 years without something lost in the USPS.

I do sometimes add tracking at my expense and never a buyer ever ever complained.

Key is cheap shipping to make a profit...and quick 'delivery'.

These kind of buyers want their item as soon as possible...thus a good old stamp on the envelope does it.

And selling same things in the same category with fast delivery must get 'repeat buyers'.

And my buyers prefer real stamps on the envelope and not an ESE shipping label or an eBay shipping label.

I would think your buyers would prefer you using real stamps also.

I do get feedbacks stating thanks for using real stamps and not eBay shipping labels.

[jg.mason]

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@12345jamesstamps wrote:

I do get feedbacks stating thanks for using real stamps and not eBay shipping labels.

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😂Are those feedbacks from stamp collectors?