Does USPS carry padded flat rate envelopes in their post offices?

[uzumakey]

I go to two post offices and both have a kind of kiosk section with flat rates boxes and envelopes. I've only ever seen the regular flat rate envelopes, along with small/medium/large flat rate boxes. 

Something just came up where I sold an item that I expected to sit around for a while, and I realized I'm completely out of padded flat rates. Would the post office have these in stock in the back or are they only available through USPS.com?

[candd205]

I order mine through USPS.com. They are free and are delivered to my door in a few days.

[uzumakey]

This is what I normally do, and I put in an order for them as soon as I realized I was out. I don't know if USPS will deliver them before my stated handling time, though.

[duchess-at-speakeasy]

Just substitute a cardboard FRE and line it with small bubble wrap. Same effect and the mailing cost is less.

Your USPS order probably will arrive in 7-14 days.

~~C~~

[berserkerplanet]

Capacity of a cardboard FRE is way smaller than that of a PFRE.

[berserkerplanet]

Only available online, unless a PO has some from a customer who turned some in (ordered them and didn't need. or ordered too many, etc)

I just order a bunch recently, they took a little over 2 weeks to arrive, and there was no shipping indication or tracking. I ended up emailing USPS CS to ask if they has shipped, and if so where they were. Their response was useless, and turned out they were delivered the next day.

If you really need some right away, PayPal me $3 to cover 8oz FCM postage + poly envelope, and I can stuff 10 into the poly envelope and ship them out to you - should arrive in a couple of days (NorCal to SoCal).

[kattinsanity]

I just picked up a few of the flat rate priority padded envelopes at my  post office the other day.  There are some things my post office guy can't order so he has me or some other customer order them for him.  I don't know why USPS doesn't let the post office order some supplies that they allow customers like me to get free.

[aramintaca]

Call them and ask. Mine carries them but sometimes you have to ask for them. They keep them behind the counter.

[muttlymob]

I don't know why USPS doesn't let the post office order some supplies that they allow customers like me to get free.

Because they only want the more profitable products easily available.

For example, if a naive customer comes in needing a box or envelope, the medium flat rate box is better for USPS than the PFRE and often better even than the regular zoned boxes.

[muttlymob]

Would the post office have these in stock in the back or are they only available through USPS.com?

You would have to ask them - as someone else explained they do get customers dropping them off - but if they are not available in the lobby they probably don't have any out back either.

[beautybylynn]

Each p.o carries diffent supplies cause of room. For example ,my home p.o. is very small and dont have any. The p.o. about a mile away has some. I went to a p.o. yesterday about 10 miles from my home the they had everything you could think of for sale!

[duchess-at-speakeasy]

One reason most PO's do not stock the PFRE's is that they sell Ready Post products, especially bubble envelopes. which can be used for any class of mail. Storage and display space also is at a premium -- the real estate has to earn its keep!

~~C~~

[little_angel]

our local post offices do not. I once was in need and stopped by 4 different ones and no one carried them. Only reliable way is to get it from USPS.com