Question on Priority Mail Cubic with a Softpack

[no_zero369]

So earlier someone posted a link to PirateShip's advice on Cubic pricing with a softpack or poly-envelop.

https://support.pirateship.com/en/articles/1068213-can-i-use-priority-mail-cubic-with-a-softpack-or-...

Looks like a slick way to play the "box in a bag" game and perhaps save some shipping costs.

Scrolling down on the information one runs across this tidbit:

You can put a box into the envelope, as long as it's still shaped like an envelope!

USPS only cares about your outer packaging, so if there is a box inside your poly mailer or envelope, that's no problem. But you can't "shrink wrap" or tightly tape a bag or envelope around a box and call it an envelope. If it clearly has 3 dimensions, it is a box and you need to enter all 3 dimensions when purchasing postage.

So what does this mean?  After all if I stuff a 3-in thick book into a bubble mailer, then the bubble mailer is going to have a noticeable "thickness!"   So at what point is there a 3rd dimension?  How does USPS interpret or define a "3rd dimension?"

Anyone?

@lja440 

[pink.fish.rule]

How it cheating?

I've been shipping VHS size boxes in padded FR mailers for years and never ever had an issue. Also done the same thing inside a plain padded mailer going FCP without issue.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@pink.fish.rule wrote:
How it cheating?

I've been shipping VHS size boxes in padded FR mailers for years and never ever had an issue. Also done the same thing inside a plain padded mailer going FCP without issue.

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Those shipping strategies aren't an issue because there's no thickness limit for the FRE's or for the FC Package.  

The specific question here is about the USPS's expectations for thickness/flexibility/whatever for Priority Mail cubic soft pack rates.  

[no_zero369]

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@mangorunner wrote:

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Am I missing something/sarcasm? 

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Yes, you are missing something    The context of how that was used. 

No need to feel attacked as that was not the point, just using what you posted to further the premise I had laid forth.  Not every USPS employee is 'up to speed' on the rules   Therefore, the yellow label that was posted apparently was in reaction to experiences of 'unaware' folks in the system by one particular seller.

Are we cool now?

[no_zero369]

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@nobody*s_perfect wrote:

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@pink.fish.rule wrote:
How it cheating?

I've been shipping VHS size boxes in padded FR mailers for years and never ever had an issue. Also done the same thing inside a plain padded mailer going FCP without issue.

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Those shipping strategies aren't an issue because there's no thickness limit for the FRE's or for the FC Package.  

The specific question here is about the USPS's expectations for thickness/flexibility/whatever for Priority Mail cubic soft pack rates.  

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ding, Ding, DING!   Winner, winner, chicken dinner! 

[lja440]

No they wouldn't use the flat template. He was just using it as an example  to show that thickness does matter.

We do have another tool that is used to measure stacks of mail for the volume sheet. (Think of it as a mini height measurer on a doctors scale).

[lja440]

By the way in the picture the label is actually affixed incorrectly. The postage and address should be on the same side of the package. 

[pink.fish.rule]

Ah. So that's why my carrier told me to fold at the bottom line if I have to put the label over 2 sides of the box.

[pink.fish.rule]

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@no_zero369 wrote:

So earlier someone posted a link to PirateShip's advice on Cubic pricing with a softpack or poly-envelop.

https://support.pirateship.com/en/articles/1068213-can-i-use-priority-mail-cubic-with-a-softpack-or-...

Looks like a slick way to play the "box in a bag" game and perhaps save some shipping costs.

Scrolling down on the information one runs across this tidbit:

You can put a box into the envelope, as long as it's still shaped like an envelope!

USPS only cares about your outer packaging, so if there is a box inside your poly mailer or envelope, that's no problem. But you can't "shrink wrap" or tightly tape a bag or envelope around a box and call it an envelope. If it clearly has 3 dimensions, it is a box and you need to enter all 3 dimensions when purchasing postage.

So what does this mean?  After all if I stuff a 3-in thick book into a bubble mailer, then the bubble mailer is going to have a noticeable "thickness!"   So at what point is there a 3rd dimension?  How does USPS interpret or define a "3rd dimension?"

Anyone?

@lja440 

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Okay, so (I'm guessing here) it's okay if the envelope around the book still LOOKS like an envelope it's ok, but if you tape it down so it looks like a padded "box" then it's not.

[mangorunner]

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@lja440 wrote:

By the way in the picture the label is actually affixed incorrectly. The postage and address should be on the same side of the package. 

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I think they are on the same side of the package.  If you look closely, you can see on the label that it was a legal flat rate envelope, so there was plenty of room for the entire label on one side.  The picture was purposely cut off above the addresses so that the photographer did not reveal personal information.  But point well taken!