Shipping a box in a envelope.

[inhawaii]

It happens to me all the time. I know they are trying to save money, but really, shipping a box in a envelope?  I'm not even talking about a padded envelope.  I'm talking about a manila envelope. The box inside almost always arrives totally crushed.  Usually never fragile items, but still it would be nice to receive a box that's not totally crushed.   What ever happened to comon sense?  

[lintbrush*]

Boxes in envelopes are fine.  I do it all the time - especially the 1096L Priority box into a Priority Padded envelope, but that box is made for shipping (but can still be easily crushed)

I also just shipped a very small figurine in a super strong QVC jewelry box inside a bubble mailer.

I get sneakers shipped to me in their boxes in poly bags. 

Guess it depends on the box.

[rolenboy01]

Do you mean someone putting an item in a box inside an envelope to protect it or putting a boxed item inside of an envelope? but in any case if the item isn't a collectible and you are going to discard the box anyway and the item isn't damaged I don't really see the problem.

[lowkeytrader]

You're not purchasing the box, you're purchasing the item. Common sense would dictate that if you have some strange affinity for packaging, you make this known before your purchase and you negotiate a shipping method that preserves your box.

[iam_nightowl]

I totally agree with you. If it's a sturdy box, fine, but not flimsy product boxes. Some things I need to stack until I use and I can't if the product box is crushed. If I'm in a store and there's an item with a box damaged and one without damage, I choose the undamaged one.

One seller took the item out (it wasn't a sealed box) and neatly folded the box flat, and that was fine by me since all I had to do was refold it when it arrived and put the product back in.

Maybe sellers who ship that way should show a crushed product box in their images and see how many sales they get? Or put a disclaimer in their listings so those of us who expect to receive our order (including its box) undamaged can hit the back button.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

Interesting post because I am planning to sell some jigsaw puzzles soon. It might be cheaper to ship them in a padded flat rate envelope (some have come that way) but I run the risk of them arriving squished.

Sometimes the box IS part of the value of the item.

[agent006140]

I sometimes shipped a small box in an unpadded envelope to give it size but not weight,if it can be lost or misplaced due to size.

this is always a good idea of it is going overseas.

[kaelykat]

If the product arrives in good condition what exactly is the problem? Common sense is not paying extra for something that's not needed.

[berserkerplanet]

I make boxes to just fit things like a jigsaw puzzle if the outside box will fit in a PFRE, and if using a PFRE is a significant savings over shipping zoned PM.

Making "Sees Candy" type bottom and lid box pairs or regular style boxes is easy with a good plier type stapler that can shoot 3/8 staples.

I actually have 3 of them: one for 1/4" staples (good for white shirt box type cardboard or light corrugated), one with 3/8" staples (good for 2 layers of normal corrugated), and a heavy duty with heavy duty 3/8 staples (for multiple or heavier corrugated and for making big boxes)

Sees Candy type box: Obtain cardboard by cutting up other big boxes. 2 pieces that are 1.5 to 2 times the puzzle box height longer and wider than puzzle box. Lay puzzle box in center of piece, trace or mark size with pencil, score along lines, slit corners, fold up, use 4 staples, and you have a bottom. Lay that just made bottom in middle of 2nd corrugated piece, trace, score, slit, fold, 4 staples and you have a top that fits the bottom. Put puzzle in, couple pieces of tape to keep closed, stuff in PFRE, and done.

Taped or glued corners can be done instead of stapling if no stapler avail. A dulled old pizza cutter makes a great scoring tool (I bought one at 99¢ store, and ground a nice rounded edge on it with the bench grinder)

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

Thank you @berserkerplanet for the great detailed instructions! 

[berserkerplanet]

No problemo. Figure someone can always use tips for doing things that might be out of their normal "thinking box", and this just seemed like a good opportunity to blather about that topic.

Another (indispensable to me) shipping aid is a big paper cutter. Great for quickly and nicely squaring up those cardboard squares we would make the boxes from after hacking the bigger boxes up roughly with a utility knife, for trimming box flaps, for actually trimming paper stacks for packing slips, etc. I have a metal Boston 18" (about $50-$75?) that has served me well for over 10 years. Great for hacking through flat priority mail boxes when they need to be cut down (cuts through the 2 layers no problem). Also great for cutting bubble wrap, poly bags, bubble mailers, etc.

[inhawaii]

The most recent example is some boxes of Crystal Light (or similar) drink mixes.  They come in 6/8/10/12 pouches per box. Some sellers just ship the pouches. I went with a seller that ships you the box.  Call me **bleep**. So the boxes were put in a regular tan manila envelope and shipped First Class Mail.  Absolutely no protection at all.  Of couse they arrived totally crush but the pouches inside were fine. 

So what if the supermarket cashier stomped on your Crystal Light before putting it in your bag and said "you're not going to need the box anyways"?  Would that be acceptable?

[pingpong517]

what did i miss here? if the item was in a box and an envelope BUT still was crushed...what else would

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@inhawaii wrote:

It happens to me all the time. I know they are trying to save money, but really, shipping a box in a envelope?  I'm not even talking about a padded envelope.  I'm talking about a manila envelope. The box inside almost always arrives totally crushed.  Usually never fragile items, but still it would be nice to receive a box that's not totally crushed.   What ever happened to comon sense?  

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you think wouldn't have been crushed?  if a small box can fit into an envelope..then it would be small and would go with the envelopes( even not in an envelope) and smalls..BEING crushed is something USPS can answer.... 

so i'm not sure what the issue is? a bigger box? just an envelope?  seem like they packed it and sent it via a 1st class package rate....seems it should have made it....

common sense from who?  

[inhawaii]

Maybe it's just me, but common sense to me would be if you're going to package something, i would put it in something STRONGER than the original box, not weaker. 

[inhawaii]

If i were shipping this, i would not put it in an envelope or even a padded envelope. It will get crushed.  I would ship it in a box.  But that's just me.