The most interesting shipping box I've ever received....

[lamber9347]

I'm sharing these photos for a quick laugh for all of us. My postal carrier laughed as he handed me this Lucky Charms box as it wouldn't fit in my mail box. 

This is my first time receiving a box, unwrapped, and so obviously designed for a different purpose. I would never ship something this large in a box not designed for shipping. I'm surprised the post office didn't have a problem with it. What I ordered was a doll case, which could technically fit in a cereal box.  Traveled from Ohio to California like this. 

When I ship I also recycle used boxes, packing materials, bubble wrap, etc. I have shipped small items, under 5 inches, by using a box which was designed for something else, but fits size wise. I guess my only difference is that I cover those small boxes with heavy brown wrapping paper so they look like a shipped package. Once the buyer receives it and realizes what type of box I actually used, I have no idea what they thought as I've never received any comments back. 

Anyways, enjoy. They're magically delicious.... 

[bigdeals.etc]

@lamber9347  Right when I read your title, I already thought "cereal box" before clicking into this thread. 🙂

I once had something as a return come back to me wrapped and taped up in a grocery produce bag... those things are transparent and thin.

[jayawardhanaenterprises_online]

Is it illegal to ship using a box that has a recognized brand name on it?

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@jayawardhanaenterprises_online 

Probably not illegal but not suggested. To disguise it you can make a very cut along the border with a utility knife and carefully pull off the top layer to remove those labels. Or cover well with a large black marker. Also a good idea to do same with country of origin stickers and any bar codes. If an item is staying in the same country you can wrap with brown wrapping paper. If it is going out of the country, not a good idea if customs needs to get into the package to inspect. They really can't be bothered rewrapping your handywork. This is why it never hurts to put additional to from address labels on a package besides your postal label. Just in case something falls off while in transit.

-Lotz

[ohioguy20]

That just hurts to read! Sorry to hear about that. Us collectors care about having those boxes in good shape!

Worst I've experienced was just a barcode being cut out (promotional purposes I assume) that wasn't mentioned in description or pictures. Everything inside the box and the box itself arrived in good shape otherwise, but seeing that hole bugged me a bit. Not enough to warrant a neutral or negative though. Still left a positive in the end.

[hyperrush]

Oh by the mother of god at least wasnt a icecream box ( sarcastic).

[cubbycga]

In PA, we have wine and spirits shops, as liquor is not sold in regular stores. Their empty boxes are free and sturdy! It's a perfect 'green' option for packing/shipping larger or heavier items.  They are happy to take them off their hands. 

[southern*sweet*tea]

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@bimm_corp wrote:

Once bought a vintage electronic item on eBay and the original box was included and shown in the listing pictures. Went to the PO to pick it up and the seller had completely wrapped the original box in black electrical tape. I asked him what was going on and he said he wanted to disguise it so nobody would steal it during shipping. He had no clue that half the value of the item was in the original box. Go figure. He got a well-deserved neg. I've never opened it. Still get a sick feeling in my stomach just looking at it.

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Ouch, that hurts! 😫

Yeah, I'd be sick, too. I'd go ahead and open it now, at least get some enjoyment out of it since the box is out of the picture.

[lamber9347]

Quick update: When I took the photos I hadn't opened the box. Now I've opened it and nothing was broken. I ordered a doll case, which is over 45 years old and collectible. Seller simply placed the doll case inside this cereal box and shipped it to me. No bubble wrap, no newspaper, no nothing. I can't even say minimal effort, more like zero effort. The doll case should have arrived dented and/or squished but miraculously that didn't happen. 

I got a good deal and the doll case wasn't broken, so I was going to leave positive FB. I first looked at seller's FB, and saw most people are leaving positives but all are commenting on "lousy packaging" and "terrible packaging", so seller is obviously doing this consistently. Seller has already received a half dozen negs and neutrals. Then I noticed this seller hasn't left any FB for any of their buyers for over six months.  I think this is a case of a seller who has checked out.

They still list items and ship them out, but make no efforts at all for safety or security as they don't care about FB. If you like it great, if you don't, they don't care..... at least that is my impression from what I've seen....

[chapeau-noir]

At least it wasn't a tampon box - yep, it has happened. 😖

[ed8108]

• The cereal box does make a statement , may possibly deter most porch pirates

[bigdeals.etc]

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@ed8108 wrote:

• The cereal box does make a statement , may possibly deter most porch pirates

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According to the commercials... it won't deter kids. As Lucky says "They're always after me lucky charms!"

[lja440]

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@southern*sweet*tea wrote:

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@skate_man1000 wrote:

I tried to use a 12 pack beer box once. I was told by the post office clerk I could not ship beer. I told her it was just a box. She refused to process it. So I went to my car, opened the box and flipped the box inside out and walked back in the post office. I was in line with a different clerk but the previous clerks was giving me the stink eye the whole time. Lol.

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You actually CAN'T ship anything in alcohol boxes (beer, wine, etc.) unless you totally black out the markings and writing, or...flip the box inside out.  It's against Postal regulations. Not sure about Fedex or UPS.

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In order to ship alcohol you need to present your licence to sell alcohol (or at least you should) I tried to ship some homemade brandy to one of my husbands friends back in the late 90's  through UPS, and that was what I was told.I honestly don't know their exact rules on this. I had first tried USPS but was told they couldn't ship it at all. 

I didn't try again and since they were both truck drivers for the same company they managed to connect somehow to hand it off.

[lja440]

It's fine to reuse these as long as they are clean. Nix the wrapping them in paper though.

We have a lot of Amish here.  There oders have strict rules on the caps they wear and quite often I pick them up or deliver them. Most of the time they ship them in large ice cream buckets.

[silverstatetreasureboxes]

Wow no kidding? They ship in ice cream buckets? I bet you see a lot of interesting packaging being a postal worker!

[glorybells]

Here’s a package I received recently - I got a good laugh over all the stamps!