Can you use old Amazon boxes for USPS shops?

I know all of the previous labels would need to be removed. I have a ton of Amazon boxes and I really don't want to have to purchase boxes to do my USPS shops.

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No markings? Be aware of box dimensions.

I would email a scheduler or editor if you know one and ask to be sure... but from the instructions, it certainly doesn't sound like it. The boxes have giant smiley faces all over them and sometimes even say Amazon, or have an A on them.

MegglesKat

What am I missing? Why do you want to avoid buying boxes? Client reimburses you for the boxes, which are less than a dollar at Walmart anyway. It's the shipping tape that is expensive and not reimbursed. I have done more USPS shops than I can count, and I buy new ones. I don't like to have to pay for shipping tape or take the time to repack, so I try use my boxes over and over if they are still in good condition and the labels come of easily.

Is the trip to Walmart to buy the boxes reimbursed? That's a much bigger concern for me than the cost of the boxes.

For what it's worth, I haven't done any USPS shops for the current company but I used Amazon boxes several times when doing shops for the previous company and never had a problem. YMMV obviously.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

Turn the Amazon boxes inside out, if they are within the correct dimensions, and use packing tape to reseal them. You will have plain boxes that are recycled, free and unmarked.

-ph-

The old company did not require you send a picture of your box so I expect they had no idea what your box looked like. That said I buy boxes for the dim weight shops but have never bought a box for the regular or hazmat shops. The rules say no markings or old labels and I have never had an issue with a reused box when following those rules. Those of us who choose to do this shop not only to earn the $12 fee but because in addition to the fee we also want to send something purchasing a box might cost out of pocket. I send boxes to people in higher zones than 5 so the postage comes close to or goes over the reimbursement a bit. I find boxes with only a pull off label at work and also in the parking garage I use.

You can get the mailing tape reimbursed by doing the HazMat shops that get refused. I also get mailing tape and boxes when doing office supply stores for other companies that offer a small reimbursement. I have several rolls of tape right now that came from shops. I prefer the Scotch brand tape to the one the post office sells. It smells funky and doesn't seem as sturdy. Just my 2 cents about that.

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From my understanding, the box should have no markings, including logos.
On another note, I have done a ton of these in the past, but recently, I request them but don't get assigned. Anyone else having this problem?

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I cover any box I might want that is not appropriate in brown Kraft paper.

Liz

I have done many USPS regular box shops. You can re-use old boxes providing they have no markings. If the boxes you have to re-use do have markings and are the correct size, you can easily turn them inside out and use package tape to reseal them to create a fresh looking, unmarked box. This has been a productive, inexpensive way to use up the Christmas shipping boxes.

-ph-

You are right about the smell and the adhesiveness about the PO tape. I too prefer the Scotch brand.

@pharriskernforum wrote:

Turn the Amazon boxes inside out, if they are within the correct dimensions, and use packing tape to reseal them. You will have plain boxes that are recycled, free and unmarked.

Great answer to the OP.
Pretty simple. Not sure why people go in a tangent here all the time.

@pharriskernforum wrote:

Turn the Amazon boxes inside out, if they are within the correct dimensions, and use packing tape to reseal them. You will have plain boxes that are recycled, free and unmarked.

I used to do this with USPS priority boxes! Actually I still do

quiet: You should know that the USPS forbids this, and you could get in trouble using their boxes not in the manner intended. I was told this by a USPS clerk.

If the box has all markings and Amazon tape taken off. But, I find it much much easier to just go to Staples and buy their boxes five at a time(they are discounted to about .60 apiece) than it is to deal with an already used box(putting it inside out/taping over markings). The MSC will reimburse your postal charge and box cost up to eleven dollars. If I am sending to zone 7 or 8(which I try to avoid because it is more than 11 bucks), then I will use used packaging since it will not be reimbursed because I have already gone up to my 11 dollar limit. If you know you have room for the cost of a box reimbursement, then I would spare myself the hassle of using an already used box. Plus, I make an additional 1% when I use my credit card on purchases at Staples.

I just use the same boxes over and over. I just rewrap them with Dollar store kraft paper and then resend them. I just use cake mixes or 1 lb boxes of baking soda. Both work really well.

Do you send them to yourself?

@a-scho wrote:

If the box has all markings and Amazon tape taken off. But, I find it much much easier to just go to Staples and buy their boxes five at a time(they are discounted to about .60 apiece) than it is to deal with an already used box(putting it inside out/taping over markings). The MSC will reimburse your postal charge and box cost up to eleven dollars. If I am sending to zone 7 or 8(which I try to avoid because it is more than 11 bucks), then I will use used packaging since it will not be reimbursed because I have already gone up to my 11 dollar limit. If you know you have room for the cost of a box reimbursement, then I would spare myself the hassle of using an already used box. Plus, I make an additional 1% when I use my credit card on purchases at Staples.

5 x $0.60 = $3.00
1% of $3.00 is 3 cents.

That's all.

The Mobee mystery shopping app has office supply shops that sometimes require a small, non-reimbursed purchase. These micro shops are ridiculous but I like to do them when convenient. I use that opportunity to buy my shipping supplies.

Edited to add my Mobee referral code in case anyone wants to check it out: HSVZ

Shopping since 2009
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/2017 05:36AM by jellybee.

@JASFLALMT wrote:

Do you send them to yourself?

I had to do that once. I was offered $72 to get a shop done NOW. Woohoo. I got the green light to do it and grabbed up items from my car to put in a box I had gotten from a Dollar General store (they break down for recycling). The clerk even let me borrow their tape! I mailed it from my nickname and work address to my real name and my home address. The addresses are three hours apart on a map. The post office I was shopping was clueless, but I'm sure my post master noticed when he put my mail away that I had mailed myself something. Things come in the mail for me all the time with my nickname on them.

MegglesKat

I worked at the post office for years and there is no problem using any box as long as all previous labels and bar codes are removed from the package.

If I use a box my postal buddy sent me, I remove her label and attach a 5x8 index card over where her label was...and take off the USPS Priority mail stickers. That way, if she sends the box back, it is very easy for her. If I recycle another box, I have used black marker to remove printing and even "sticker's" to cover something the marker did not cover. I have never had a problem. There was one Hazmat I did, that the postal clerk did not accept (some were accepted), that had "Fragile" printed on the box that I did not cover. The clerk told me if I did not remove the work, it would cost $11 or $22 more. If I recycle a "fragile" box, that is the first thing I get rid of!!

I have sold a bunch of things on eBay and reused old boxes for every shipment. The only things I get rid of are things to do with shipping labels and addresses. Everything else is fine, Amazon boxes, Amazon tape, any boxes with the name of the company all over. The only thing you can't use are alcohol/wine boxes. Those would need to be covered in brown paper.

I don't think the OP was asking what the post office will accept. I think they were asking what the MSC (or job) will accept. For the job, the guidelines say, when using an existing box the box can not have any marking on it except the to/from label. They also say no stickers on boxes.

Wrap them in shipping brown paper. That's what I do to old boxes

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/2017 03:09PM by cmrgray.

I would rather make three cents than spend money(in tape or brown shipping paper) dealing with a used box.
That is all.

The tape I have was free. If I buy a box, since I ship to zone 5 frequently, I will be out of pocket more than 3 cents.

I would rather use $.03 worth of tape to keep from taking a 45 minute trip to Wal Mart to make $.03

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

I hate WalMart. If I have to purchase a box I go to Staples. Both are only about 3 miles from home but Staples is quick and painless. On my own dime (like buying groceries), I will go somewhere else, even if it's further away, and don't care if I spend more money to avoid giving money to WM.

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Can you use old Amazon boxes for USPS shops?

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