Post Office Shops
Warning: For Full Access Please Log In or Create an Account (Free)
I just buy the smallest box I can find. I've never even looked at their suggested box list. Never had an issue.
What type shop? If it is A or D, it can be any size. I buy mine at Walmart for 62 cents. Now, if it is Dim Weight, I think it matters. Never did one of those though.
Thank you both!
It is not Dim Weight.
I guess I was just endeavouring to be as correct as possible. As it turns out, there is leeway! Thank providence!
Cheers!
It is not Dim Weight.
I guess I was just endeavouring to be as correct as possible. As it turns out, there is leeway! Thank providence!
Cheers!
If it's not a DIM weight (you need a receipt for the box to prove it was large enough) and not a Ready Post (where you buy the box at the post office) you can use any box you want. I use old Amazon boxes, but you need to take a felt pen and mark out any writing or bar codes.
But . . . for the A and D shops, I'd be sure you're under a 12 inch square or you might accidentally trigger the dimensional pricing if you are sending it far enough away. So stay under that size.
But . . . for the A and D shops, I'd be sure you're under a 12 inch square or you might accidentally trigger the dimensional pricing if you are sending it far enough away. So stay under that size.
Time to build a bigger bridge.
Walmart has all of the boxes the cheapest. Staples is the most expensive and over the allotted amount.
Boxes can also be purchased at the Dollar store.
It sounds like a "C" shop. If so, there are four specified dimensions. Recently, I have had difficulty finding those in my area. Fed Ex is the only local supplier that I found one of the four options (14x14x14).
If they are as hard to find in your area, I suggest you call around.
If is is an "A" or "D" shop, it does not matter, just small enough so that it doesn't trigger the extra charges of a Dim Sum or "C" shop. The cheap boxes from Walmart or some other place will work just fine.
Good luck
If they are as hard to find in your area, I suggest you call around.
If is is an "A" or "D" shop, it does not matter, just small enough so that it doesn't trigger the extra charges of a Dim Sum or "C" shop. The cheap boxes from Walmart or some other place will work just fine.
Good luck
Happily shopping Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts and Connecticut
Sometimes I recycle a flat rate box I got in the mail and I wrap the outside with plain brown paper. If well-taped there's no problem mailing it.
Her Serene Majesty, Cettie - Goat Queen of Zoltar, Sublime Empress of Her Caprine Domain
Seconding that for A and D shops I just recycle my own boxes from Amazon and eBay. I was pretty put out the first time I had no boxes to spare and actually had to buy one!
Dim weight shops are only one it matters for. The OfficeMax near me has the sizes required for the dim weight. You must submitt receipt for reimbursement. I personally just reuse the same box and ship it to myself.
Shopping Western NY, Northeast and Central PA, and parts of Ohio and West Virginia. Have car will travel anywhere if the monies right.
Well this post is timely. I had exactly this issue today.
I never dreamed it would be so hard to find these box sizes - I have only done the A and D before and wasn't expecting this to be such a hassle.
I figured since they mentioned Walgreens as a source that I could easily find the boxes on my way out of town (to do out of state shops no less) at any of a number of stores along the way. Oh, was I mistaken !
5 stores later ( 2 dollar stores, 2 Walgreens and a KMart) I couldn't find a SINGLE box available in those sizes! I called the scheduler hoping to get an ok to use some of the box sizes I did locate but nooooo.... not an option.
The scheduler's response was, hmm that is odd. Like she had never heard this complaint before.
I had to cancel all the shops for the day. I am NOT a happy camper.
How do they get anyone to do these shops ??? I noticed the fee was $2.50 higher than it used to be and the jobs I had scheduled were all small town, out of the way locations that they will likely now have to bonus as they will become overdue.
I am wondering if I want to do these scenarios if I am going to have to order boxes online??
I never dreamed it would be so hard to find these box sizes - I have only done the A and D before and wasn't expecting this to be such a hassle.
I figured since they mentioned Walgreens as a source that I could easily find the boxes on my way out of town (to do out of state shops no less) at any of a number of stores along the way. Oh, was I mistaken !
5 stores later ( 2 dollar stores, 2 Walgreens and a KMart) I couldn't find a SINGLE box available in those sizes! I called the scheduler hoping to get an ok to use some of the box sizes I did locate but nooooo.... not an option.
The scheduler's response was, hmm that is odd. Like she had never heard this complaint before.
I had to cancel all the shops for the day. I am NOT a happy camper.
How do they get anyone to do these shops ??? I noticed the fee was $2.50 higher than it used to be and the jobs I had scheduled were all small town, out of the way locations that they will likely now have to bonus as they will become overdue.
I am wondering if I want to do these scenarios if I am going to have to order boxes online??
BuffaloNY101 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Dim weight shops are only one it matters for. The
> OfficeMax near me has the sizes required for the
> dim weight. You must submitt receipt for
> reimbursement. I personally just reuse the same
> box and ship it to myself.
I hope you're talking about reusing A and D boxes and shipping to yourself, because for the benefit of newbies here, the C shops that require the large boxes have to be shipped several hundred miles away. Unless you're partnered with another shopper who ships them back to you, it's hard to get that C scenario box back to reuse it. (I have boxes made up for the A and D's that I just ship to myself, unless I'm using my own post office, in which case I ship to my sister and then get it back from her.)
A friend of mine couldn't buy a box anywhere in this town so she cut down a box and made one the right size -- don't do it! When the clerk failed to measure it and didn't charge her the extra fee, they rejected her report because she didn't have a receipt to prove it was the size required.
I buy four at a time and have separate receipts for each one, which I pin to a bulletin board and use one by one as I use up the boxes. So I usually have a box on hand any time I need one. The boxes at Wal Mart are less than 75 cents so it's a small investment in being able to take these shops especially when they have the rare bonus on them. I'm doing one tomorrow.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Dim weight shops are only one it matters for. The
> OfficeMax near me has the sizes required for the
> dim weight. You must submitt receipt for
> reimbursement. I personally just reuse the same
> box and ship it to myself.
I hope you're talking about reusing A and D boxes and shipping to yourself, because for the benefit of newbies here, the C shops that require the large boxes have to be shipped several hundred miles away. Unless you're partnered with another shopper who ships them back to you, it's hard to get that C scenario box back to reuse it. (I have boxes made up for the A and D's that I just ship to myself, unless I'm using my own post office, in which case I ship to my sister and then get it back from her.)
A friend of mine couldn't buy a box anywhere in this town so she cut down a box and made one the right size -- don't do it! When the clerk failed to measure it and didn't charge her the extra fee, they rejected her report because she didn't have a receipt to prove it was the size required.
I buy four at a time and have separate receipts for each one, which I pin to a bulletin board and use one by one as I use up the boxes. So I usually have a box on hand any time I need one. The boxes at Wal Mart are less than 75 cents so it's a small investment in being able to take these shops especially when they have the rare bonus on them. I'm doing one tomorrow.
Time to build a bigger bridge.
dspeaks:
yes i reuse for A and D. I hop in the box for c and mail myself so I can reuse that one too. LOL and of course have to buy for dim weight shops each time.
yes i reuse for A and D. I hop in the box for c and mail myself so I can reuse that one too. LOL and of course have to buy for dim weight shops each time.
Shopping Western NY, Northeast and Central PA, and parts of Ohio and West Virginia. Have car will travel anywhere if the monies right.
C boxes have been at every Staples I've ever visited, but exceed the reimbursement. They are also at Walmart for under $1, and only once have been out of stock. I buy 10 at a time from Walmart and resupply before I run out. I use the same receipt for all ten with no problem.
How expensive are the DIM weight shops to ship? I've been scared away because it states that reimbursement is up to FORTY dollars. Seems expensive!
The last one I did cost $48 to mail it and if for any reason they find a way to reject the shop then you're out the money. I did one at a post office that was absolutely horrible and the MS company waffled a lot about whether to pay me because the report was negative.
Her Serene Majesty, Cettie - Goat Queen of Zoltar, Sublime Empress of Her Caprine Domain
So hopefully I can find these at Walmart ? I avoid going to Walmart as much as possible. There are a few things I can only find there and buy in bulk - but try to keep it to a few times a year. I used to be a weekly Walmart junkie until things got really tight and I realized how much I was actually spending there (most likely just due to the excessive amount of time spent in the store) and cut it out completely.
There was a competitor grocery shop for them that I passed on last week - hopefully it is still available so I can at least be compensated for my time (boy it is super hard to shop anywhere these days when you know it isn't a paid "shop".
There was a competitor grocery shop for them that I passed on last week - hopefully it is still available so I can at least be compensated for my time (boy it is super hard to shop anywhere these days when you know it isn't a paid "shop".
I have two things that fits with this conversation. I have recently run across clerks who don't measure correctly - they say anything over the inch mark gets rounded up to the next inch. So my 14x14x14 box went for 15" and was over the reimbursement. The next time this happened, I insisted the box was a 14x14x14 box. I used to tape the flap with the dimensions inside to make the clerk actually measure the box - but not anymore - I can then point to the box dimensions on the bottom of the box.
Second, I had a clerk actually weigh my box incorrectly - or the scale was off so that the box weighed less than the 2.5 pound minimum. I didn't catch it at the time, but in my narrative, I explained that I always send the same thing, what the box weighed at home, and I could show them past receipts where my boxes were consistently over the 2.5 minimum.
I have always found the 14x14x14 boxes at Walmart. You can use one receipt - you just don't get reimbursed for the tax. They will NOT take a receipt with multiple items and figure the tax - even if you figure it and write on the receipt - you will just get the purchase price. So I do the same as another poster, buying 10 boxes at a time. I go through the self checkout to get a separate receipt for each box.
Second, I had a clerk actually weigh my box incorrectly - or the scale was off so that the box weighed less than the 2.5 pound minimum. I didn't catch it at the time, but in my narrative, I explained that I always send the same thing, what the box weighed at home, and I could show them past receipts where my boxes were consistently over the 2.5 minimum.
I have always found the 14x14x14 boxes at Walmart. You can use one receipt - you just don't get reimbursed for the tax. They will NOT take a receipt with multiple items and figure the tax - even if you figure it and write on the receipt - you will just get the purchase price. So I do the same as another poster, buying 10 boxes at a time. I go through the self checkout to get a separate receipt for each box.
With reference to boxes with writing on them, I cut them down the side, make they wrong-side out, tape them back together and use the inside for the proper addresses.
I find my new boxes of the right size at Walmart.
I find my new boxes of the right size at Walmart.
Figures the largest size box is available - the 14" square. How much does THAT one cost to ship?? Are the other ones readily available ?
CANADAMOMMY Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Walmart has all of the boxes the cheapest. Staples
> is the most expensive and over the allotted
> amount.
I bought all my boxes at Staples and they are not over reimbursed amount here. However, Office Depot is. The cheapest boxes are at Wal-Mart, but they are super flimsy.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Walmart has all of the boxes the cheapest. Staples
> is the most expensive and over the allotted
> amount.
I bought all my boxes at Staples and they are not over reimbursed amount here. However, Office Depot is. The cheapest boxes are at Wal-Mart, but they are super flimsy.
Not my circus - Not my monkeys @(*.*)@
~Polish Proverb~
~Polish Proverb~
Receipts - I have bought multiple boxes on one receipt and got reimbursed with the following method.
I make sufficient digital copies for the number of boxes. In other words, if I buy 4 boxes (all the same size) and get one receipt, I scan it in and make copy number one titled "Receipt "C" boxes 1 of 4", then "Receipt "C" boxes 2 of 4" and so on.
I make sufficient digital copies for the number of boxes. In other words, if I buy 4 boxes (all the same size) and get one receipt, I scan it in and make copy number one titled "Receipt "C" boxes 1 of 4", then "Receipt "C" boxes 2 of 4" and so on.
Happily shopping Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts and Connecticut
Pretty soon auditing might catch up with you.
If they turn in specific to each PO they might think otherwise.
So simple just to do different single orders at self check. No extra copies needed.
No way there could be an issue later.
vlade5394 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Receipts - I have bought multiple boxes on one
> receipt and got reimbursed with the following
> method.
>
> I make sufficient digital copies for the number of
> boxes. In other words, if I buy 4 boxes (all the
> same size) and get one receipt, I scan it in and
> make copy number one titled "Receipt "C" boxes 1
> of 4", then "Receipt "C" boxes 2 of 4" and so on.
If they turn in specific to each PO they might think otherwise.
So simple just to do different single orders at self check. No extra copies needed.
No way there could be an issue later.
vlade5394 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Receipts - I have bought multiple boxes on one
> receipt and got reimbursed with the following
> method.
>
> I make sufficient digital copies for the number of
> boxes. In other words, if I buy 4 boxes (all the
> same size) and get one receipt, I scan it in and
> make copy number one titled "Receipt "C" boxes 1
> of 4", then "Receipt "C" boxes 2 of 4" and so on.
I don't use boxes, I use padded envelopes, similar to the ones for the ready post shops. I buy ten at a time and then divide for the individual price of the envelope. I have never had a problem and I have done over 100 of these shops. I buy the envelopes at Walmart. I have also bought the individual envelopes if I am on the road.
Several Office Depots have the 14x14x14, but not everyone of them. When I find one that does, I buy in bulk and keep them in the trunk.
Several Office Depots have the 14x14x14, but not everyone of them. When I find one that does, I buy in bulk and keep them in the trunk.
That is brilliant!! There are a LOT of PO shops near me but I really don't have anyone to send anything to right now. I can use a return address of one of our rental properties 
BuffaloNY101 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Dim weight shops are only one it matters for. The
> OfficeMax near me has the sizes required for the
> dim weight. You must submitt receipt for
> reimbursement. I personally just reuse the same
> box and ship it to myself.
BuffaloNY101 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Dim weight shops are only one it matters for. The
> OfficeMax near me has the sizes required for the
> dim weight. You must submitt receipt for
> reimbursement. I personally just reuse the same
> box and ship it to myself.
>>>>>>medowynd
There are so many things wrong with that comment that, well...
Please tell me where you managed to buy "Padded Envelopes" that are 14 inches DEEP ??
Secondly, how are you not getting your shops rejected when you don't have a receipt for a BOX of the correct dimensions ???
We must be talking about two completely different things here, that is all I can figure. Please clarify that you are - or are not - doing the Scenario C Dim Box shop ?
The Scenario C Dimensional Box shop is just that - you need a nearly SQUARE box and the reason is that this oversized box will trigger the clerk to use a different method of pricing (dimensions plus weight) than they would if you had a different shape / size box or padded envelopes.
If you are buying envelopes that are 14x 14x 14x I want to see a pic of that !
There are so many things wrong with that comment that, well...
Please tell me where you managed to buy "Padded Envelopes" that are 14 inches DEEP ??
Secondly, how are you not getting your shops rejected when you don't have a receipt for a BOX of the correct dimensions ???
We must be talking about two completely different things here, that is all I can figure. Please clarify that you are - or are not - doing the Scenario C Dim Box shop ?
The Scenario C Dimensional Box shop is just that - you need a nearly SQUARE box and the reason is that this oversized box will trigger the clerk to use a different method of pricing (dimensions plus weight) than they would if you had a different shape / size box or padded envelopes.
If you are buying envelopes that are 14x 14x 14x I want to see a pic of that !
medowynd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't use boxes, I use padded envelopes, similar
> to the ones for the ready post shops. I buy ten
> at a time and then divide for the individual price
> of the envelope. I have never had a problem and I
> have done over 100 of these shops. I buy the
> envelopes at Walmart. I have also bought the
> individual envelopes if I am on the road.
>
> Several Office Depots have the 14x14x14, but not
> everyone of them. When I find one that does, I
> buy in bulk and keep them in the trunk.
I used to use envelopes for A and D shops, but the guidelines recently changed and state that you must ship a box. Just be aware, as your shop could be rejected if they find the discrepancy.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/2014 07:20PM by JenW.
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't use boxes, I use padded envelopes, similar
> to the ones for the ready post shops. I buy ten
> at a time and then divide for the individual price
> of the envelope. I have never had a problem and I
> have done over 100 of these shops. I buy the
> envelopes at Walmart. I have also bought the
> individual envelopes if I am on the road.
>
> Several Office Depots have the 14x14x14, but not
> everyone of them. When I find one that does, I
> buy in bulk and keep them in the trunk.
I used to use envelopes for A and D shops, but the guidelines recently changed and state that you must ship a box. Just be aware, as your shop could be rejected if they find the discrepancy.
*****************************************************
The harder I work, the luckier I get.
The harder I work, the luckier I get.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/2014 07:20PM by JenW.
Boutique Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Figures the largest size box is available - the
> 14" square. How much does THAT one cost to ship??
> Are the other ones readily available ?
I just did the dim weight shop (Scenario C) using a 14x14 box, and my postage cost was $34.30 for Zone 5. It weighed just over 4 lbs, including the box (billable weight was 14 lbs. 3 oz.) If you send to their recommended food bank address, yours will be Zone 5, as well.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Figures the largest size box is available - the
> 14" square. How much does THAT one cost to ship??
> Are the other ones readily available ?
I just did the dim weight shop (Scenario C) using a 14x14 box, and my postage cost was $34.30 for Zone 5. It weighed just over 4 lbs, including the box (billable weight was 14 lbs. 3 oz.) If you send to their recommended food bank address, yours will be Zone 5, as well.
*****************************************************
The harder I work, the luckier I get.
The harder I work, the luckier I get.
Boutique Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> >>>>>>medowynd
>
>
> There are so many things wrong with that comment
> that, well...
Well, considering the poster made a comment that when they found 14x14x14 boxes they bought a lot of them, then logic dictates that they are using those for C shops and that the comment about padded envelopes would be for the A shops. Several people in the thread have crossed over to talk about purchasing boxes for the other scenarios, not just C.
-------------------------------------------------------
> >>>>>>medowynd
>
>
> There are so many things wrong with that comment
> that, well...
Well, considering the poster made a comment that when they found 14x14x14 boxes they bought a lot of them, then logic dictates that they are using those for C shops and that the comment about padded envelopes would be for the A shops. Several people in the thread have crossed over to talk about purchasing boxes for the other scenarios, not just C.
There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind
At the moment only demons come to mind
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.