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My wife dropped off 2 mini-CTU's at a postal annex located in a Hallmark. The woman behind the counter remarked that the mail carrier doesn't like the boxes to be completely tapped up. Is this because of barcodes or something? What's the solution

Are you using clear tape? If it's something you can't see through, they won't be able to quickly identify it as a flat rate box.

Yes. They scan the barcode when they pick them up and along the route of travel at each stop of your package. Clear tape along ends and top and bottom. Be careful not to cover bar code with any tape. Around edge of mailing address is OK. What frustrates them is having to hand punch all the numbers. Be kind to your postal carrier and most will return the favor.

Engineer wrote:Are you using clear tape? If it's something you can't see through, they won't be able to quickly identify it as a flat rate box.

Clear tape.

wheeler_dealer wrote:Yes. They scan the barcode when they pick them up and along the route of travel at each stop of your package. Clear tape along ends and top and bottom. Be careful not to cover bar code with any tape. Around edge of mailing address is OK. What frustrates them is having to hand punch all the numbers. Be kind to your postal carrier and most will return the favor.

Got it. Thanks for the tip!

Yep, just don't cover the barcode. It can make it difficult to scan. I think it even says "do not tape over barcode" on the instructions that print out with the label.

natsb88 wrote:Yep, just don't cover the barcode. It can make it difficult to scan. I think it even says "do not tape over barcode" on the instructions that print out with the label.

I guess I've never printed out a label for a FR box. I just take them to the PO and give them to the guy behind the counter. But don't they mean not to tape the shipping label over the barcode?

I'm a little surprised that they can't scan the barcode through clear packing tape. But just in case I will be sure not to tape over it in the future.

No, they mean don't put tape over the barcode. I'm talking about pre-paid online labels. The barcode is printed right on the label. The postage is also cheaper and delivery confirmation is free. Sounds like you're doing it the expensive old-fashioned way

Usually it will still scan with some extra effort, but sometimes the laser reflects too much off the glossy tape surface and it won't read it. It's even more of a factor with the portable scanners the carriers use, and they are often out in the bright sun which also reflects off the tape and makes it more difficult to scan.

Cool! How much cheaper? I will have to check it out. Do you print the labels through eBay or directly from the USPS website?

Derek.Sheriff wrote:Cool! How much cheaper? I will have to check it out. Do you print the labels through eBay or directly from the USPS website?

EBay
USPS
PayPal multi order shipping .....

SFRB
Post Office: $5.35 + $0.75 DC = $6.10
Online: $5.15 + $0.00 DC = $5.15

You can do Priority at http://www.usps.com or through PayPal Multiorder Shipping (there is a link when you log into PayPal). Same price both places. You can also do First Class packages through PayPal Multiorder (cheaper postage and DC).

Thanks for the info guys!

Are there just discounts for the SFRB? Or, is it cheaper to print online labels for the mediums too?

jacer333 wrote:Are there just discounts for the SFRB? Or, is it cheaper to print online labels for the mediums too?

MFRB
Post Office: $11.35 + $0.75 DC = $12.10
Online: $10.85 + $0.00 DC = $10.85

First Class, Priority (flat rate and variable rate), and Express are all cheaper online.

Post office says and I believe online printed labels even say don't tape over the bar code. I always tape over the bar code anyway. If you print shipping from home it's on regular paper with cheap home printer ink. One drop of water hits that barcode and the whole thing is going to smear it could also easily rip. I always tape over barcode and never had an issue. I think someone on an ebay forum actually did an experiment and you can put something like 27 pieces of tape over the barcode before the machine has trouble scanning it.

As for why post office doesn't like it maybe because barcode. Ohter reason with flat rate packaging and envelopes I believe they want you to only use the pre strip of tape that comes with the box for sealing they dont want you to add additional tape or sealing methods. This policy is rarely enforced but it is a rule i believe. I've bought copper bars/bullion before and they tape the whole box and got to me no problem. even with flat rate envelopes Ill always put a few extra pieces of tape on them.

getdong wrote:Post office says and I believe online printed labels even say don't tape over the bar code.

They do.

getdong wrote:If you print shipping from home it's on regular paper with cheap home printer ink. One drop of water hits that barcode and the whole thing is going to smear it could also easily rip.

You can get inexpensive self-adhesive shipping labels that won't easily rip. You can use a laser printer (black & white laser printers are cheap) that won't smear. Or you can bypass the ink issue altogether and use a thermal printer with self-adhesive labels. This is the slickest and most cost effective method if you do any volume. You can get a refurbished Zebra LP2844 package on eBay for around $130. The labels are cheaper, there is no ink or ribbon to buy, you don't have to tape over the label, and it's a huge time and hassle saver, so it pays for itself in no time.

getdong wrote:I always tape over barcode and never had an issue. I think someone on an ebay forum actually did an experiment and you can put something like 27 pieces of tape over the barcode before the machine has trouble scanning it.

Depends on the tape and the scanner. Not everybody uses the same tape, and not every post office uses the same scanner. I have received many packages where tape over the barcode made it difficult and sometimes impossible to scan. There's a reason they ask you not to do that. If you really want to do it, try this: put a strip of tape over the addresses to protect those, and put a strip of tape over the bottom half of the barcode and the numbers, but leave about a 1/2" strip of barcode untaped. This way the numbers and part of the barcode are protected in case of moisture, but there is a strip of exposed barcode that can be easily scanned. Win-win.

getdong wrote:Ohter reason with flat rate packaging and envelopes I believe they want you to only use the pre strip of tape that comes with the box for sealing they dont want you to add additional tape or sealing methods. This policy is rarely enforced but it is a rule i believe.

Incorrect. The sealing strip on small FRBs and on FREs must be the "primary means of enclosure," but there is no rule that prohibits additional tape for reinforcement. That basically means that the flap needs to close (you cannot distort the shape of the box, or of the envelope to the point that the self-adhesive flap won't close and hold it shut). As long as the flap closes and seals, you can add whatever tape you want. If a postal employee challenges it, ask them to show you the rule in the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) that says you can't tape flat rate products; there isn't one, the only rule is that the flaps must close and seal as intended.