USPS: Mail holiday packages with care
December is the busiest time of year for mailing and the U.S. Postal Service is helping to make holiday shipping needs a little bit easier. With 20 billion cards, letters and packages expected to be delivered this holiday season, the Postal Service has some tips to help send holiday cheer in a safe, secure manner.
The Postal Service offers free, environmentally friendly Priority Mail and Express Mail boxes and envelopes. These supplies can be ordered at usps.com or picked up at a local Post Office and can be shipped anywhere in the world. But the best consumer value may be Flat Rate Boxes and envelopes. No calculating postage or weighing is needed. Customers pay a flat rate of USD 8.95 no matter the weight of the package or its destination. When a package is ready to be shipped, log on to usps.com/pickup to schedule a free package pickup from home or office.
The Postal Service also offers pre-packaged shipping products, READY POST, sold at local Post Offices for customers unable to find proper mailing boxes and envelopes.
It’s important to remember that packages weighing more than 13 ounces bearing postage stamps must be presented to a letter carrier or retail associate at the Post Office and cannot be dropped in blue collection boxes.
“The Postal Service is making it easier this holiday season to ship to family and friends,” said Delores Killette, vice president and consumer advocate. “These mailing recommendations will help customers send their holiday cheer.”
