Christmas is less than a week away! For those of you who still have some cards and gifts to mail, don’t let the holiday rush cause you to make packing and shipping mistakes. Below are some hints to help you get your cards and packages to their destinations in one piece and on time for Christmas.
Just Because It Fits Doesn’t Mean It Should Ship. Don’t mail anything that isn’t a piece of paper in a regular envelope. Greeting cards are fine, but if you’re trying to include something lumpy, like jewelry, flash drives, etc., the envelope can break open and the contents fall out. In fact, even gift cards shouldn’t be mailed in a plain envelope as the postal system’s automated sorting equipment can destroy them. Pay the extra non-machinable charge to avoid the sorting machine.
Be careful if you’re going old school. If you’re looking to do something unique and eco-friendly by mailing vintage Christmas cards, use caution. The old paper can become brittle, and the glue may not be as effective. To make sure your vintage cards arrive intact, put everything in a new envelope and mail that.
Listen to the person behind the counter. They have knowledge and experience from working in the packing and shipping industry, so they know some tips and tricks to help your packages arrive safely. If they are advising you to get a larger box so you can put more packaging around that glass ornament, take their suggestion. Your package is more likely to arrive intact, to everybody’s satisfaction.
Place delivery information inside the package, as well as on the delivery label. Sometimes, the box doesn’t hold up to the shipping process (especially if you reuse an old shipping carton – which you shouldn’t). If the delivery label is lost, the carrier will still be able to complete delivery.
Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance. If you haven’t shipped your gifts yet, you’re running out of time to get them to their destinations by Christmas. The absolute last day to ship via USPS, FedEx and UPS is Monday, December 23rd.
If you need help with packaging your gifts, stop by the PostalAnnex nearest you for packing and shipping services. At PostalAnnex, you can compare shipping rates for UPS, FedEx and USPS to determine which service best fits your needs.
Source: The Consumerist