rarriffle
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posted on June 14, 2003 03:55:13 AM new
i have been wondering about this and have never done it and never asked if it could be done.
if i am shipping an item that is packed securely in the original box...fairly large box...the item cannot be broken unless the truck runs over it..
can it be shipped just by putting a label on the outside of the box, usually a very graphic box? i have always double boxed but that has been nearly impossible at times.
shipping would be UPS or USPS.
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tomwiii
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posted on June 14, 2003 04:00:33 AM new
The USPS requires that ALL markings on outside of shipping package be masked -- that's why office supply stores sell shipping box "paint" 
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CBlev65252
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posted on June 14, 2003 04:07:31 AM new
Usually what I do in this case is wrap the box in paper. Some time ago someone posted that the post office does not allow things wrapped in brown paper anymore, but I've found that that is not the case. I send them out and I receive them that way. If you are unsure, I think they sell white paper. Putting the original box into another bigger box is also a solution, but that will increase the shipping cost more than wrapping it in paper.
I've also gotten things in original boxes just fine. However, why tip off the postal employees what you are sending? They aren't all honest, you know. I've also had things that "got lost in the mail" sent in original boxes. I used to watch for them to show up on the USPS auction site.
Cheryl
My religion is simple, my religion is kindness.
--Dalai Llama
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tonimar1
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posted on June 14, 2003 05:53:36 AM new
I also agree that wrapping it in paper, would be the better way to go.
Any plain paper, color doesn't matter and then tape it in all areas that can get caught so it woun't come off.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on June 14, 2003 06:07:46 AM new
I think somebody's confused here.
Of course you can put a label on the original box and ship it.
What the USPS does NOT want you to do is to re-use the box to ship something else without removing or taping over the original markings.
http://www.usps.com/send/preparemailandpackages/preparingpackages.htm
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[ edited by fluffythewondercat on Jun 14, 2003 06:08 AM ]
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neonmania
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posted on June 14, 2003 08:33:13 AM new
I have recently recieved two different packages in their retail boxes with address labels on them. Another ebayer in town that hits the post office at the sametime I do actually does this with software. That I find a little tacky (not to mention dangerous considering that I have seen him ship some highend software this way) but he does it at least twice a week and it seems to work for him.
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stopwhining
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posted on June 14, 2003 11:27:01 AM new
i know us customs does not care much for foreign boxes which were used for packing fruits to come into this country.but as far as domestic shipping is concerned,i have seen boxes such as SAMSUNG AROMA RICE COOKER,SONY RADIO,DAEWOO TV/VCR COMBO SET,DEL MONTE CATSUP,you name it and they are all cheerfully greeted by the usps counter clerks.
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ihula
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posted on June 14, 2003 12:02:47 PM new
Just fyi - UPS does not allow you to wrap in paper. It clogs their machine and if the paper gets ripped off so does your label. I ship in the original box through UPS all the time. For the post office I would probably use the paper or put in another box.
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rarriffle
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posted on June 14, 2003 02:20:17 PM new
thank you all for your input. i ship with UPS quite a bit and it is sometimes difficult to find the right box just to cover another box. hubby and i have had this ongoing discussion for sometime and it is nice to know i am right (i won't tell him though), I promise.
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stopwhining
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posted on June 14, 2003 02:34:23 PM new
there was once a program which talked about theft within usps on CNN,the items they target are usually small packages which look like they could have jewelry or coin inside,or happy birthday cards from grandma with cash.
i would think it is hard for usps employee to walk off the premise with large boxes,unless it is around xmas and he is playing santa claus at xmas party??
however,having said that,i used to have a p o box with post office and a letter from my credit card issuer was stolen,inside were some blank checks.someone started writing these drafts to the tune of 745,789,795,799 payable to his own credit card issuer.
i received a call from my cc issuer and i asked them how they know it is not me,they said we looked up your account and you dont do busines with this organisation.
talk about lack of privacy.
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Libra63
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posted on June 14, 2003 02:46:05 PM new
When I am out of bubble mailers I use boxes I wrap them in brown paper. I have had no complaints. In fact I see that quite often at my postoffice...
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neonmania
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posted on June 14, 2003 02:51:49 PM new
You can use brown paper with USPS , just not with UPS.
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bigpeepa
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posted on June 14, 2003 03:57:54 PM new
I have shipped thousands of boxes by just taking a black magic marker and drawing lines through the wording on the box. No need to take all the time to wrap the box in paper. BOY-O-BOY I can tell a lot of you guys don't ship much. Keep The Faith, good luck and good selling
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wrightsracing
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posted on June 14, 2003 07:59:29 PM new
usually a very graphic box???
what does this mean ??
There are some words on a box that will not be accepted, and you will not be able to ship in that box with the USPS.
I forget what the words are, next time you are there, ask them about it.
Best to cover with paper.
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sparkz
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posted on June 14, 2003 08:35:56 PM new
The only time I ever had a problem with the P.O. was when I tried to send some glassware in a wine box. There can be no markings on the outside of a box indicating any item an airline will not carry. I picked up a box of 5000 computer address labels at a yard sale for a buck some time back and I use them to cover anything that could be a problem such as bar codes, mfgr. addresses, ORM-D markings, then I write fragile on them. Shipping an item in its original carton should be no problem as long as it's not a prohibited item by the airlines.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
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stonecold613
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posted on June 14, 2003 09:41:27 PM new
It is OK to send items in their original box with a shipping label on it as long as there are no hazardous markings on the box. If there is, then they need to be completely vocered or blackened out. Only problem you may have is if there is an insurance claim and your item isn't double boxed, more often than not, it will get rejected.
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rarriffle
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posted on June 15, 2003 03:24:21 AM new
[b]okay wrightsracing
very graphic, what does this mean?[/b]
i knew that question was coming. I sell a lot of Little Tykes toy sets..usually larger boxes, very hard to cover unless you use paper, which I don't like.
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toollady
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posted on June 15, 2003 05:12:32 AM new
If I'm not mistaken, if an item, such as a monitor or tower is damaged via UPS, they WILL NOT pay the claim if the item isn't in its original shipping container with the accompanying cushioning.
I always used to see my driver with lots of "cow" boxes in his truck. I would say Gateway has been pretty successful in sending their items unconcealed. 
[ edited by toollady on Jun 15, 2003 05:17 AM ]
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Roadsmith
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posted on June 15, 2003 08:39:38 AM new
This thread is puzzling to me. I use boxes from all over to ship, with all sorts of writing on them. I've had NO trouble shipping either here or where we used to live. I keep a heavy black magic marker on my shipping table and mark through the UPC code numbers and lines wherever they show up on the box and also (sometimes) put an X through other groups of words.
Oops - I just reread your original message here and I see that you're talking about the "original box." That might be tricky because of theft possibilities; otherwise I wouldn't hesitate.
In three or four years, I've never lost an item in shipment.
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ohmslucy
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posted on June 15, 2003 09:12:29 AM new
Hi,
This is a bit off topic from Rarriffle's question, which had to with the item traveling safely and that's been answered.
My comment about shipping in the original box is that when it arrives it will of necessity have labels, etc., on it.
If it was intended to be a gift, the recipient might not be pleased with the appearance.
I'd wrap it in heavy kraft paper just so it arrives looking nice.
Lucy
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