okay today I received  book which first was enclosed into a priority mailing box and then the sender wrapped paper

all around that box

I wondering if that package had been inspected would the post office charge me for the priority mailing fee?

I think you would be given the option of paying the priority rate and receiving it,

or refusing it, having it sent back (and the sender getting charged that rate).

We do have the right to inspect media mail, and since our priority boxes are specific sizes, we do notice (most of the time) when boxes are inverted or wrapped. It would come to you as a "Postage Due" for the difference between media mail and Priority rate. If you refused to pay the additional postage then it would go back to sender for the postage due.

Of the 400 books I have ordered since May, I believe, I have received 5 transactions that were in inverted priority boxes or inverted Express Tyvek envelopes. I send a polite PM to the sender explaining the violation of USPS rules and also what the "Postage Due" would have been if this had been caught.

I have also had about 5 transactions that were sent either Priority or Parcel Post (I do a lot of quantity book orders) and I politely PM them as well explaining how Media Mail works and as long as they are sending books they should save their money and use media mail. I appreciate the upgrading (since the Post Office can use it) but I expect media mail service since that is the backbone on how PBS works.

Kevin

I understand that rules are rules, but I think that it is rediculous that we can't recyle the priority mail and other USPS boxes and bags.  I guess some people would take advantage and use them  w/o them ever going through the system, but it is a shame that all that can happen is to fill landfills with them.

One thing I can't understand is them charging the difference when the service, ie speedier delivery, wasn't received.

We can recycle them and I often do - just not for mailing purposes.  I reuse mine to store things in and you can also reuse them if you are sending UPS or FedEx.    I use boxes for more than mailing.

I recently received a book shipment in which a Priority box was cut, inverted, and resized smaller to fit the books, so it wasn't the same shape as a standard Priority box.

ETA: Just a thought, but if someone mails me something Priority in a Priority box, doesn't the box then become my property?  It has rightfully served its initial purpose, and now that it's mine, can't I do with it as I wish?  I have not reused Priority boxes, mind you, but so long as I'm not stealing a new one for non-Priority use, I don't see the harm in recycling.  I don't need the hassle, so I won't reuse them for mailing, but still...

You can reuse them for other purposes, but if you try to mail them through the USPS they reserve the right to refuse them except when Priority Mail postage is paid.  I don't suppose their power over the boxes extends beyond that, but then again they have mysterious powers over my mailbox and things like that as well.

Just a thought, but if someone mails me something Priority in a Priority box, doesn't the box then become my property?  It has rightfully served its initial purpose, and now that it's mine, can't I do with it as I wish?  I have not reused Priority boxes, mind you, but so long as I'm not stealing a new one for non-Priority use, I don't see the harm in recycling.  I don't need the hassle, so I won't reuse them for mailing, but still...

No, I don't think it becomes your property, the Postal Service never sells it, it is provided free with a service, so they don't relinquish their control of it.  Even if they did, they can still control what is allowed to come back into the postal service. 

You can re-use the box all you want. The postal service doesn't say you cannot reuse/recycle the box. They just say that any package being mailed will be marked to the highest level of service the packaging is for; use Priority or Express packaging, it gets marked to that service. Don't blame the postal service for this. They didn't start doing it until cheatin' people started taking all the new packaging and using it for cheaper services.

One reason they don't like you reusing the box for other than priority shipping is the fact that the box is FREE to you - however, you and I as a taxpayer paid for that box.  Therefore, it's really not fair for someone to walk into the PO, pick up a bunch of boxes, and ship things in them without paying the fair freight.  I purchase the envelopes and boxes that I ship books in, and I would expect that others would do so also.  Pat

pssssssssss the post office is NOT a government agency and since it's not - taxpayers did not pay for that box!

they can still control what is allowed to come back into the postal service

You can reuse them for other purposes, but if you try to mail them through the USPS they reserve the right to refuse them except when Priority Mail postage is paid.

I think that sums it up.

cheatin' people started taking all the new packaging and using it for cheaper services

Theft!  Not nice at all.  I think we all agree on that.

I purchase the envelopes and boxes that I ship books in, and I would expect that others would do so also

I re-use packing materials.  I use boxes that are discarded from my office and DH's office--they would end up in the trash otherwise.  I reuse bubble mailers, Tyvek mailers, padded mailers, etc.  I recycle paper for my wrappers by printing them on the back of office paper where 1 side has already been used.  I try not to purchase new materials, although I do purchase Tyvek at times.  However, I do not recycle Priority boxes.

the funny thing is that you can use a fedex or UPS box/envelope and send it via the post office service

they will take it

Cozette - you're right about the USPS not being a government agency.  They pay their own freight, so the boxes that we get free are paid for by us, NOT as taxpayers, but as buyers of stamps, etc.  I'd forgotten that, and I'm an ex-postal employee.  LOL.  Pat

I was told by the post master here that you pay for the boxes when you use the priority service and that the USPS never looses the ownership of the box and to think of it as renting the box rather then owning it.  I wish they had some place where you could turn those boxes in to be reused by the USPS.   Less boxes would then have to be made.

You could recycle them though your local freecycle.

people send stuff inside out or rewrapped all the time with the post office boxes and envelopes to me, when I asked the lady at the post office she said it was fine to do this, now I hear here that it is illegal?  Then why would the lady at the post office said it was ok for me to do this...confused

I believe it is fine to reuse PO envelopes/boxes/etc, so long as they are not the specific Priority or Express mail materials that are provided for free to mail in.  PO sells mailing items for the other classes of mail, so they have already been paid for.  Maybe that was what the PO lady meant.

belive the PO lady was talking about NON priority or express boxes (just the regular boxes which they *sell*

those can be used for anything (media mail, first class, express etc)

its the free boxes which are marked either priority mail or express mail which must be used ONLY for that service

even if wrapped if found out the recipient and./or sender will get a postage due note

I just picked up some boxes from the PO and wrapped them.  There are 3 total that I used.  does this mean the persin I ship them to wil have to pay for the extra postage?????? Im never doing that again!

If any postal clerk, carrier or supervisor sees that it's marked media mail and the exact dimension of the free priority boxes then they can open and inspect and send them Postage Due. The receiver has the option to refuse the package which will then go back to you and you will have to pay the Postage Due just to get them back.

Kevin

waiting for my books :)

"Express Mail and Priority Mail packaging provided by the USPS must be used only for Express Mail or Priority Mail, as applicable. Regardless of how the packaging is reconfigured or how markings may be obliterated, any matter mailed in USPS-provided Express Mail or Priority Mail packaging is charged the appropriate Express Mail or Priority Mail price."

http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/601.htm

Apparently, the USPS also does not allow people to reuse DHL packaging either.