News
 The
Ultimate Gift-Mailing Guide
You want to send more than a greeting card to
customers this holiday season, but mailing packages
can seriously cut into the company budget. Margaret
Bristol provides tips on how to pack your packages
and ship them for optimal discounts!
To pack like a pro:
Pick the right-size box. The more a piece can move,
the more likely it is to break. And don’t overstuff;
if you do, the contents are likely to bust out
before reaching their destination. Check the box’s
bottom flap for the maker’s certificate, which tells
you the maximum weight the container can bear.
When you’re mailing multiple items, Bubble-Wrap each
separately, then tape them together, advises Lynn Dralle, an eBay power seller who ships hundreds of
items a week. “That way, they won’t clank against
each other,” she says.
Before sealing a package, give it a gentle shake,
says Jonathon Gariss, executive director of the
Professional eBay Sellers Alliance. If you hear
anything moving, add padding—newspaper or shredded
documents do the trick.
To make sure your box is fully reinforced, use the
“H” method: “Tape along all the seams—it will look
like there’s an H on both the top and bottom of your
box,” says Larry Rutledge, manager of packaging
design and development at FedEx. And always use real
packing tape; the other stuff won’t hold up in
transit.
Ship Smart:
Reusing a box? Strip off old labels, especially the
bar codes, so the package doesn’t get misrouted by
the carrier.
Remove batteries from toys and electronics, if
possible. All the jostling can turn them on in
transit, and they may burn out before arrival.
To make a package waterproof, line it with a paper
bag.
The wrong ZIP Code™ can land a package back on your
doorstep (weeks later), so check accuracy with the
U.S. Postal Service’s Zip Code Lookup tool at
zip4.usps/zip4/welcome.jsp.
Stick an extra mailing label inside the box in case
the exterior one becomes illegible. (Yes, according
to the UPS, workers will open the box to look for
this backup label).
Be Dot Calm:
Click on carriers’ sites to schedule pickups. UPS
and FedEx charge for the perk; the U.S. Postal
Service® doesn’t. To weigh a package at home: Stand
on your scale with the box, then without, and
subtract to get the difference.
Worried about weight? The U.S. Postal Service has
flat-rate boxes that you can fill with your heaviest
items, then send to any state—all for one fixed
price. The boxes are free (though shipping isn’t, at
$9) on shop.usps.com.
Compare postage online at shippingsidekick.com and
redroller.com. Simply enter the weight of your
package and its destination; the sites will give you
the rates for all the major carriers, including UPS,
DHL, and FedEx.
---Source: Reprinted from Good Housekeeping
Magazine’s December 2007 issue (www.goodhousekeeping.com).
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Free Address LookUp Alert!
Get holiday cards and gifts
delivered on time with our free
Address LookUp. It adds the
correct ZIP + 4® code to the
verified address for faster mail
processing and delivery. Cross
one item off your holiday to-do
list—greetings cards and gifts
will reach your associates and
customers on time this holiday
season!
Click here to access the Address LookUp tool!
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Melissa Data
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