How do you mail racquets?

[mavsman149]

Hello everyone, I sold some sticks on the auction site and I've always just gotten 2 boxes at the post office and taped them together and that has always worked. Today I got yelled at at the post office, so my question is where do you find a reasonably priced box to send your rackets?

 

[djosbun]

Since I used to be a FedEx driver many years ago, I'll give you one piece of advise: double-box your racquet before shipping it. My truck loader would throw boxes into my truck and walk on them while loading. Hate to tell people, but the UPS drivers told me same crap goes on there. I had a classic car restoration shop on my route, walked in giving him a custom radiator box that was covered in footprints. I'll never forget the look on his face.

Just pack it knowing it'll be beat to crap and your item should arrive fine.

Dave

 

[LeeD]

Buy your rackets from TW here, and you get a perfect box for every racket you buy. I've bought 7 so far, and every box is in perfect condition from their proprietory shipping company.

 

[The Meat]

Did you turn those boxes inside out? If you tape the center well and then give it a brown wrapping or something, you can get away with using 2 usps priority boxes, I usually turn mine inside out and never had a problem.

 

[mavsman149]

Did you turn those boxes inside out? If you tape the center well and then give it a brown wrapping or something, you can get away with using 2 usps priority boxes, I usually turn mine inside out and never had a problem.

I tape the center a ton and have never had a problem or complaint here on the boards or on said auction site. I may have to try the brown wrapping trick, but I've done the 2 usps priority boxes for years


As for buying a bunch of rackets on TW....fun idea, but financially in the cards, those would be some expensive boxes haha

 

[thisiscrazy]

If you have one, go to your local tennis shop and ask if they have any boxes on hand that they're going to toss. They probably get in a shipment of racquets at least once a week or so.

I did this exact thing this past week.

 

[mavsman149]

If you have one, go to your local tennis shop and ask if they have any boxes on hand that they're going to toss. They probably get in a shipment of racquets at least once a week or so.

I did this exact thing this past week.

thats a great idea, being in Houston area I'm pretty close to that tennis shop that Michael Russell loves

 

[kimguroo]

thats a great idea, being in Houston area I'm pretty close to that tennis shop that Michael Russell loves

If you need boxes, try uline or your local stores who specialized in shipping boxes. You might be able to get around $2-4.

Also using USPS, it depends on situation and person by person at post offices.
Some people accept those two connected priority boxes and some people refuse the box. I usually use pre-posted label and just drop off at post office. No one says anything yet though. If they say something, I might use two priority boxes then use priority envelope to cover the boxes.

 

[BC1]

If you need boxes, try uline or your local stores who specialized in shipping boxes. You might be able to get around $2-4.

Also using USPS, it depends on situation and person by person at post offices.
Some people accept those two connected priority boxes and some people refuse the box. I usually use pre-posted label and just drop off at post office. No one says anything yet though. If they say something, I might use two priority boxes then use priority envelope to cover the boxes.

If you use the two priority box method, and pay for priority shipping it shouldn't matter to the USPS. That's what the boxes are there for. And you shouldnt be required to cover it because its being mailed "priority". The postal worker usually and should weigh it, take the measurements of the taped together boxes, and charge accordingly based on the priority rate.

 

[tennytive]

The only time they should refuse the priority boxes would be if you were sending the racket parcel post. The priority boxes are only for priority mail service. If a clerk finds you using priority boxes for parcel post, they'll refuse to send your package until you pay for priority or tell you to repackage your item not using the free priority boxes.

That's a big reason people wrapped their packages in brown paper, (over the priority boxes) or turned them inside out, but some clerks will un-tape the ends and check those too. Others won't care one bit and send it through without a second thought, but you're still taking your chances.

 

[BC1]

The "priority" rate is still very inexpensive, and almost guarantees two day delivery to anywhere in the US. There's no reason not to ship them this way. Plus it automatically includes $50 insurance I believe. Pay for another $50 insurance and you can ship a racquet (insured with a delivery confirmation tracking number) for approximately $8, and have it delivered in two days. And the boxes are free! They will, or should, also allow you to use their "priority mail" packaging tape to tape the boxes together. Hard to beat that.

 

[pmata814]

Hello everyone, I sold some sticks on the auction site and I've always just gotten 2 boxes at the post office and taped them together and that has always worked. Today I got yelled at at the post office, so my question is where do you find a reasonably priced box to send your rackets?

Did u pay for priority mail rate? I just shipped a racquet today with the two-box method and didn't have any problem. Ive been doing it this way for years.

 

[diredesire]

Another thing to note is that the boxes that are typically out on display at retail USPS locations are for Priority flat rate. If you were trying to tape flat rate boxes together, then they were right to refuse your package... not sure they were right at 'yelling at you,' though.

 

[mavsman149]

I was indeed not using the flat rate boxes, I went to 2 different box stores and they didn't have the right size boxes. So I just went to a post office 5 minutes away and had no issues with the 2 box thing I've been doing for years. Thanks everyone for your input.

 

[diredesire]

I was indeed not using the flat rate boxes, I went to 2 different box stores and they didn't have the right size boxes. So I just went to a post office 5 minutes away and had no issues with the 2 box thing I've been doing for years. Thanks everyone for your input.

Yeah, then that cashier really had no reason to go... postal... on you.

*snicker*

 

[mavsman149]

Yeah, then that cashier really had no reason to go... postal... on you.

*snicker*

Haha nice I see what you did there

 

[drummerdan]

I have mailed tons of racquets thru the USPS and you have to make sure that you don't use the flat rate box. They WILL yell at you for using those boxes. Use the RED mailing boxes, not the blue EMS mailing boxes.

If you do that, no problems. Also, use the click-n-ship USPS online postage because you can save money by doing it online.

 

[diredesire]

I have mailed tons of racquets thru the USPS and you have to make sure that you don't use the flat rate box. They WILL yell at you for using those boxes. Use the RED mailing boxes, not the blue EMS mailing boxes.

If you do that, no problems. Also, use the click-n-ship USPS online postage because you can save money by doing it online.

Yep, cheaper postage AND free delivery confirmation. You can also schedule the post-person to pick up the package from your doorstep/mailbox/whatever (provided the location is secure enough). For stringers out there, grab one of those cheap-o digital fishing scales that go up to 50+ lbs, it can pull double duty as a calibrator

Also USPS Priority boxes that fit racquets (well, all priority boxes) are free from USPS.com (may require account). I recommend not abusing the boxes if you don't need them... I'm sure it contributes to the ever growing postage costs... Like I mentioned before, the flat rate boxes on display inside most retail USPS locations are flat rate boxes. If you DO use flat rate boxes, make sure to put a sticker over any flat rate designation (although many of the clerks will still frown at you).

Edit: As a rambly aside, you CAN also print parcel post and first class postage online, but you have to backdoor it. Google "Paypal ship now" and you can create alternate shipping labels. I'm not positive, but I think parcel ALSO gets free delivery confirmation, but for most cases, it's not really worth the price difference... I don't know if paypal's ship now REQUIRES a paypal account, but I wouldn't be surprised..