Same, I probably enter a WM less than 5 times a year and then it's only because I have no other choice.

you can use Hazmat shops to buy tape

they rotate shoppers

@wwin wrote:

I don't think the OP was asking what the post office will accept. I think they were asking what the MSC (or job) will accept. For the job, the guidelines say, when using an existing box the box can not have any marking on it except the to/from label. They also say no stickers on boxes.

So what you are trying to do here is answer the question from the OP and actually have some hard facts?

Gosh, finally!

When I did the USPS shop in New Jersey I used the same boxes over and over and over again. I put old computer disks into the box and padded it with newspapers. to get the required weight. Then I wrapped the boxes with clear packing tape. It kept the box waterproof. Then I printed out a "from/To" label. The "FROM" address was a friend's address. The "TO" address was MY address. I never evaluated the post office in my town..

No matter which post office I mailed the boxes from they all came back to ME. I took the "from/To" label off the box along with the postage and other labels the post office put on the package. Occasionally they would put a label on the back or side of the box but they were easily removed from the packing tape around the box. to make the box "fresh" again.. I put a new "From/ TO" label on the box and it was ready to go again and again and again. The only nominal cost was the packing tape and a sheet of paper from my printer. I did not have to go to a store to buy a box EVER. I just used the cardboard boxes I had. Occasionally I had to use their mailing envelopes. I put my box in their envelope and taped the from /to label to the envelope. I NEVER had to weigh it as it was always the same weight.

I am turning unside to outside and tape them around..inside surface did not have any stickers.

I did a lot of shipping when I owned a store. UPS technically requests new boxes. The concern is that used boxes may not be sturdy enough. I never had any problems. Most boxes use a certain percentage of recycled materials. Recycled fibers are shorter and make the boxes less strong, but still conform to needs. Reusing the boxes is better than just recycling. Recycling takes energy and fresh material.

Your shipping costs are a factor of the number of boxes, the weight, and the girth (dimensions). If you tape two small boxes together, the cost is less expensive. Don't use string as this can catch in equipment. Include to/from information INSIDE the box in case the label is destroyed. And if the box looks shoddy, recycle it.

UPS has no restrictions about how a box may be branded (the label). Just consider your needs and the image you wish to have. Remember to blacken out or cross out any old bar codes....I've had more than one box that I've sent out for delivery come back to me when someone scans the bar code that had my address on them.

The Post Office may require that you use their boxes for certain services for the best price. The boxes fit in automated equipment and provide information about costs and the service. Most don't realize they can get these boxes for FREE. You pay for them at the Post Office. Go online and they are free and they deliver them, too! (Some items have small charges.)

If you are doing a post office shop, it is against the guidelines to use any box or tape that has "priority" on it. Those are the only free boxes there. Ready post boxes cost $.