Paul Morris

It’s commonplace to think about a destination in miles. You usually have an idea of how far you’re traveling, even if it’s only by the number of cities and states you’ll pass through. Shipping a package follows the same principle. You are aware of the distance between you and your customer, but you might not […]

Posters can be found anywhere from college dorm rooms to home offices. Whether a poster is autographed and special edition or simply a reprint of someone’s favorite movie, they can easily tear or suffer damage in transit. USPS does offer free small and medium poster tubes, but shipping posters also requires understanding how to package […]

You’ve just tasted a great selection of Belgian beers. You want your friend in the next city or state to enjoy them too. Can you mail a case of amber ale, Oud Bruin, and dubbels to him using the USPS? What if you own a vineyard and you want to ship a bottle of red […]

One day you may come home from work and see a barcode affixed to your curbside mailbox. You take a closer look and above the barcode it says “Managed Service Point.” Below the barcode it will show your mailing address.  You also spot the United States Postal Service logo with the familiar eagle. What does […]

Sometimes your boxes and shipments will soar 39,000 feet in the air. From the time the USPS first experimented with mail flight in 1911 to the present day, letters and parcels have been carried through the air to ensure speedy delivery for your recipients. What constitutes “air mail”? What scenarios cause the USPS to send […]

Update: This article has been edited to reflect the new launch date of August 15 for the Automated Package Verification program. The USPS is implementing a new system that will change how shortpaid or overpaid mail is charged and handled. Previously, shortpaid pieces used to go through a cumbersome process by which they’d be returned to […]

Queens, one of the five boroughs of New York City, is known for being the home of LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport, Citi Field (home of the New York Mets), the Unisphere, and its ethnically diverse community. Did you know that Queens Borough also used to have its own unique mailing standards? […]

There may be different reasons why you would need to ship cremated remains: you’re a relative entrusted with transporting or distributing the remains of a loved one; you need to ensure that a pet cremation urn is safely sent back home; or you’re in the death care business and your funeral home needs to transport […]

A brand-new housing development is going up. Houses have sprung up in once-vacant lots. A line of trees has been planted along unused avenues. Parks and playgrounds have been created. Water, phone, gas, and electric services have been installed. You’re almost ready to move in. Wondering how you will get your mail? Even before construction […]

Wondering if it’s legal to use USPS to ship drugs? It’s definitely important to remain compliant with federal and state laws regarding the shipment of medicines, drugs, and controlled substances via the USPS.  Here’s a rundown of what’s allowed—and what’s prohibited. Prescription medicines According to USPS rules, if you want to ship prescription medicines, you […]

Summer’s coming, and you’re checking off a long list of tasks that need to be performed before you can relax on the beach. You’ve booked your tickets, compiled your summer reading list, and made sure you have all of the supplies and clothes you need. What’s left? Don’t let your mail accumulate while you’re away! […]

Which came first—the chicken or the egg?  The egg, if you ship it through the U.S. Postal Service! Since eggs are mailable with the USPS under certain guidelines, you can use Stamps.com to make the process easy for you. Eggs are very sensitive to temperature changes, so monitoring weather for upcoming snowstorms or heat waves that […]

There’s nothing better than coming home to your beloved Beagle or Golden Retriever. Dogs are great friends and companions, and can help reduce stress and anxiety. Using Stamps.com, you can save time so you can spend more time with your canine companion! Free Pickups One of the great features integrated with the Stamps.com platform is the […]

Autumn means changing leaves, putting away your summer gear, and getting your office ready for the busy holiday season. Even though the days will start getting shorter, you can still keep your home office running by using the powerful Stamps.com platform! Keep yourself well-supplied for a busy holiday season by visiting the Stamps.com Store, where […]

Sometimes you don’t need to send a large shipment overseas, but simply want to send a postcard to a relative in Sweden or a letter to a friend in South Africa. Stamps.com makes it easy! You may already be familiar with our Original NetStamps product. The great thing is that they can be used for […]

Whether you need a good chef’s knife to carve up large cuts of beef, or a paring knife to core a tomato, knives come in handy for a variety of uses. They represent an important consumer product, but can you mail knives and other sharp instruments through the USPS? The short answer is that it […]

If you need to send a manuscript, set of reports, or sheaf of bills, you’re going to need something a bit larger than a normal letter-sized envelope. The USPS recognizes a category of Flats which can comfortably house numerous sheets of paper, magazines, journals, books or other material, without needing to fold the items. The […]

Compliance with USPS rules and regulations is an important aspect of being a successful seller and shipper. One rule to definitely keep in mind is that Priority Mail Flat Rate® Boxes must be used with Priority Mail Flat Rate postage. For example, if you have a Medium Flat Rate Box handy, remember that only a […]

You’ve probably already realized that not every mailpiece is going to be a perfect cube or rectangle.  Sometimes an item you need to send is going to have an irregular shape: a fishing pole, a tire, a hatbox.  How do you measure irregularly shaped items so that you remain compliant with USPS regulations and add […]

Can you attach postage to a rose and send it with no packaging? How about a feather duster? Or a golf club? The answer is: the USPS would strongly recommend boxing or at least wrapping all of these items to prevent denting or scratching during transit. Regulations regarding certain items do apply, such as perishable […]