Wrapping for Register Mail

Has anyone come up with a ultra easy solution to wrapping packages for Registered Mail. I'm sending over 10 packages via USPS registered mail for insurance reasons and the paper wetting tape is killing me. Haha

Someone needs to invest a better solution or make me aware because I'm about ready to call the neighbor kid over to do this for me.

Thanks everyone.

 

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Just dawned on me that this probably shouldn't have gone in this forum category, my bad.

 

Tape that sucker up Gold fellow. I always do. Postal employees get dissed (P0'd with me?) because I add the extra tape but nothing ever falls out......

 

First of all, understand that Registered mail without supplementary insurance has a maximum indemnity of around $45.

You can buy supplementary (USPS) insurance for shipment in the U.S., but not for overseas shipment. We are way behind the curve, in a number of British Commonwealth countries, you can buy the insurance for any destination.

Also be aware that sending a Registered parcel to Russia, much of Eastern Europe, and most of Africa is roughly equivalent to wearing a "Kick Me" sign. Just makes the thieves job easier. That said, if your shipment is worth a couple hundred, or more, there's no easy solution.

Not quite understanding this comment: "...via USPS registered mail for insurance reasons,"

The breakeven point for Registered shipping in the U.S. is roughly $1200. Meaning that, $1200 of straight insurance costs about the same as Registration plus $1200 supplementary insurance. Above $1200, straight insurance is more expensive; below $1200, Registration is more expensive. Good luck, and I hope you are not confused. I mail tons of stuff. I also buy discount postage off eBay, which saves 20% to 30% on postage costs, but also means you have to take it to the Post Office for processing, no pick-up service.

 

Technically you only have to wrap/cover the seams of the package, but that looks bad so I tape the whole thing. I went to Office Max and bought two different actual packaging tapes. The first one comes is an Office Max brand and is 2 inches wide. The second one is a Scotch brand and comes in a 6 in wide roll. The second one is more convienient for wrapping boxes but both work well in any case.

As Ken said, the more seams you create with the tape the more stamping the postal people have to do. Also, the insurance I have through Hugh Wood insurance covers my items up to 50k with registered mail.

 

AND, its the stamping which is why paper tape is required. You see, those postal stamps don't dry to well with plastic tapes and have a tendency to smear making them unreadable.

Once, I was able to send a package with a self adhesive brown tape but I think I got licky since I knew the postal clerk who was willing to overlook the foopah!

 

I agree...I did forget to mention that these are paper tape. Also, a little more expensive than other tape.

Also, one last thing....if you have a good relationship with your postal people, they will give you some registered mail tape. I have two large rolls at home. The only problem with their tape is that you have to "lick" it for it to stick. Its a little longer and more messy process.

 

What, a damp (not dripping) sponge doesn't work?

 

I put some peanut butter on it and get my dogs to lick it for me.


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That's the trick I was looking for! Problem solved.

 

So is FedEx a good alternative to registered mail? I've heard their insurance won't cover gold coins but I actually feel more comfortable using them. I just hate all the work that goes into registered mail. It's not scalable at all.

 

Btw, thanks for all your input and time guys, I appreciate your feedback and knowledge.

 

The dogs or the sponge? lol

 

I use a paper towel dipped in water to wet the paper tape. I have become more skilled & faster with the more packages I have submitted. The postal clerk said you have to seal all open seams on the box.

 

All of my eBay paid postage packages get picked up at my home. The only thing I have to go to a USPS office for is Registered Mail.

 

The paper tape can be a real hassle to find sometimes. I found a large roll of it about a decade ago and have been snipping off of it ever since.

Regarding the registered to Russia - as noted above - if it is not in a flat boarded envelope - forget about it. As the poster noted above you might just as well post "Steal Me" all over it. I sent a large box of infant clothes to my sister there in a registered box and they probably ended up in a flea-market somewhere because she never got them. Note - those were baby clothes, not coins!

 

For rickmp, most of my packages are insured (over $50), not Registered -- requires a trip to the Post Office. Pickup also involves a considerable amount of waiting around for them to show up. No thanks.

 

Even if I insure over $50, I put the package in the box, put up the flag, and, every day, my postman comes to pick it up. No trip to the post office. I only use Registered for high ticket items that really need the protection.

 

How do you specify the amount of insurance (over $50)? If you want $100 in insurance, there's no credit from the "free" $50 insurance for the Priority Box system, you start over with fees.

 

Whether eBay paid postage labels or USPS web site generated labels, there is a box to check for insurance and then a box to enter an amount for insurance over $50.