Yesterday, I had to send several of my 16×20 foam-boarded pictures to a charity event in Massachusetts. Yes, the sale of my artworks will help a humane society in Boston. But that’s not why I’m writing this post.
Artworks of this size are kinda bulky and difficult to pack; I don’t want my prized artworks arriving broken and scuffed. And my plan was to box up all four of these artworks, then take the package to the U.S. Postal Service and ship the items “Priority Mail” to their destination. But since the post office doesn’t have boxes that are big enough to handle 16×20 foam-boarded artworks, I decided to use one of the “we-pack-for-you” companies instead.
There’s a UPS store in Troy; there’s a FedEx Office outlet in Colonie. I’ve used FedEx Office before when I’ve shipped my artworks; they have a “poster-size” packing box that fits my artworks nicely. The person taped up my package, I then took it to the post office in Colonie Center and shipped it off.
It worked last time, I figured it would work again.
Friday morning. I bring the four artworks (in case you’re wondering, they were Waterwish 2, Cross Your Eyes and Make A Wish, The Jumbuck and The Agfa Bridge over Ansco Lake) to FedEx Office. I explained what I wanted to achieve – I give the artworks to FedEx, they box it up in their generic packaging, I can then take it to the post office. No problem, said the FedEx worker.
Ten minutes later, the artworks – which the FedEx worker carefully wrapped in bubble plastic and encapsulated in the cardboard shipping box – were ready.
And that’s when I noticed it.
In taping the box shut, the FedEx worker used adhesive tape that clearly stated “FedEx” all over it. Similar to the “Priority Mail” tape the Postal Service used to offer for free if you wanted to tape up your Priority Mail packages.
“Why is this wrapped in FedEx tape?” I asked.
“That’s what we use to seal our boxes,” the worker said.
“But now I can’t take this to the post office to mail it.”
“Yes you can,” the worker coyly replied. “It’s okay, they won’t care.”
“No I can’t,” I interjected. “FedEx and the US Postal Service are two different entities. You guys used clear tape the last time you packaged something for me.”
“No we didn’t,” added another co-worker. “We always use FedEx tape to wrap our packages.”
Crap. This wasn’t my plan. It’s a surreptitious maneuver; once you wrap the package in FedEx tape, it’s like getting a Big Mac at McDonald’s and then driving over to Burger King to eat it.
But now I had no choice.
“I guess I have to ship this with FedEx now.”
“Overnight or ground?” the worker eagerly replied, instinctively punching buttons on a computer-powered shipping monitor.
So I shipped the package FedEx Ground – with shipping confirmation – and hopefully the artworks will arrive at their destination on time. And I ended up paying $30 for the packaging and shipping – probably a few dollars more than I planned, but such is life. In the grand plan of the world, this shouldn’t matter to me.
But it kinda does. I know this comes off as one of those “first world problems,” but still…
My original plans – have FedEx Office package the product, and then I take it to another shipper – was compromised the moment the FedEx worker used FedEx branded tape to wrap the box. Now maybe there was some miscommunication between us…
But at least I know that the next time I need to package one of my artworks for shipping…
I’ll either use the UPS Store…
Or I’ll order my own packing and shipping materials, the way I used to do when I was an eBay seller, and do the dang thing myself.
Chuck The Writer 
Sneaky bastards…
(Can you write “bastards” in na TU blog?)
LikeLike
You wanted FedEx to wrap and and then take it to the post office???? REALLYYYYYY????? SHAME ON YOU ! ! ! Hope FedEx charged you double.
LikeLike
Gabby – if the post office had mailing boxes that were big enough for my shipment, I wouldn’t have bothered using FedEx to box my product in the first place. And for what FedEx charged me, I think they did charge me double. 🙂
LikeLike
Gabby, didn’t you read the post before commenting? Shame on YOU. 😉
LikeLike
I assume FedEx doesn’t just package things out of the goodness of their corporate hearts, and I doubt their feelings are hurt if he pays for the packaging and then ships it USPS, UPS, into his butt, or runs over it with a train. Besides that, USPS can deliver packages to more locked buildings, decipher bungled addresses and forward or hold stuff as necessary (I work for them, yes). USPS and FedEx have a business arrangement anyway so we can use their FedEx-taped planes for some of our express delivery. Shame on those who would shame Chuck for wanting to use the delivery service of our founding fathers! *commencing Jerry Springer-style flag salute and national anthem*
But seriously, back to Chuck’s package: when I buy a “Moneigh” from ReRun, it’s a matted painting 16×20 total and they ship USPS, usually with a piece of cardboard in a plastic bag surrounded by a layer of bubble wrap and sandwiched between a couple of flattened Priority Mail boxes. Obviously you can’t do this flat rate because the boxes have been “altered” but they’ve all arrived in perfect condition.
LikeLike
Sometimes do it yourself is the best option, even if it is a P.I.T.A.
LikeLike
Not only can you ship USPS in a FedEx box but you can even send it UPS. The label is what matters. You can send any box with any carrier. FedEx even drops boxes at Post Offices for final delivery. What you CAN’T do is ship First Class Mail in a Priority Mail box.
LikeLike
The online photo lab I use for my prints (nationsphotolab.com) ships out enlargements in fantastic priority mail-branded boxes that are the perfect size for 16×20 prints (~17x23x2). Apparently USPS will make custom sized boxes for businesses – even though they’re USPS branded, you can’t buy them yourself. Re-using them is just an extra bonus of ordering from that place (although the reason I order there is that the print quality is fantastic and the price is right).
I think D357 is right though – as long as the mailing label and bar code is correct, the USPS will still mail the package if it has branded tape or packaging. They already do handle some fedex mail, if you’ve ever been unfortunate enough for someone to ship you a package via Fedex Smartpost (it takes forever).
LikeLike
I never heard of anyone having a package boxed at one place and then going to the post office to send it.
Why
LikeLike
The previous time, I had to send the package to a PO box address, and FedEx only delivers to physical street addresses.
LikeLike