using usps labels not shipped

[user3657]

I remember reading on here that sellers would sometimes cut the barcode or something on a label from usps that was never used when they couldnt get refunded for it and use it to ship a different package???

Is there anyone that knows what im talking about? I have a few labels that are laying around and that were never used. I was wondering if I could somehow use the tracking details for a new order?

[SaiJin]

Can you get a refund for those labels perhaps?

I’m just a little nervous with manipulations especially when it’s just a couple of bucks.
So I don’t have much experience in this

[user3657]

no, because Amazon doesnt let you get a refund after a week or something. Stupid me.

i feel safe doing it, because im not really hiding anything. Everyone would be getting their orders...

[agent006140]

you can go to USPS and find out ,there is a short expiration date unless you bought it from USPS.

[user3657]

I wonder if I just adhere a new address to the current label?

[agent006140]

did you type the tracking number on USPS and see what it said?
you can try ,if it does not work,it will either come back to you or your buyer will end up paying for postage

[user3657]

Originally Posted by agent006140

did you type the tracking number on USPS and see what it said?
you can try ,if it does not work,it will either come back to you or your buyer will end up paying for postage

They are labels that were never used. So it just says label has been processed USPS waiting for package.

[phaz0rz]

I think you'd end up getting yourself in trouble for no reason. It would probably work, but there would be red flags that would make an attentive postal worker suspicious.

I haven't done what you're describing but for about 3 years I printed all of my First Class labels as "flats" (which cost half as much but don't include tracking), and then put tracking stickers on them from usps.com. Something like 1% of shipments would have issues on delivery and be returned to us, but overall it was awesome and I saved over $100k on postage.

[agent006140]

what do you mean by getting tracking stickers from USPS?
You mean the green tracking sticker you can ordered from USPS?
those stickers are not free,it cost what $1.50 if you go to a post office and pay for them.

[agent006140]

It is not EBay or AMZN,it is USPS rule that those labels have to be voided within a certain time frame,if it is USPS priority purchased on USPS.COM,it is good for 30 days,but not when you print them on Paypal or AMZN or Ebay.
also that tracking number,does it tell where it comes from and where it is going to,if you use it to a different destination,would that be a problem?

[phaz0rz]

Originally Posted by agent006140

what do you mean by getting tracking stickers from USPS?
You mean the green tracking sticker you can ordered from USPS?
those stickers are not free,it cost what $1.50 if you go to a post office and pay for them.

Those aren't what I was talking about.

I don't need you to call me wrong about something I did as a part of my shipping operation for several years. I was sharing a story not asking a question.

It was these stickers:


They're available 100% free on usps.com or the stamps.com store. They're outdated and have very few valid uses anymore. I would stick those on the part of a flats label where the tracking number would be if it were a parcel label. It was not a legal way to send mail. We sent tens of thousands of shipments that way over about 3 years. They were all picked up by our mail carrier on her route.

[agent006140]

I have never seen these stickers,and I have been using USPS since 1990s,but back then I GO TO the post office ,there is no way to print our own shipping label online.
But these stickers of yours have no code,so what is the purpose of placing them on your package?

[phaz0rz]

The code doesn't show on the website for whatever reason. I guess USPS doesn't want people trying to use that tracking number for something.

But if you actually order the books, you get 50 tracking numbers per book. They're just little stickers with a barcode roughly the same size as the barcode on a regular First Class parcel.

[rsot]

Originally Posted by phaz0rz

The code doesn't show on the website for whatever reason. I guess USPS doesn't want people trying to use that tracking number for something.

But if you actually order the books, you get 50 tracking numbers per book. They're just little stickers with a barcode roughly the same size as the barcode on a regular First Class parcel.

50 per book - interesting

[phaz0rz]

Originally Posted by rsot

50 per book - interesting

Lol.. I know what you're thinking but they'd be useless for any kind of shady activity since they aren't validated until they're accepted into the mail stream.

[rsot]

Originally Posted by phaz0rz

Lol.. I know what you're thinking but they'd be useless for any kind of shady activity since they aren't validated until they're accepted into the mail stream.

Hah yes phaz - that's true - it was just a morning odd thought

[agent006140]

Originally Posted by phaz0rz

Lol.. I know what you're thinking but they'd be useless for any kind of shady activity since they aren't validated until they're accepted into the mail stream.

do you have to pay for the book?
This would be nice for those who sell low priced items like postcards,yarns,coupons?

[phaz0rz]

Originally Posted by agent006140

do you have to pay for the book?
This would be nice for those who sell low priced items like postcards,yarns,coupons?

The book is free, but what I was doing was illegal. We had a really cool mail lady at the time and I would tip her heavily. If it weren't for her, every single piece of mail would have been rejected. For me to use them legally I would have had to pay an extra $1.53 (which would have been the difference in cost between First Class Flats and First Class Parcels).

I even slapped them on letter envelopes a few times and shipped stickers across the country with tracking for $.51. (letter postage rate)

Eventually, after about 3 years of doing this, we had a new postal supervisor come to town. Not postmaster but the position right under the postmaster. She noticed what we'd been doing and threatened to have my access to online postage cut off if I didn't stop.

At that point though it was fine.. I'd already built a huge business off of a loophole.

[agent006140]

This reminds me of someone who told me once to use one penny stamp on letter and the post office has to accept it.
And my brother who sat at the coffee counter and dilute the coffee cream with water and drink it as milk,
He also told me no need to tip doorman,waiter as we will never see them again.
Abbie Hoffman once wrote a book called Steal this Book,he offered ideas of getting freebie,one of them is to find a restaurant which has 2 room,one has a counter.
Go to one room and ordered a large meal,get the check and go to the bathroom.
Then emerged from the bathroom and go to the other room,sat at the counter and ordered a cup of coffee,then go to the cashier and pay for the coffee and leave.
Please feel to add more tips on how to get something free

[yankee]

How many unused labels are you talking about? This is somewhat amazing to me haha

[ebaystealth1974]

I'm very confused. The barcode has the shipping details in it. It's only going to end up at the intended destination if you attatch it to something.

Maybe I'm not following your plan?

[ebaystealth1974]

No, it most certainly does have the shipping info in it.

Look at your scan receipt next time. Shows exactly where it's going! The zipcode is embedded into the barcode.