USPS nixing international flats as a shipping method for anything but documents

[aion]

When I went to the post office they had my stack of international shipments waiting to hand back to me.

I was informed that only a first class package can be used for shipping anything that is not a document in the US.  So using first class flat in the US is a no go as well.

That's wrong... your local office must have misinterpreted the new rules. The whole fiasco was caused by the Universal Postal Union which is an international body and only cares about international mail. My understanding was that the USPS was not necessarily thrilled about the idea but decided to concede. It has no bearing on domestic flats, though.

Endicia and Stamps.com are both betting the whole program on domestic flats still being a thing—$2.50 wouldn't cover shipping to the regional center otherwise.

I would contact ShipStation support and see if they can give you some info (i.e. the list of exact changes published by USPS) that you can share with the local post office since ShipStation is more familiar with the rule change. It sounds like your local office needs to properly understand the policy.

[gtr2]

You may be right and I cannot find anything from restricting anything that isn't a document but unfortunately I'm at the will of the local post office and while I explained they do not agree.

I will contact shipstation and see what they say.  I will need to take a loss and get these orders out in the meantime.

This may be the beginning of the end for pcb wrangling for me.  I can't sustain if I don't have international orders

[gtr2]

It has nothing to do with the new rules.  I've run into it before.  They say you cannot ship an envelope with anything in it as an envelope / flat and that it must be a package.  I've also gotten the opposite, that I can't ship it as a package because it's too thin.  It all depends on who is manning it.

[madbean]

I've got ShipStation set up and I'm going to mail off something to test the Flats thing from my end. I'll report back soon.

[gtr2]

I've contacted shipstation, read the guidelines, and talked to two different USPS employees now.

You can't use the US first class flat in the U.S. to send to the processing facility if it contains anything other than documents.  Domestic flats cannot contain anything other than docs.  It has to be uniform, so if it can bend and it's apparent that there is something inconsistent it will not be processed.  The last postal worker recommended placing uniform cardboard on each side of the PCBs to make a consistent envelope.  It won't work for shipping any parts that I sell and she isn't sure if it will even go through or not.

I have a feeling some post offices/workers might just pass them through, but mine does not.  I have yet to try another post office but the main one in my area is less forgiving than the one I always use.

[aion]

I've contacted shipstation, read the guidelines, and talked to two different USPS employees now.

You can't use the US first class flat in the U.S. to send to the processing facility if it contains anything other than documents.  Domestic flats cannot contain anything other than docs.  It has to be uniform, so if it can bend and it's apparent that there is something inconsistent it will not be processed.

Is that from contacting Shipstation/reading the guidelines, or do you mean that's what both of the postal workers were saying?

I've been using flats within the US for single-board orders for four or five years now... at 1oz it's much cheaper than standard first class, but at 2oz it's pretty much the same so I switch to regular first class at that point.

[lars]

To go along with this article, I recently received a junk email offering me a great job! Here is a quote of the requirements:
"Job Responsibilities:
- Process different parcels to your address through postal services
- Browse the number of recent deliveries through a special soft.
- Check the presence of the contents in packages, take photos of the contents and upload them
- Pack boxes again if needed
- Forward the parcels to the final destination, make logos and deliver to the nearest delivery company."

I'm not sure how to process through "special soft" (some kind of jello pudding I guess). Apparently, after I open the parcels and photograph the contents, I can just ship an empty unsealed box, if I want. I do like the last step of randomly making logos and dropping them off at the nearest shipping location. I'm sure FedEx would love my "logos".

[gtr2]

I've contacted shipstation, read the guidelines, and talked to two different USPS employees now.

You can't use the US first class flat in the U.S. to send to the processing facility if it contains anything other than documents.  Domestic flats cannot contain anything other than docs.  It has to be uniform, so if it can bend and it's apparent that there is something inconsistent it will not be processed.

Is that from contacting Shipstation/reading the guidelines, or do you mean that's what both of the postal workers were saying?

I've been using flats within the US for single-board orders for four or five years now... at 1oz it's much cheaper than standard first class, but at 2oz it's pretty much the same so I switch to regular first class at that point.

Both, but the shipstation rep I have emailed with doesn't really understand to be fair.  I think it really depends on who you talk to.

All the USPS employees I have spoken to have said US flats are not for anything other than documents.
If it bends inconsistently or feels like something other than a document it will be rejected.  (this is US only)
I have shipped flats in the US previously for a few random orders (replacements or one offs) but now I cannot get US flats through.

I will travel to the other post office in my area and see what they say next or call USPS directly.

[Haberdasher]

What size mailer are you using?  It could be that going with a bigger size would make it more "bendy" and therefore easier for a postal employee to forgive.
I'm using #1 poly, fwiw (7.25" x 11.25" inner dimensions).  After it's sealed, the od is more like 8x11.

Another idea is to put them in a mail drop, so you don't have to deal w a postal worker directly.  If you are there in person, it's easy for them to just hand them back to you.  But if back-room sorters have to stop what they're doing to reject something (and possibly fill out some paperwork), they might be more willing push your packages through.  Just a theory, of course.

I mailed 2 on Friday.  I hope I don't get them back, fingers crossed.

[BuGG]

Another idea is to put them in a mail drop, so you don't have to deal w a postal worker directly.

This is what I do.... I never could get the clerk to accept a "flat" so I signed up for Stamps.com (now using ShipStation) and I just drop them all in the drop box.    No issues so far and I've shipped hundreds.

I've shipped quite a few since the 21st... None have been returned yet, but it hasn't quite been long enough for any to be delivered either....   Nervous as heck about this new policy.     

I'll post back as soon as I have some results, hopefully others will do the same.   

[aion]

What size mailer are you using?  It could be that going with a bigger size would make it more "bendy" and therefore easier for a postal employee to forgive.
I'm using #1 poly, fwiw (7.25" x 11.25" inner dimensions).  After it's sealed, the od is more like 8x11.

Another idea is to put them in a mail drop, so you don't have to deal w a postal worker directly.  If you are there in person, it's easy for them to just hand them back to you.  But if back-room sorters have to stop what they're doing to reject something (and possibly fill out some paperwork), they might be more willing push your packages through.  Just a theory, of course.

+1 to both of these. That's the exact envelope size I use for flats (domestic and international) - flats actually have a minimum size requirement that is larger than the more standard #0 size. And I drop all mine off in the dropboxes because I've only ever encountered one postal worker who knew about flats at the desk. Never had one returned by the local post office.

[madbean]

I did a test: dropped 3 international shipments at once a few days ago, 2 using regular 1st Class and 1 using ShipStation Flats service. Regular 1st Class have already left the country. ShipStation Flats has zero tracking updates - not even a acknowledgement of receipt by my local USPS.

[aion]

I did a test: dropped 3 international shipments at once a few days ago, 2 using regular 1st Class and 1 using ShipStation Flats service. Regular 1st Class have already left the country. ShipStation Flats has zero tracking updates - not even a acknowledgement of receipt by my local USPS.

Yep, domestic flats don't have tracking at all actually - they're basically like a stamped envelope. International ones do, though, so I would expect that as soon as the facility relabels them and drops them off, you'll start seeing updates. (at least, until it leaves the country - most destination countries don't have tracking on their end)

[Haberdasher]

I did a test: dropped 3 international shipments at once a few days ago, 2 using regular 1st Class and 1 using ShipStation Flats service. Regular 1st Class have already left the country. ShipStation Flats has zero tracking updates - not even a acknowledgement of receipt by my local USPS.

Same with my 2 ShipStation Flats.  There's no bar code on these labels, so they're not getting scanned.  Therefore no updates.
I assume they'll start tracking once lars photographs the contents and repackages them with a customs form and logo.
Anyway, I reckon I'll be feeling a bit fidgety until I know they've gone through, and I hope it doesn't take too much longer.  I'm not sure what to think about all this just yet.

[BuGG]

Same experience here so far.   Domestic flats have never had any tracking info, despite the bar code.

My international flats do have PDF417 bar codes at the top but my reader doesn't give any legible information so no clue what kind of data is contained in there.

Some were shipped as early as the 22nd, no updates yet.