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I was recently going to send a package to a family member and had it all packed up and ready to go. i went to the post office and realized i had used a fedex box. I was wondering if it would be okay to slap a p.o. tag and send it anyway. so i made a couple of calls and this is what i found out.
it is technically possible to use a fedex box to ship via usps, as long as the shipping label used is a usps shipping label and removes all old labels and barcodes. however, it is not legally allowed and could cause problems for your delivery.
As you can see, it’s a bad idea to try to use the wrong type of box. in case you didn’t know, you can order free shipping envelopes and boxes from the usps website, here’s a link to the store.
here are some more details on what i found out about using a fedex box for usps shipping.
what happens if you accidentally put a fedex package in a usps mailbox?
It’s hard to know exactly what will happen if you accidentally put a FedEx package in a USPS mailbox.
- In the best case, the postman who collects the package will transfer it to the correct box and it will be sent as usual. however, due to things like human error, this is not always the case.
- A postal worker could also send the package to the shipping facility, where it is expected to be identified as the package from a competitor and taken to the correct facility.
- in the worst case, the package will be misplaced or lost.
- it is likely that your package will still reach its destination, albeit with a significant delay. but it can’t be guaranteed when you accidentally put a fedex package in the usps mailbox.
What About Sending a Package Through FedEx in a USPS Box?
It is also possible, although technically not allowed, to send a package via fedex in a usps box. Because of this, it may appear that a FedEx delivery driver is delivering a United States Postal Service package, but this is not the case. most likely the box is from usps, but the shipping label is via fedex.
then why did i see fedex delivering usps packages?
With FedEx SmartPost, FedEx drivers drop off packages at the local post office for delivery by the United States Postal Service during the final leg of the journey. Because of this, it may appear that FedEx is delivering your packages to USPS. however, smartpost is a partnership between usps and fedex to allow for more flexible delivery and lower delivery prices.
Is SmartPost Technically Owned by FedEx or USPS?
smartpost is a service provided through fedex to reduce shipping costs for light packages.
smartpost focuses on the “last mile” of package delivery, which can significantly increase the cost of shipping. the “last mile” of postal delivery is not really a mile, but can be up to 100 miles. With SmartPost, this final leg of the delivery is transferred to the United States Postal Service.
This provides many benefits to customers, the first of which is reduced shipping costs. It also allows for more flexibility with delivery, as FedEx cannot deliver to p.o. boxes will allow customers to use a tracking number throughout the delivery process and track their package until it arrives at their address.
final thoughts
all the different mail services have their own mailboxes for a reason. it’s because they want you to use their service, so they can make your life difficult if you don’t. the real solution is to use generic boxes with the tag of the service you choose to use.
I hope this article was helpful, thanks for reading!
for more information see can i use a usps mailbox for fedex or is it illegal?
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