shipping Cheaper way to ship bubble envelopes.

Since the turn of the year, our bubble envelopes have been going domestic for about $3.50 in postage.  Wife took a batch the other day and they were less than a dollar.  Not sure if this is new or if a clerk just thought to tell her.  Evidently they can go out like a regular letter with a "non-machineable surcharge".  Stuff that went to Canada went as letters even though they were in bubble envelopes, so no customs form either.

Does anyone know if this is new or just new to us?
 
Seems like you are getting charged first class package, not first class envelope. Indeed, this can be the cashier. If it is not rigid or thicker than 3/4" you should be charged envelope NOT package. If you are making it rigid possibly with cardboard, remove that.
 
Another thing you can do is use a regular envelope with a bubble sleeve/parcel, commonly used for jewelry. This helps with teller confusion, or sometimes you just have to make a stink and get the non-package rate, when you know you are in the right.
 
Mine used to ship for 69 cents, but then all outgoing mail got diverted to KC, and those nazis think everything is package rate whether or not it fits through their 1/4 slot, so now I am having to pay $2.69 per bubble envelope. If you ask 10 different postal clerks, you will get 11 different answers. They don't know their own regulations from a hole in the ground.
 
1/4" is the variance it can actually be 3/4".
 
Take them their own FAQ.
 
https://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/2007/html/pb22218/kit1_021.html
 
First Class Envelope:
 
Large envelopes as well as padded mailing bags must be somewhat flexible (not rigid) and uniformly thick. Items mailed in large envelopes cannot have more than a 1/4 inch variance in thickness. Also, mailpieces must be rectangular with a maximum thickness (at the thickest point) of 3/4 inch. A mail­piece that exceeds any one of the maximum physical dimensions (15 inches x 12 inches x 3/4 inch thick) is classified and priced as a package (parcel).
 
I've been told it is rigid, and I will say, no that is not rigid. And the guy with flex it with his hands. lol. See, told ya.
 
I've resorted to putting stamps on and using first class weights, and not dealing with the tellers.
 
AJ, if you are in the biz , why don't you have stamps.com and ship from home????
 
It is a regional mail center making the call, so there is no human to confront.
I just get a returned bubble envelope 3-4 weeks after I sent it stamped "insufficient postage," a pissed-off customer and higher blood pressure. I take the envelope to a local post office and ask them to explain it. They usually end up agreeing with me that the postage was correct, but they tell me they can't argue with the folks at the regional center. Grrr.

The Hot Pepper said:
1/4" is the variance it can actually be 3/4".
 
Take them their own FAQ.
 
 
midwestchilehead said:
It is a regional mail center making the call, so there is no human to confront.
I just get a returned bubble envelope 3-4 weeks after I sent it stamped "insufficient postage," a pissed-off customer and higher blood pressure. I take the envelope to a local post office and ask them to explain it. They usually end up agreeing with me that the postage was correct, but they tell me they can't argue with the folks at the regional center. Grrr.
 
Try writing the rate class next to the stamp. In other words put the stamps on and on the left write" 1st Class Large Envelope".
 
It's actually not uncommon, people send Media Mail all the time and to get the rate need to let them know so it is not returned etc.
 
PS. Yes I have done this.
 
The Hot Pepper said:
AJ, if you are in the biz , why don't you have stamps.com and ship from home????
 

I am looking at products that will link Woocommerse to a stamps.com app.  That way, I do not have to copy and paste the address for each order.  Also it will automatically email confirmation and tracking.  So I guess the answer is I am slow
 
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