The official thrift/discount store bragging thread

[capnwes]

Who brought up the damn post office

My bad...I take the blame for that, however my simple shipping mixup question spun wildly out of control in a matter of 1 or 2 posts.

 

[capnwes]

Wasn't there someone who was looking for a cheap accoustic guitar in their sig? Well, I have 12-15 guitars and , its difficult, but I think I may be ready to part with one of the cheaper accoustics. Not sure how to go about shipping it though. (are their guitar sized tyvec envelopes?)

Edit: Ah, I just remembered...it's Mr. Deep

 

[Brianpore]

Wasn't there someone who was looking for a cheap accoustic guitar in their sig? Well, I have 12-15 guitars and , its difficult, but I think I may be ready to part with one of the cheaper accoustics. Not sure how to go about shipping it though. (are their guitar sized tyvec envelopes?)

No, what you have to do is get 50 of them

and cut the bottom and side off (then it becomes twice as big) and then tape them ALL together. Just make sure to ship the item priority mail as to not break any PO rules and your set

 

[Henry Boogers]

I made two stops that were decent:

Stop 1: HF suit and 5 or 6 HF Sport coats or orphans. Nothing phenomenal nor in my size, unfortunately. Middlin' stuff that will head to the Bay.

Stop 2:

What I kept:

3 Talbott Estate Bespoke dress shirts in my size (16x35 ish) WOOHOO - the two patterned shirts are staying with me but the wonderful white twill is available as the collar is a little too big when buttoned all the way up for my pea-sized head...the others I can wear sans tie. This is a french cuff shirt and is really nice, despite what my cell phone pics would indicate.



What I left:

This wonderful portrai of Sarah Jessica Parker...can proxy if you are a big fan...

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 

[mrdeep2001]

OOHHH ME ME ME! My friend was visiting a few weeks ago and was showing me some stuff on his. Thought it was cool and fun, but not sure how serious I am about learning, which is why I was looking to pick one up if cheap enough.... Let me know homey.

***Edit: Preferably nylon to save my precious baby fingertips

Wasn't there someone who was looking for a cheap accoustic guitar in their sig? Well, I have 12-15 guitars and , its difficult, but I think I may be ready to part with one of the cheaper accoustics. Not sure how to go about shipping it though. (are their guitar sized tyvec envelopes?)

Edit: Ah, I just remembered...it's Mr. Deep

 

[Typhoid Jones]

Quote:
I'm not exactly sure that the post office is unprofitable. I was talking to the clerks at my local branch (I know most of them because I see them almost every day) and they told me that a common misconception that the public has is that tax dollars fund the Postal Service. It's almost a certainty that angry customers immediately resort to "My tax dollars pay for blah, blah, blah." when an uninsured package gets lost or damaged. Either way, they told me that the Post Office is actually one of the few governmental agencies that pays for itself and sometimes even turns a modest profit.

I also use the free priority boxes and wrap them in brown paper (I found a couple of 100 pound rolls of brown butcher paper on the sidewalk after an American Eagle store went out of business two years ago). Wrapping them in paper and using Parcel Post makes it much cheaper than Priority, and living in Boston, the shipping times are actually almost the same (except for around the Holidays). I'm also almost certain that it costs the USPS a few pennies per box because they buy in huge bulk contracts. One person who pays full flat rate price to ship Priority to ANYWHERE almost always overpays when shipping short distances. One person who pays even $1.00 more for using Priority flat rate over Parcel Post has just paid for like 50 boxes at .02 / box. Then there's a WHOLE LONG LINE of people all day long doing that and more. I don't use 50 boxes in a month. The Post Office doesn't care that we use their free boxes.

We're like a fly sitting on a bull's horn thinking to ourselves that we must be making the bull tired by sitting there. The bull doesn't even know we exist - or care even if it did.

Again, .02.
-M-

 

[GHo]



I really wanted today to be great, so I'm a bit disappointed.  I need to catch up on schoolwork the next few days, and I won't be thrifting as much 

are you moving some of this thrift, or is it starting to pile up? Hell, you should set up shingle and have a high-end used boutique.

 

[pnutpug]



I'm not exactly sure that the post office is unprofitable.  I was talking to the clerks at my local branch (I know most of them because I see them almost every day) and they told me that a common misconception that the public has is that tax dollars fund the Postal Service.  It's almost a certainty that angry customers immediately resort to "My tax dollars pay for blah, blah, blah." when an uninsured package gets lost or damaged.  Either way, they told me that the Post Office is actually one of the few governmental agencies that pays for itself and sometimes even turns a modest profit.

I also use the free priority boxes and wrap them in brown paper (I found a couple of 100 pound rolls of brown butcher paper on the sidewalk after an American Eagle store went out of business two years ago).  Wrapping them in paper and using Parcel Post makes it much cheaper than Priority, and living in Boston, the shipping times are actually almost the same (except for around the Holidays).  I'm also almost certain that it costs the USPS a few pennies per box because they buy in huge bulk contracts.  One person who pays full flat rate price to ship Priority to ANYWHERE almost always overpays when shipping short distances.  One person who pays even $1.00 more for using Priority flat rate over Parcel Post has just paid for like 50 boxes at .02 / box.  Then there's a WHOLE LONG LINE of people all day long doing that and more.  I don't use 50 boxes in a month.  The Post Office doesn't care that we use their free boxes.  

We're like a fly sitting on a bull's horn thinking to ourselves that we must be making the bull tired by sitting there.  The bull doesn't even know we exist - or care even if it did.

Again, .02.
-M- 

Actually, that's not correct. I do the same thing as you, but noticed the last time that the boxes have small print saying there's some sort of law/regulation that requires these boxes to be used only as flat-rate/priority shipping containers. Kind of like removing the tag from a mattress, though. I use PP exclusively--if someone is that OCD that they can't wait an extra day or two to receive whatever it is I'm sending, that's their problem, not mine.

 

[Brianpore]

I'm not exactly sure that the post office is unprofitable. I was talking to the clerks at my local branch (I know most of them because I see them almost every day) and they told me that a common misconception that the public has is that tax dollars fund the Postal Service. It's almost a certainty that angry customers immediately resort to "My tax dollars pay for blah, blah, blah." when an uninsured package gets lost or damaged. Either way, they told me that the Post Office is actually one of the few governmental agencies that pays for itself and sometimes even turns a modest profit.

I also use the free priority boxes and wrap them in brown paper (I found a couple of 100 pound rolls of brown butcher paper on the sidewalk after an American Eagle store went out of business two years ago). Wrapping them in paper and using Parcel Post makes it much cheaper than Priority, and living in Boston, the shipping times are actually almost the same (except for around the Holidays). I'm also almost certain that it costs the USPS a few pennies per box because they buy in huge bulk contracts. One person who pays full flat rate price to ship Priority to ANYWHERE almost always overpays when shipping short distances. One person who pays even $1.00 more for using Priority flat rate over Parcel Post has just paid for like 50 boxes at .02 / box. Then there's a WHOLE LONG LINE of people all day long doing that and more. I don't use 50 boxes in a month. The Post Office doesn't care that we use their free boxes.

We're like a fly sitting on a bull's horn thinking to ourselves that we must be making the bull tired by sitting there. The bull doesn't even know we exist - or care even if it did.

Again, .02.
-M-

Remind me never to buy from you. (I joke, but I would pay the few extra $ for Priority). I have had HORRIBLE luck sending things parcel post and you need to look into Regional Rate Boxes!!!! They are the ONLY way, 95% of the time, to ship something over 13 ounces (1st class mail). Anything under 13 ounces goes 1st class mail. Anything over goes into a regional rate box, UNLESS it falls into the 5% where the item is too big to fit into a Rate A box, has to go into a Rate B box AND is in the highest shipping rate. Then it has to go into a Medium Flat Rate Box. I could save 50 cents or a dollar a lot of the time, using a Flat Rate Legal Envelope over a Regional Rate Box A, but seriously how money people would rather get a real box with something in it vs. a crumpled up envelope. It also does protect the item better, and for me that is worth the few pennies (as hopefully I'm a lot more then that per sale).

Especially on ebay....I like to offer "expedited shipping and 1 day handling" and you can only do that if you ship 1st call & priority. (pretty sure it helps your search status and they can't leave bad DSR for shipping time)

Here is the link for the USPS Regional Rate Boxes https://www.usps.com/business/priority-mail-regional-rate.htm

 

[jkidd41011]

Since I missed all the mess on the USPS here is my one and only post it. First I got a nasty gram for trying to ship something first class mail using a Priority Tyvek inside out. So I don't do that anymore.

As far as extra layering when using boxes or envelopes...I recycle. I get enough stuff off here that is the shipping stuff isn't trashed I keep it for later use. Shipping shoes...use plastic grocery bags and put one shoe in each. Then use the old Styrofoam peanuts or more bags to keep them from moving around. Shipping a suit....dry cleaning bags work great to wrap them in before you box them.

I also factor in purchasing some shipping supplies may be required to be purchased. It's a cost of doing business.

 

[Typhoid Jones]

I guess the Post Office does care:

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/16072154/detail.html

Either way, I try to minimize my packaging costs as much as I can. I reuse / recycle everything I can. I use 10 x 13 and 6 x 9 brown manila envelopes (I reinforce the edges and secure the openings with packing tape) to ship shirts and ties. (In the last 3 years, I've only had one tie damaged from the envelope being caught in an automated mail sorter.) I use the Priority Mail boxes wrapped in brown butcher paper from the rolls I found for anything bigger. And everything goes either First Class or Parcel Post.

Aaand then there's the eBay and PayPal fees. Speaking of which, did you guys read about the new requirements to maintain your 20% discounts that are going to come into effect this summer? They won't really affect me, since I usually have a one day turnaround and pretty much accept returns if the buyer is unhappy. But a 14 DAY return period? Really? A lot of us could be getting returns after the buyer wears that Brioni tuxedo to an event, then decides it's SNAD...

 

[GMMcL]



I made two stops that were decent:
This wonderful portrai of Sarah Jessica Parker...can proxy if you are a big fan...

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

HFS, this may be the funniest thing I will read all day.

Stop 1: ... 6 HF Sport coats or orphans. ... Middlin' stuff that will head to the Bay.

Size? Cool enough to trade? May be middlin' stuff by SF standards, but true HF sportcoats (not orphans) meet mine.

 

[Achilles_]



Going through my old inventory....

Stumbled upon a mystery that may even stump the Natakus and Spoos.....



WTF is this?

Is this by chance a 42/44?

 

[capnwes]

Actually, that's not correct. I do the same thing as you, but noticed the last time that the boxes have small print saying there's some sort of law/regulation that requires these boxes to be used only as flat-rate/priority shipping containers. Kind of like removing the tag from a mattress, though. I use PP exclusively--if someone is that OCD that they can't wait an extra day or two to receive whatever it is I'm sending, that's their problem, not mine.

I find that, when purchasing shipping labels through ebay/paypal, the priority (not flat rate) shipping on a suit or pair of shoes is usually cheaper than the parcel post....unless I am shipping coast to coast. This is due to the online postage discounting stacked with the ebay shipping discount program. I buy my own boxes bulk for less than a buck a piece, because the flat rate boxes are just too flimsy for my liking. Then I schedule the P.O. to pick up my packages at my door. They offer this service free as long as at least one of your packages is priority. No trips to the P.O. and no standing in line. Admittedly, I used to get the free boxes and turn them inside out to ship (until they began marking the interiors of the boxes).

 

[Nataku]



Going through my old inventory....

Stumbled upon a mystery that may even stump the Natakus and Spoos.....

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

WTF is this?

Wow.....hmmm......uuuhhhh.....yeeeeeah, I'm stumped. Definitely appears to be well made. Anything with a size/fabric content tag hand-written in pen has to be pretty nice. I can definitely spot handwork. Sadly it's an orphan. I hope you turned this store upside-down looking for the trousers. It would have been a gorgeous staple suit. Naples (Napoli) is well known for high quality, hand tailored clothing. There are a lot of small, hole-in-the-wall tailor shops and boutiques that don't have the extensive history nor the money to advertise to become known globally such as Kiton and Isaia. This is likely from one of those small shops. Th name confuses me, though as it's a very American name.