BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The U.S. Postal Service already has ramped up operations to be able to "confidently" accommodate the holiday rush.
It's hired 7,500 seasonal employees and implemented 506 sorting machines, and is aiming for a total daily capacity of 60 million packages daily.
Now all it needs is for customers to do their part.
On Monday at the USPS office at 17 Commerce Way, Bethlehem, the government mail agency held a live demonstration to explain how to properly pack boxes this holiday season.
"Last year, we processed 1.9 billion packages between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, and this year, we’ve already hit 1 billion since Thanksgiving.”USPS customer service representative Shannon Torres
USPS customer service representative Shannon Torres, host of the demonstration, kicked things off with a staggering statistic.
"This is the season,” Torres said. “Last year, we processed 1.9 billion packages between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, and this year, we’ve already hit 1 billion since Thanksgiving.
"We’re prepared for the rush and want to make sure everyone’s packages arrive safely and on time.”
Here are the Top 5 points made in Torres' demonstration to ensure packages arrive on time, and in one piece, this holiday season.
1. Preparing your box
Torres said it's important to choose a sturdy box, and also make sure it's an appropriate one.
She said she recommends USPS boxes, which can be complimentary if a service such as Priority Mail is selected.
"We do not recommend to use reuse boxes," Torres said. "If you do reuse boxes, definitely try to take off the labels. Make sure everything is off of the packaging itself."
That's especially important, Torres said, if the reused boxes originally contained something such as alcohol or tobacco products.
That could cause unnecessary delays if the Postal Service erroneously concludes that the box actually contains tobacco or alcohol, which are restricted.
Torres recommended choosing a plain, sturdy box that's an appropriate size for the item or items.
2. Packing the items
The first and most important component of this step is to line the bottom of the box with bubble wrap or a similar product, such as packing peanuts, crumpled paper or Styrofoam.
Torres said tools such as bubble wrap or crumpled paper are effective, but only if they are used properly, and surrounding each fragile item individually, in addition to lining the bottom.
"Say you have a picture frame," she said. "You’re going to take the glass out of the picture frame, wrap that glass, then place it on top with the frame itself.
“Everything, if it’s definitely fragile, make sure that that is securely wrapped apart from the actual frame."
A rule of thumb: The heaviest items should go at the bottom of the box, and each layer above should be items that are lighter in weight.
Bubble wrap also can be over-done, depending on the size of the box.
"The more packing, the better — but do not overstuff the box," she said. "We want everything to be wrapped nice and snug, but not so tight that you're forcing the box to close."
3. Seal the box properly
This is a critical step, according to Torres.
"We recommend sealing the edges to make sure everything is nice and snug," she said. "All sides of the box should be taped. This keeps the box secure during transportation and prevents it from opening accidentally."
Demonstrating that step, she taped up a USPS box in a more controlled and focused way than many of us probably are used to doing.
Heavier items also sometimes call for reinforcing the bottom of the box so they don't break the box — such as using a bit more tape than normal.
4. Label your package
Torres said USPS often runs into situations where the label is missing or damaged, so they aren't able to figure out where it's coming from or meant to go.
"Labels are the biggest thing," she said. "You have to make sure the person you're sending it to is on the bottom, and your information is on the top."
She also recommends adding a second label inside the box, in case for some reason box opens up in transit, or something happens to the primary label.
"If the label does get damaged or the box gets opened accidentally, they would be able to see who it was going to,” she said.
To demonstrate, she wrote up a mock label, from Santa to "Elf," both with addresses in "Anywhere, PA."
In the example, Santa appeared to be sending a package to "Elf" who lives just several houses away, on the same block.
When asked what could be in the package, Torres said, "maybe some cookies," and saw the humor in the scenario that both Santa and "Elf" for some reason live in "Anywhere, PA", and not the North Pole, and are sending each other packages that could easily be delivered on foot.
5. Understanding USPS shipping options and holiday deadlines
Being a USPS media event, the tutorial was naturally focused on USPS's options for shipping during the holiday season and not those of its competitors, such as FedEx or UPS.
Torres summarized each one, and provided the last day its sure to arrive before Dec. 25.
Ground Advantage, USPS's base offering.
"It takes three to five business days [domestically], so it's perfect if you don't need it super quickly but still want it to arrive on time," Torres said. This service has a deadline of Dec. 18 to make it by Christmas Day.
Priority Mail, which includes $100 insurance and tracking (ground advantage also includes tracking).
"This is one of our most popular options because it's reliable and comes with a flat-rate shipping fee," Torres said. The deadline for that is Dec. 19.
Priority Express
"If you definitely need something quicker, we have Priority Express," Torres said. "It's either guaranteed arrival tomorrow or the next day. If it doesn't get there on time, it's guaranteed or your money back," Torres said. The deadline for Priority Express is Dec. 21.
First class mail
It's for packages, such as letters or gift cards, under 13 ounces. The deadline is Dec. 18.
Anything sent out after these deadlines, Torres jokingly said, "You're really going to have to talk to Santa's elves to get your items there."
