There may be different reasons why you would need to ship cremated remains: you’re a relative entrusted with transporting or distributing the remains of a loved one; you need to ensure that a pet cremation urn is safely sent back home; or you’re in the death care business and your funeral home needs to transport cremated remains frequently. Whatever the reason may be, Stamps.com can help you make the process as painless as possible.

The first thing to know is that you can only use the USPS to ship cremated remains. Courier services like FedEx and UPS do not allow this. Therefore, you can use your powerful Stamps.com platform to ship cremated remains.

Preparing your package

The USPS allows for shipping cremated remains by Priority Mail Express service only.  Keep in mind that there are packaging requirements—USPS requires that the inner container be stable, shock-proof, and sift-proof (i.e. sealed against leakage during transit). Since the USPS requires full return and delivery addresses be included on the outside of the package, we recommend using the Stamps.com Shipping Label feature to meet this guideline and also receive free tracking. Under our “Packages” section, you can select one of our “Shipping Label” options. You can easily print a trackable label on plain paper or on one of our self-adhesive labels, such as the 4 1/4″ x 6 3/4″ shipping labels (SDC-1200).

Identifying your package

Remember also to declare the Special Contents when you print your Shipping Label. After selecting the Priority Mail Express mail class and entering all of the appropriate criteria (addresses, weight, etc.), click on the “Select” button next to “Add’l Options.” Click on “Special Contents” and select “Cremated Remains.”

As of September 2019, the USPS requires using Label 139, a postal label indicating “Cremated Remains,” which can be ordered for free here: https://store.usps.com/store/browse/productDetailSingleSku.jsp?productId=P_LABEL139

Additionally, shippers are required to affix Label 139 to all six sides of their shipping box.

International Mailing

For international mail, you may only use Priority Mail Express International to ship cremated remains.  Cremated remains must also be shipped in a funeral urn. Remember to double-check whether the country to which you are mailing allows this type of shipment. Some countries, such as Belgium, Ireland, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal and the United Kingdom do not allow entry of cremated remains. Some countries also do not support Priority Mail Express International. We recommend researching this prior to mailing by accessing the Individual Country Listings here: https://pe.usps.com/text/imm/immctry.htm

Remember to fully and clearly identify the contents on your customs form. Stamps.com makes the process easy and efficient by combining postage and the Customs Declaration Forms into the same documentation/international shipping label. In the Customs Information window, under “Type of Contents,” select “Other” and type in a detailed description under “More Info.” In the itemized package content details, please also enter a detailed description to remain compliant with USPS guidelines.

Since you are using Priority Mail Express, you can schedule a free pickup to avoid going to the Post Office.  Learn how to schedule a pickup here: https://blog.stamps.com/2017/04/21/usps-package-pickups-and-drop-offs/

Whether you need a good chef’s knife to carve up large cuts of beef, or a paring knife to core a tomato, knives come in handy for a variety of uses. They represent an important consumer product, but can you mail knives and other sharp instruments through the USPS? The short answer is that it depends on the type of knife.

Switchblade knives

Switchblade knives are severely restricted with the USPS. They are defined by the USPS as knives having “a blade that opens automatically by hand pressure applied to a button or other device in the handle, or by operation of inertia, gravity, or both.” Only supply and procurement officers are allowed to purchase and mail switchblade knives. If you’re a dealer or manufacturer of switchblade knives, you would still only be able to mail switchblade knives to procurement officers representing civic, county, state and federal governments. Mailpieces with switchblade knives should not be identified as such on the outside of the parcel.

Pocket and kitchen knives 

What if you’re sending a pocket knife to a manufacturer for repair? Or mailing a sushi knife to a friend? These knives are mailable. However, keep in mind that mailable knives must be cushioned and secured within the packaging. This would prevent any sharp edges from poking through the packaging. Make sure that there is no content shifting. Inner packaging is recommended, and if possible, sheathing the blade in question. Use plenty of cushioning material. This also goes for sharp-edged implements like ice picks, hatchets, stilettos and saws.

The best rule to go by when mailing knives and sharp instruments is to avoid mailing hazardous items that could cause injury to postal workers: loose knives; badly packaged, sharp objects; and automatic, ballistic, and auto-open blades.

International mail 

When mailing internationally, keep in mind that some countries, such as Denmark, Uganda, Japan and the United Kingdom, explicitly prohibit certain types of knives.  Learn more about USPS international listings.

As always, stay sharp and keep informed! For more information on domestic USPS regulations regarding mailing knives, please see:

https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c4_013.htm

Birthdays are cause for celebration, but they can be also stressful if you’re the kind of person who never wants to forget a special event.  How can you make Stamps.com work for you when it comes to celebrating someone’s special day?

Mailing cakes

Mailing a birthday cake sounds risky, but if you really want to make someone’s day, you can follow some guidelines that will help you pull this off.  Most cake-sellers would recommend mailing a cake that contains fondant icing to ensure it keeps its shape during transit. Keeping the cake cool is also important, so some recommended tips include freezing the cake prior to mailing, lining the cake with gel packs, and placing the cake within a Styrofoam cooler with plenty of dry ice. Keep the cake snug and secure by using a box that prevents a lot of movement, and cushioning the cake with packing peanuts.  In your Stamps.com program, we recommend selecting Priority Mail Express as your mail class.

Mailing birthday cards

Don’t want to send a cake? No worries! Sometimes all you need is a birthday card to remind someone that you’re thinking about them. If you want to send a card or letter, you can print postage on various envelope sizes, including sizes #9, #11, and #12, and the NCR Greeting Card Envelope (8 3/4” x 5 3/4”).  Have a funny birthday card with a strange shape? You can also use our Custom Layout Designer to create custom envelopes and postcards of non-standard sizes.  In the Stamps.com software, click on “Envelopes” in the left navigation bar and look for the envelope icon next to the “Printing On” drop-down list. For an extra-special touch, send the card with a Custom NetStamp! This product allows you to put your own image on a sheet of NetStamps labels. Once you design and order your sheet, we’ll send you a sheet with your image. You can then run the sheet through your printer and decide what kind of letter or postcard postage you need with our Stamps.com program.

Mailing gifts

If you want to mail a gift like a shirt, mug or book, you can use Stamps.com’s powerful platform to select the mail class that will fit your needs. Under our “Packages” section, you can easily print a trackable label on plain paper or on one of our self-adhesive labels. You can create a barcoded shipping label for USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes and receive the discounted Commercial Base rate. If you want to use your own box, just select “Package/Thick Envelope” as your mailpiece and print out a barcoded shipping label. Make that birthday special!

If you’re running an apiary or beekeeping business, you’re probably selling products such as honey, beeswax, or bee pollen. Bee operations also make revenue by selling actual live bees. But can you mail bees through the USPS? Yes, but there are some guidelines to keep in mind.

Types of bees

First, some basic science. A hive consists of three types of bees:

• the female queen bee
• female worker/attendant bees
• male drones

Only queen honeybees and female worker/attendant honeybees can be mailed via the USPS. Whole colonies cannot be shipped. If you’re sending a starter hive of live bees, keep in mind that the type of bee you’re sending will determine the mail class you can use. When mailing bees with Stamps.com, you should always print a shipping label with embedded barcode tracking.  In the Stamps.com software, under the “Packages” section, you can select one of our “Shipping Label” options. You can easily print a trackable label on plain paper or on one of our self-adhesive labels, such as these 4 1/4″ x 6 3/4″ shipping labels. As a Stamps.com customer, you’ll receive the discounted PC Postage (Commercial Base) rate, so you’ll save money when you print postage with us!

Queen Honeybees and Worker Bees

Queen honeybees can travel in style and be shipped by the faster air mail methods. Female worker/attendant honeybees can only be shipped via surface-based mail methods. Generally, Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express and First-Class Mail pieces will generally be shipped by air. The queen doesn’t have to fly alone, though, and in accordance with USPS regulations, she can be joined by up to eight female attendant/worker honeybees.

When going by surface mail methods, your shipment will need special care, and if you’re shipping queen honeybees or female worker/attendant honeybees via ground transportation, you would need to add the Special Handling fee. The good news is that you can do this easily in Stamps.com! In the software, click on “Add’l Options” and hit “Select…”  Click on “Special Contents” and select the Content Type of “Live Animal (with Fee).”

Packaging

When shipping bees, it’s obviously important to spend some time ensuring your package is safe for both the bees and for the postal workers. The mailpiece should be constructed in such a way as to provide adequate air and ventilation—a  temperature range of 40° to 100° F is recommended—and secure enough to prevent any bees from escaping. A third consideration is strength, as you need to avoid having your box getting crushed during transit. There are a number of solutions, including using screened wooden rectangular boxes or reinforced bee shipping boxes. For mailpieces sent by surface transportation, you must mark your box on the address side with the following descriptors: “Live Bees” and “Surface Only/Surface Mail Only.”  Plainly mark “Live Queen Bees” on the address side for mailpieces sent with queen honeybees.

International Mailing

Before mailing bees abroad, we strongly recommend checking individual country listings for restrictions.  Bees may be prohibited entirely, or stringent importation rules may apply. For example, when mailing bees to Argentina, you would need to have the Argentine Consul countersign a health certificate. If you’re sending live bees to Sweden, they must be sent directly to the Department of Bee Research of the University of Agricultural Sciences at its campus in Uppsala, Sweden. Learn more about international shipping restrictions by country.

For more information on USPS regulations regarding mailing bees, please see:

https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c5_008.htm

For the United States Department of Agriculture’s regulations, please see:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/import-information/permits/regulated-organism-and-soil-permits/sa_bees/ct_bee_transit

Autumn means changing leaves, putting away your summer gear, and getting your office ready for the busy holiday season. Even though the days will start getting shorter, you can still keep your home office running by using the powerful Stamps.com platform! Keep yourself well-supplied for a busy holiday season by visiting the Stamps.com Store, where  you can order free USPS supplies, and also purchase a cornucopia of packing supplies, shipping envelopes, and special handling labels.

Optimize your sales

The Thanksgiving season means food and charity drives, parades, football games, and family dinners. If you’re an e-commerce seller, it also means the peak shopping days of Black Friday (November 24) and Cyber Monday (November 27) are right around the corner. Cyber Monday is always the Monday after Thanksgiving, so you can ride the gravy train by offering coupon codes and online deals. So that you can offer your customers free tracking and keep them informed about the status of their packages, we recommend using the Stamps.com Shipping Label feature. Under our “Packages” section, you can select one of our “Shipping Label” options. You can easily print a trackable label on plain paper or on one of our self-adhesive labels, such as the 4 1/4″ x 6 3/4″ shipping labels.

Organize your data

Thanksgiving is a time for pie, and with Stamps.com’s Report Tool, you can create your own pie charts by clicking on “Summary” under the “Expenses” and “Prints” tabs.  You can analyze your postage spending habits by logging in to your Stamps.com software and looking for the Reports icon on the left side of your screen.

Thanksgiving NetStamps

Thanksgiving is a season for expressing gratitude. If you want to give thanks and show your appreciation to a friend, business contact or family member, we offer nine different Thanksgiving and fall-themed NetStamps designs. NetStamps are versatile and can be used for various denominations. They don’t carry a date, so you don’t need to use them on the day that you print them.