I know this has been hashed over many times before and some may feel I am preaching to the choir... but, if that is the case, why do I continue to get postals that do not have tape under the labels? New people participate in postals all the time, so maybe it bears repeating...

PLEASE use clear packing tape with tabbed ends over the address label, under the postage, and under the USPS labels on postals. It takes only a minute or two to tape it correctly before mailing, but it is very tedious and time-consuming to pick off postage and labels that are stuck directly on the package.

A few pointers...

1) Tab the end of the tape by folding it under a bit -- some people put a sticker or little piece of colored paper in the folded part, or mark it with a sharpie, so it is easy to see, but really, just folding it under is sufficient.
2) If you are using stick-on address labels, you have to put tape UNDER the label -- if you put it over your label, the label still sticks to the package.
3) If you mail at the postal counter, it can be difficult to know where they are going to stick the USPS label, so be safe and use tape for all areas where this could go (beneath the address label and on the left side of the package are the most common places). Also, you can request that they use the standard mailing labels instead of that gigantic label they fold over onto the back of the envelope that makes a huge mess.
4) If you mail at the self-serve kiosk, there is no excuse for not knowing where the label will go.
5) Many people like to re-use postal bubble mailers, so just because you are the last one in the ring and you are mailing back to the original sender (and thus do not have to address it), doesn't mean you are off the hook for prepping the package.

Thank you!

SpringChick
(stepping down off soap-box)

In the HELP section.

~Aurora

Gotta say - I never tab, and if it's a deal breaker for people, then I don't join those rings.

I've never had an issue getting the label off if the package is taped around.

As far as the stamps, if some of it is still stuck on the package, you can just put the new stamps right over top.

I can honestly say I've never spent more than a minute or possibly two getting things off the package. If you have an exacto or other blade (or even sharp scissors), it slices right through the tape. Done.

The stamps might not be a problem, but I've spent up to half an hour trying to get those tracking labels off postals. If everyone left them on a ring of several people, it would be a real mess by the time the owner got the package back. I was in a ring that it seemed no one tabbed the tape and I have even pulled off the wrong tape by accident and had to completely retape the front. It's way easier to fold the end of the tape under when you put it on than to hunt and scratch for an end of tape that you can't find.

Maybe not all post offices use the same type of labels and you’ve been lucky to run across some that peel off easily. Based on my own experience of spending up to 30 minutes picking off tiny little pieces of the label, and the evidence that those who had the envelope prior to me also struggled with this, it would appear that most post office labels do not peel off easily. Cutting the label off with an exacto knife damages the underlying layer of tape, so this is not really a viable solution.

I just don’t see why anyone wouldn’t be willing to take 2 minutes to apply and tab a couple pieces of tape to make it easier for the next person in line. Seems like a pretty painless way to make the process enjoyable for everyone.

SC

I would agree with SpringChick's comments as general guidelines to make cleaning off the labels and re-packaging simpler.

However, I rue the day when multiple rules are made mandatory or someone becomes persona non grata for not complying.

As always I will yield to the will and rules of the postal tracker owner. It is up to that person to set the expectations for the group. This is welcomed by me in the tracker announcements. If there is a requirement I don't like it is simple to pass on that tracker.

Above all this hobby should be enjoyable. Many people have different expectations, priorities, and timelines. Hopefully postals can remain a niche of letterboxing that all of us can enjoy.

Happy snail mailing for 2018!

I remember the day when the postals came home after a long trip looking like old steamer trunks with stamps and labels all over them. If they got really bad we’d take a kid’s brown lunch bag and just cover the whole thing in a disposable wrapping. And then we started adding quips. And now there are micros—new packaging every time.

I actually love to see the envelope all messed up like that after making its way around the ring.... the problem I’ve run into is that the post office will not take them if too much of the old labels are on the envelope. I have on occasion, just taped a sheet of paper over the entire envelope rather than picking off labels... sometimes it’s easier that way!

Send a carve of yourself (a cute avatar that you make on-line) and an animal buddy to attend this postal ring "event"!

You make your avatar using the free mobile app Animal Crossing Pocket Camp by Nintendo. In this game, there will also be a variety of animals roaming around. Choose one as your buddy (the one you want to carve).

Carve your two images, and send out as usual!
=======
I think it will be really fun to see everyone's avatars! I am going to stamp as many as I can on a larger sheet of paper, so it looks like a group event picture :)

Hope you can join!
Interested? Please read the details carefully:
https://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?trackerId=9677

Maybe we're not talking about the same thing. I thought you were talking about the address label. I never get the big tracking labels from the PO. I always opt for the small ones/stamps. I know you can do this at a self serve kiosk. Can you not ask the postal worker to use the small one?

I've spent up to half an hour trying to get those tracking labels off postals

I just have never had this same experience.

I just don’t see why anyone wouldn’t be willing to take 2 minutes to apply and tab a couple pieces of tape to make it easier for the next person in line.

Like I said, I've never spent more than 2 minutes taking stuff off, so I guess to me it's a wash. I was postaling before the whole tabbing thing became mandatory for some people, so I guess I just do things the way I started.

That's why I said if it's in the tracker rules that things have to be packaged "just so", I just don't sign up. As IrishRef was alluding to, it does become a little less enjoyable for me at that point. If I think the packaging police might come after me, I'll just pass.

If you hand the mailer to the post office clerk they will put a tracking sticker on it. Even if the postage is sufficient. I think some people don't know this and they don't put tape where the large tracking bar code goes.

The address label is generally not a big issue since most people use a scrap of paper and tape it on. If you find a corner of the tape, it’s not difficult to remove. It is the USPS labels that are the issue. As Ugly Duckling pointed out, if you go to the counter, even if you use stamps, they still put on a label with the bar code.

If you don’t use stamps, there will either be one gigantic messy label that is both the postage and the bar code, or two smaller labels - one for the postage and the other for the bar code. It depends on the post office which they try to use - where I used to go, they always used the smaller labels, but where I’ve been going lately, they like to slap on the giant label... you can ask for the small ones instead, but you have to remember to do so... before they’ve printed the large one. Either way, you don’t get to choose where on the package they put the label, unless you have a really nice postal worker... in most cases my request to place it any specific place on the envelope has been ignored.

There is no kiosk at the post offices where I go, so I am not familiar with how that works, but I imagine people who use the kiosk have a choice where to place the labels so there wouldn’t be the issue of not knowing where the label will end up.

There is no kiosk at the post offices where I go, so I am not familiar with how that works, but I imagine people who use the kiosk have a choice where to place the labels so there wouldn’t be the issue of not knowing where the label will end up.

Yes. There is even the option of using the large or two small labels. Then you can put them wherever you want. It is still easier to just tape the whole envelope and put tabs at the corners.

Be aware that if you are one of those who just slaps stamps on your wonderfully taped mailers, the stamps may come off and the recipient may have to pay the postage to pick them up at the post office.

Be aware that if you are one of those who just slaps stamps on your wonderfully taped mailers, the stamps may come off and the recipient may have to pay the postage to pick them up at the post office.

But you can't tape over the stamps either because that isn't allowed by the USPS.

TG

I really appreciate it a lot when someone places the tape under the postage and tracking, tabs, and marks the tabs (sometimes it’s hard to see those tape ends). The removal is so easy, and the envelope is nice and neat to send onward.

And, the joy of getting a postal envelope back after it’s journey, clean enough to use again :)

So, thanks to all who tape and tab!

I should send myself a postal and see how my own taping methods work for the recipient. I always wonder if the tabbed tapes that I do are easily removed, etc. The best one I ever received had marked tabs that were numbered for removal order.

You could Add a note in the next few Postals you mail out, asking the recipients for honest feedback on the ease or difficulty of removal and if they have suggestions on improvement.

Isn't that how the concept of a quisp became popular with postals? I viewed them as a reward for cleaning off the labeling.

I have traditionally used postage stamps instead of slogging into the PO which is a time saver for me. Often hard to get to a PO during working hours except on Saturday.

It also saves the recipient cleaning time. When using stamps the PO doesn't slap a postage sticker and tracker sticker on the envelope. Downside is there isn't tracking.

If one of my mailing ever comes with postage due, I will be happy to refund the boxer.

I love using Paypal to pay and print out my address/postage/tracking. I just print it out at home. Everything is on one sheet of regular paper, and I clear tape the edges to the postal envelope. No sticky mess! It also costs less, and I don't have to go the post office :)

Just wondering how someone goes about setting up a postal ring?

Oh I think I found the 'create tracker' button under my trackers page. Are there any special things to keep in mind as you go through this process. I am not creating anything right now, just curious for future reference.

Yes.
1. Will it be a single or ring? A single is your one stamp going to everyone and returning. In a ring everyone carves a stamp and they circulate in order until you get your stamp back.
2. How many people will you allow in the tracker. For a single it doesn't make much of a difference other than the time to get it back. in a ring, I would not do more than 15 and you might want to start smaller. You count as one of the members. So if you want 15 people make the max 16.
3. Will you allow anyone to join the tracker until it is full? That is open. If you want to screen members you can make it limited. In a limited one people let you know their interest and you add those you pick to the tracker.
4. Most have a theme which can drive the type of stamps to be carved.
5. Are you going to require US postal tracking?
6. Will want to request them to send you their mailing address to you can order the tracker geographically to speed up mailing time.
7. Will want them to send you an alternate e-mail address in case they are not logging into AQ during the tracker for some reason.
8. When will you start? Picking a mailing date is important. Give people at least a couple of weeks to a month to pick their stamp and carve it.

That should get you started. More details and advice available if you have questions later.

https://www.atlasquest.com/trackers/add/

It sounded like you had already found the link, but I am including it just in case.

One tip I have is that you must use a laptop or computer when it comes time to rearrange the members in the ring. I am able to set-up new rings on my phone or tablet, but am unable to drag the members around to rearrange on my phone or tablet.

You should definitely create a postal tracker! It is fun to see everyone get excited about something that you really like or are excited about. :)

Heads up!

As far as I know, the rate increase has been approved. I'm going to the post office tomorrow anyway, and will ask.

http://blog.stamps.com/2017/10/26/usps-announces-2018-postage-rate-increase/

Yes, I got an advt. from Pitney Bowes trying to sell us a postage meter because of the postal increase so we would save .03/stamp but pay $20 a month.

Wow--If the average postal uses 8 stamps, you would only need to mail 83 of them each month to break even! Such a deal :)