I can believe it. The other day I attempted to mail a package using an old USPS Priority Express box that I had. The USPS label was not Priority Express and I was told that they can’t accept it since the shipping label did not match what was printed on the box!! Apparently too confusing for the average postal worker!
It was all I could do to contain myself from getting a sharpie and crossing out “priority express’ on the box.
It was all I could do to contain myself from getting a sharpie and crossing out “priority express’ on the box.
And for some people, it's too confusing to understand that the 'free' priority mail express box must be used with a priority mail express label. Buy your own box, put whatever label you want on it. Express boxes are paid for by people using priority mail express. It's not hard.
Crossing out the labels might work, IF you ALSO cross out all of the bar codes printed on the box. But if you're trying to use a certain type of service like flat rate Priority Mail, you may be required to use the appropriate/specified packaging, because the rates are based on the specific package characteristics (including volume), and the pre-printed bar codes are used for billing and may influence automated sorting.
Sometimes frustrating (especially if you have a busy PO & have to stand in line), but I generally prefer USPS; in my experience, FedEx is more expensive, while UPS is more expensive AND destroys things...