How to Get Free Shipping Supplies from the USPS and UPS
If you prefer to purchase shipping labels online and ship packages from home, you will need supplies such as boxes and packaging materials. The good news is that you can get some of these supplies for free directly from carriers. How can you get free shipping supplies from USPS and UPS?
How to Get Free Shipping Supplies from the USPS
The United States Postal Service (USPS) offers several types of free shipping supplies that you can order online or by phone. They will be delivered to your home or business. Free shipping supplies are also available in limited quantities at post offices.
Shipping supplies offered by the USPS free of charge include:
- Various types and sizes of Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express boxes and envelopes (including Flat Rate).
- Regular mailing supplies
- Sticker labels (Priority Mail, Certified Mail, Caution Heavy, Priority Mail Express, Registered Mail, and Priority Mail Express Outside Shipment)
- Customs declaration form pouches
- Commonly used postal forms
- Kits (Cremated Remains, Military Care)
You can order these supplies from the USPS Postal Store, through Click-N-Ship (in both cases, a USPS account is required), or by calling the Package Supply Center at 1-800-610-8734, Monday through Saturday. Most USPS supplies come in packs (or rolls, in case of stickers), so you cannot order just one box, sticker, or postal form. However, you can order one kit.
Supplies will be shipped via USPS Ground Advantage for free (estimated delivery time: 2–5 business days). If you need faster delivery, you can pay for shipping via Priority Mail.
Please note that Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express packaging and supplies can only be used for the specified class of mail.
How to Get Free Shipping Supplies from UPS
UPS also offers free shipping supplies to customers. You can order them using your UPS.com account. If you don’t have one, you’ll have to create it. Available shipping supplies include:
- Various boxes
- Other packaging options (tubes, express envelopes, etc.)
- Protective pouches for non-adhesive shipping labels
- Shipping labels, stickers, and forms.
- HAZMAT supplies.
Your order of free shipping supplies should arrive within a few business days. Please note that the quantity of items you can order may be limited. If you ship often, the quantity of supplies available will be based on your recent shipping volume.
Other Ways to Get Free Shipping Supplies
If you’re not sure which carrier you’re going to use or can’t wait for shipping supplies to arrive, there are other ways to get free boxes. For example, retailers often have old boxes that they plan to recycle or donate. Reach out to them to see if they have any available. You can also reuse old boxes you have at home.
When reusing boxes, make sure the box you choose is sturdy and undamaged, and remove or black out any old shipping labels, stickers, markings, etc. Our guide on reusing shipping boxes will help ensure that your package arrives intact.
Keep in mind that carriers do not offer supplies such as packaging fillers (bubble wrap, packing peanuts, shredded paper, etc.) or packing tape. You will have to get those elsewhere. However, you don’t need to order special self-adhesive shipping labels. If you purchase shipping labels online, you can print them at home on regular office paper.