Evidently, it’s illegal — or immoral, or actionable, or something — to reuse a Post Office Prority Mail box. Even if you turn it inside out so that nobody can see what it is.
The terms of Agreement for the use of United States Postal Service shipping supplies is as follows: I understand that Express Mail service, Priority Mail service, Global Express Guaranteed, Express Mail International and Priority Mail International packaging is the property of the United States Postal Service and is provided solely for sending Express Mail, Priority Mail, Global Express Guaranteed, Express Mail International and Priority Mail International. Misuse may be a violation of federal law.
And, evidently, the Post Office is sending nastygrams to people who dare engage in such anti-social behavior …
Well, I do see their point…sort of. What’s to stop me from going to my local post office and taking a bunch of the free boxes, turning them inside out and using them instead of buying my own. You’d think there would have to be a way to mark them as having been used and then allow them to be reused. Maybe the post office should start a recycling program.
I’m sure that’s possible — but also something easily dealth with. The fact is, once purchased (via postage), the box really ought not have a valid “license agreement” — and certainly not one that binds the *recipient* of the package, who’s signed no such contract.