Just another reason not to use USPS

Because they will deliver a package that was probably leaking fluid?

 

Another reason to learn how to properly pack a box?

 

Last year, USPS delivered a box directly to my door (instead of the normal drop off spot at my apartment complex), wrapped in a trash bag to keep it from leaking on other boxes, I presume. I was very pleasantly surprised that they still delivered a box that was so obviously leaking alcohol.

 

Perhaps it's a reason to tell your trade partner to use better bubble wrap. That green one looks like it couldn't securely keep safe an egg rolling.

 

I have beer shipped from Alaska via USPS. Hasn't been a problem.

 

yeah, the key thing even without bubble wrap is to make sure that the bottle is going to stay situated throughout the whole trip.

 

What size of a box was used? It looks like the thinner, medium sized Flat Rate or something similar. If so, that's the reason this happened.

 

I've used the thinner medium sized flat rate for beers plenty. You can get a good two bruery bottles into that with proper place holders and padding without having any shipping issues.

It's once they rattle around is when they'll be prone to shatter.

 

I can't say it enough - box inside a box. Never had a problem since I started going that route.

 

Also, shipping alcohol via USPS is illegal (federal offense), ship FedEx or UPS.
And yes that box really should have been packed much better, box in a box or a tremendous amount of bubble-wrap.

 

This has nothing to do with the courier. UPS and FedEx would've delivered the same broken box. Hopefully your trade partner is looking at this thread and rethinking his/her game plan for shipping beer.

 

Let's call a spade a spade. Aren't you suppose to have a distributor license in order to ship beer legally across most state lines? So isn't shipping beer with any of these services illegal?

 

I'd rather have them deliver my leaking package and salvage the other beers in it than just toss the whole thing because you were receiving beer illegally through the mail. Seems like this has nothing to do with USPS and everything to do with packing a better box.

 

USPS is all that I ever use interationally, never had a problem.

 

Seems to me you should reconsider your choice of trading partners and worry less about who handles and delivers the package.

 

I line the bag with trash bag, then I use popcorn on the bottom when I can or several inches of foam wrap, then wrap each bottle in bubble wrap, then fill in with foam wrap to protect and stop the sloshing. Haven't had a problem packing this way. It increases the packing and reduces the Xtras capability, but I note when I trade if I'm not including Xtra's into a trade. If I'm shipping bottles I can't replace I opt for more packing vs sticking in a extra few bottles, protecting the main trade bottles is more important to me.

 

Yes, but the licensing laws are a whole other point. Beyond those laws, you're also breaking a different law by shipping via USPS, whereas shipping via other couriers doesn't break any laws, it just violates their terms of service.