November 8th, 2018 by Chris Race
Pak Mail is open 9 am to 6 pm on Monday
We honor our Veterans and active military. Since only the US Post Office is closed and other carriers — UPS, FedEx and DHL — are open, Pak Mail is open for business as usual on Monday, November 12.
Thank you!
Pak Mail – 4419 Centennial Blvd
October 23rd, 2018 by Chris Race
Print the Amazon return label
If you’re feeling bullied by Amazon, you’re not alone. Returns to this online giant should be easy. The Amazon Returns QR Code excludes UPS Authorized Shipping Outlets like Pak Mail. It forces us to send our customers on an inconvenient journey to The UPS Store.
There is a way around this craziness. Log into your Amazon account and cancel the return using the QR Code. Go back and request the return with a UPS label. Either print the label and tape it to your box for drop off at Pak Mail, or email the label to Pak Mail and we will adhere it to the box for you.
Choose a printed UPS label not a QR code.
(Credit: ShipItPella — Thanks!)
October 6th, 2018 by Chris Race
Monday, October 8, the US Post Office is closed for Columbus Day. All other carriers are open — UPS, FedEx, DHL.
Pak Mail is open! What do you need to ship this week?
3 Pallets Ready for Freight Pickup
September 12th, 2018 by Chris Race
A stone sculpture requires a heavy crate
We built a sturdy wooden crate for this 400-pound Colorado Marble cougar sculpture from John Kessler. Total shipping weight of 500 pounds meant it shipped to Florida with a freight carrier.
John Kessler cougar sculpture
August 25th, 2018 by Chris Race
Pak Mail packs stone for small package & freight shipping
Stone table tops require special packaging for safe shipping. Smaller pieces like the petrified wood slab can ship as a UPS or FedEx small package. The slab is protected and kept absolutely flat in a rigid Styro-lined box, which is then floated in a second box filled with peanuts. Small packages shipped with UPS or FedEx must withstand the rigors of handling by carrier drivers, various package orientations, and facility conveyor belts.
Larger, heavier pieces like the sandstone table top ship on a pallet with a freight carrier. The packaging also keeps the stone flat in a rigid Styro-lined box; a second box is not required. The finished package is placed on its edge and strapped to a pallet.
A little extra care ensures safe delivery.
Petrified wood table top packaged for small package shipping
Sandstone slab table top packaged for freight shipping
July 2nd, 2018 by Chris Race
Pak Mail is closed on Independence Day, Wednesday, July 4
July 2 OPEN, 9 am – 6 pm
July 3 OPEN, 9 am – 6 pm
July 4 CLOSED
July 5 OPEN, 9 am – 6 pm
July 6 OPEN, 9 am – 6 pm
July 7 OPEN, 9 am – 3 pm
Please be safe and have fun celebrating our freedoms!
Pak Mail Independence Day Holiday Hours
May 11th, 2018 by Chris Race
Goodwill ships the small items; Pak Mail ships the rest
Discover Goodwill of Southern and Western Colorado online auction lists Pak Mail as the shipper of choice for larger items. We provide pickup-pack-and-ship estimates daily for a variety of items. Pak Mail recently shipped framed artwork and prints, bicycles, a remote-controlled gas helicopter, and Jabba the Hut.
We recommend getting a pack-and-ship estimate before bidding on Goodwill items to eliminate any shipping surprises. It helps determine the auction bidding budget.
Goodwill Auction Helicopter
Goodwill Auction Jabba the Hut
April 9th, 2018 by Chris Race
Weight and dimensions determine shipping methods
Pictures tell the story. Even though the packages in the first photo look “large,” they are actually small packages shipping FedEx Ground. They include a rug and some paintings from the Discover Goodwill online auction. The second and third represent freight shipping — from prepping to pickup by the carrier. The crate (barely visible near the door) in the third photo contains a bronze bird. The boxes on the floor are from an estate and the boxes on the pack table are a sentimental cradle. The three pallet shipments in the second photo are the cradle, the estate items, and a van conversion kit from Wayfarer Vans.
Small Packages Ready for FedEx Ground
3 Pallets Ready for Freight Pickup
3 Shipments: Two on Pallets; One in a Crate
March 27th, 2018 by Chris Race
Shipping furniture and delicate glass items
A Pak Mail customer recently traveled to the Colorado Springs-Denver area to shop at our local household furnishings consignment shops. She came away with two tables, some paintings, and the glass chandelier pictured here. After packing the items and securing them to a custom pallet, the shipment left our store. It was delivered safely.
What is the best way to pack a solid glass chandelier? Suspended in a sturdy box or crate filled with packing peanuts, and strapped to a pallet for freight shipping. This method keeps all pressure off the delicate arms of the chandelier.
Delicate Green Glass Chandelier
March 13th, 2018 by Chris Race
Not all packing peanuts offer equal protection
Pak Mail accepts clean packing supplies — packing peanuts, Styrofoam, bubble wrap, paper — for recycling. We recently received a small box of cornstarch peanuts. Since they break down with moisture, they are great for the environment. For the same reason, these peanuts are not so great for packing fragile china for small-package shipping with UPS, FedEx, DHL, and USPS. We mix our recycled cornstarch peanuts with foam peanuts to make sure items are protected throughout the shipping process. All items are bagged to prevent dissolving cornstarch peanuts from sticking to them.
Check out the picture of cornstarch peanuts. The ten on the left are still whole; the ten on the right started to dissolve from moisture and compact into tiny flat “rocks.” Any questions?
Cornstarch peanuts dissolve with moisture.