Did you know... that it is not legal to ship alcohol or tobacco products, or weapons, within the United States, unless the shipper is in possession of a license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms to do such shipping? Want to ship a bottle of wine to your best friend for a special occasion? Check with the store where you bought the wine, and ask them about shipping it... most spirits stores have licenses to ship their products. The same thing holds true with tobacco retailers, and weapons dealers, many of which have licenses for their specific items. The cost of the licenses to ship these products (as much as $10,000 per year) is prohibitive for small businesses to purchase.
All packages are x-rayed as they are sorted, to determine whether there is any prohibited or dangerous material inside.
Did you know... that many countries have restrictions on items that can be shipped into their country? For example:
- no cameras to Nepal (for religious reasons... so no one can capture the "essence" of their religions leaders)
- no binoculars, cameras, or laptops to Iraq (for safety reasons... to prevent them from falling into hands of various factions to be used in warfare)
- no linen to Guyana (for economic reasons... to avoid competition with local products)
- packages to Russia must be shipped from a business to a business (not sure why)... nothing is admitted if addressed to an individual
- many countries require import duties or taxes on goods valued over a certain dollar amount... these taxes are usually paid by the recipient
Regulations can change daily. Tim's Mail Place references an 850-page online manual to be certain that all items shipped can legally be received at the destination.
Did you know... that the kind of tape you use on a package may affect how or when it is delivered? Scotch Tape and Masking Tape will both come unstuck if they get wet, and the package can come open or the label come off completely. Duct Tape ("Duck Tape") used on anyone's package frequently peels up along the side or end, and another package or letter can stick to this rolled-up area and become a tag-along to some place it doesn't want to go, causing a delay in delivery. For best results, use some type of package-sealing tape (clear, strapping, or brown paper )... or just bring it in to Tim's Mail Place, and we'll seal it for you with material suited for the job.