METHODS FOR PACKAGING PRODUCTS FOR MAILING
Methods for packaging products for mailing A method includes receiving an order for a product by a manufacturer and from a customer, the product having an associated retail packaging that cannot be sorted using letter and flats sorting equipment. The method includes packaging the product by a manufacturer in a non-retail packaging that can be sorted using automated postal sorting equipment. The method includes, in response to the order, addressing the package to a recipient by the manufacturer using printing equipment, and delivering the packaged product to a postal system for delivery to the recipient.
1 . A method, comprising:
receiving an order for a product by a manufacturer and from a customer, the product having an associated retail packaging that cannot be sorted using letter and flats sorting equipment;
packaging the product by a manufacturer in a non-retail packaging that can be sorted using automated postal sorting equipment;
in response to the order, addressing the package to a recipient by the manufacturer using printing equipment;
delivering the packaged product to a postal system for delivery to the recipient.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the customer is a consumer.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the customer is a business.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the automated postal sorting equipment is a delivery bar code sorter.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the automated postal sorting equipment is one of a flat sorter or a flat sequencer.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein non-retail packaging meets physical requirements of letters or flats described in the United States Postal Service Domestic Mail Manual.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising combining multiple product orders.
8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising sorting the packages product using the automated postal sorting equipment.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the retail packaging includes written information, and the method further comprises packaging, with the product, a printed sheet corresponding to the written information on the retail packaging.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the order is received over the Internet.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the order is received by telephone.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ordered product includes multiple individual product units, and the multiple individual product units are packaged together in the non-retail packaging.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-retail packaging requires a smaller cubic volume than the retail packaging.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-retail packaging requires less packaging material than the retail packaging.
15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cost of shipping the product in the non-retail packaging is less than the cost of shipping the product in the retail packaging.
16 . A packaged product, comprising:
non-retail packaging that can be sorted using automated postal sorting equipment, the non-retail packaging including an address label addressed to a recipient; and
a manufactured product packaged in the non-retail packaging, the manufactured product having associated retail packaging that has a greater cubic volume than the non-retail packaging.