Audio News Release: Holiday 2008 Shipping/Packing Tips

INTRO:

The U.S. Postal Service is doing its part to make sure an estimated nineteen billion cards, letters and packages will be delivered in a timely, safe and secure manner this holiday season. Postal Service Consumer Advocate Delores Killette says customers can also help make sure gifts reach family members and friends on time and in good condition.

KILLETTE SOUNDBITE:

Proper wrapping will help us make your gift a priority and get it there safely. Use simple things, such as newspaper, bubble wrap or foam peanuts to protect fragile items and select a box strong enough to protect the contents. Also, always use tape designed for shipping and do not use string and cellophane or masking tape. And if you are mailing food or other items that can spoil, write — perishable — on the package.

CLOSE:

Killette also suggests removing batteries from electronic devices and wrapping them separately. For more information on these and other holiday tips, including free package pickup, visit usps.com.

(Preceding audio courtesy of U.S. Postal Service.)

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Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at www.usps.com/news.

An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits every address in the nation, 146 million homes and businesses, six days a week. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products, and services to pay for operating expenses, not tax dollars. The Postal Service has annual revenues of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.