What does a China Air Post postal packet look like?

January 26, 2015 6:59 AM

Need to fill out a request with the USPS to find a missing package and need a description, but I have no idea what a "China Air Post Postal Packet" looks like and my friend isn't really sure either.

My friend in China sent me a package via China Air Post that the US post office "lost". I need to fill out a request form with a description, but I don't know what it looks like. My friend dropped the item off at the office and they packaged it for her, so she's not really sure either. If anyone knows what the typical package would look like (color scheme, design, logos, etc.), I'd really appreciate it.

I checked the website and did a lot of googling but can't find any examples. The package was about the size of your head (if that helps), so not a huge box (not sure if it was a box or plastic).

Thanks.

posted by princeoftheair to Law & Government (3 answers total)

For something like that, if not fragile, it's likely to be one of these:
-- Wrapped in tape: if you scroll down to "Air Mail Package Weighing 128g Shipped from China" on this page, that parcel covered in tape is typical of what to expect (that tape, those labels, etc). It might also resemble the packages pictured below that but, for something head-sized, it's more likely to be like the tape-covered one. If the item is fragile, though, they probably boxed it with bubble wrap, though sometimes they just use lots of bubble wrap and tape, too.
-- A light grey plastic bag/envelope like the one pictured here.
-- Could also possibly be wrapped in a brown-olive craft paper, maybe with some of that tape again.
posted by paperback version at 7:35 AM on January 26, 2015

-paperback, thanks for the info and the photos, that's a huge help

Forgot to mention, the package was wrapped in bubble wrap and taped up when it was dropped off, so I would assume the package was opaque, but I'll see what happens with this.
posted by princeoftheair at 7:49 AM on January 26, 2015

From what I've seen, they're usually nondescript cardboard boxes sealed with China-Post-branded packing tape. Some examples from google images:
http://ww4.sinaimg.cn/large/67c2740djw1enplx7c1uoj20dc0hsq5i.jpg
http://www.jiaoling.gov.cn/fll/edit/uploadfile/20130425090457767.jpg
http://www.toread.com.cn/admin/uploadfile/20090512124447231.jpg
posted by fix at 7:54 AM on January 26, 2015