5 Things to consider when buying Postal Uniforms

Postal Uniforms USA has been a licensed postal uniforms vendor for over 30 years. Over this period of time we’ve seen a lot of changes in our industry, and we’ve certainly seen the amount of Postal Uniform vendors dwindle. As of today there are less than 160 licensed postal uniform vendors active in the country. So what should you look for when trying to decide where to spend your postal uniform allowance? Here are some critical things you need to be aware of:

1.  Who is the manufacturer? Looking at postal uniform posts on various postal forums, many letter carriers, retail clerks or CCA’s will often times complain about uniform quality. These posts often times make me wonder why nobody ever talks about who’s uniforms they are actually wearing. While manufactures are required to produce postal shirts, jackets and pants to an identical look, some manufactures have different quality controls that get them to their finished product.

Look for high quality union made apparel. We only purchase from Union Line, and Elbeco. These two lines are produced in union shops, by unionized labor, and their Postal Uniforms are of the highest quality. So look at your current manufacturer, if you’re unhappy with the quality you probably aren’t wearing union made apparel.

2.  Postal Uniform pants, know your options. Now that your looking at who actually makes your postal uniform, you should be aware of options especially when it comes to pants. Working with postal employees for 30 years I can tell you that not everyone fit into standard issue postal uniform pants with ease. If you’re having trouble getting a good fit, you should know that the USPS offers a flex-fit option. The new Union Line and Elbeco pants offer a tremendous amount of comfort when compared to the traditional postal uniform pants. Just like a comfortable pair of pants or shorts you’d wear at home, many of our customers have found a tremendous amount of comfort in switching to the flex-fit pants.

3.  Know your Online Postal Uniform vendors return policy: Before you buy make sure you review the stores policy for returns. Many online postal uniform stores do not pay for return shipping. At Postal Uniforms USA, we always stand behind our shipments by offering free shipping on all returns.

4.  Who actually owns the postal uniform store your buying from? The internet can be a great place to help union made apparel shops succeed, however it can also provide “cover” for large companies pretending to be mom and pops. Did you know that Galls uniform operates 8+ postal uniform sites under different names?

We’ve only been selling online for six months, after 30 years of selling exclusively in our store. We were amazed to find that the first page of google is dominated by Galls, who has hidden the fact that they own every “store” on the first page of google. Look at the postal uniform vendor number on any website. You should know who you’re REALLY buying from.

5.  Read Reviews – Just like anything else you purchase online, you MUST read reviews. Try Google Plus, BBB, Yelp, and Facebook for reviews prior to purchasing.