[FrankCastle]

I thought about making this thread for a little while now. It came to me when I noticed how many different kinds of packaging and boxes you get when ordering from different people. I am constantly shipping and receiving figures and I figured it would be a good idea for the veteran Arkers to help out newer people who are hesitant to sell/trade due to the fact they don't have much experience with shipping. So basically post up your favorite boxes, packing materials, shipping companies, and any other good tips and tricks for people new to online trading. Also post where you find your favorite materials. Feel free to post your least favorite (horror stories) as well!

[FrankCastle]

Frank's favorite shipping supplies:

Tape- I can't think of the brand right now but Family Dollar sells packing tape on a yellow dispenser. It is by far the most cost effective. Scotch brand is great but by the time you get a few packages packed up you're running out of tape. The Family Dollar stuff is a decent strength tape and seems like it lasts forever.

Boxes- This is the hard one for me. I still have yet to find a good box supplier. Most places sell 3 sizes. Small cube, medium cube, and big cube! Well most of our figures need shipped in a rectangular box. I did find some nice scotch brand boxes at K-mart which are rectangular. I will update the sizes when I get home so i can actually look at them. The boxes are white and say mailing box on them and even have printed a place to write the destination and return address.

Bubble envelopes- this by far is the easiest category for me. Scotch brand makes a plastic feeling bubble mailer and can be had around 60 cents a piece from Wally World. More recently I have found some more traditional paper bubble mailers in two packs from the Dollar Tree for you guessed it... a dollar. These are a great alternative and the 15-20 cents saved every package adds up.

Frank's Favorite Shipper:

USPS- By far. And this may just be my experience. But I have yet to have problems shipping USPS. If you have a bunch of stuff to ship their flat rate boxes sometimes help for weight. If you have a large package (no jokes please) but doesn't weigh that much I prefer to ship parcel post. Normally takes 5 days at the most (typically 3-4) and is normally cheaper than priority. Now if shipping loose figures in those bubble mailers that we love so much then you have the wonderful option of first class. Sounds expensive but it's not. 2-3 bucks typically for a loose fig. Also be courteous to your buyer and pay the 80 cents for delivery confirmation. If you are pinching pennies then include it in your asking price.

[Saint Phe]

Thanks for this. The whole reason I don't trade and sell more often is because I'm paranoid about shipping for some reason. Maybe this will help.

[FrankCastle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saint Phe

Thanks for this. The whole reason I don't trade and sell more often is because I'm paranoid about shipping for some reason. Maybe this will help.

Yeah it's really not that bad once you get the hang of it.

[iLegends73]

Great tips Frank. This is what I needed back when I did my 1st trade with miketime. I was trying to figure out everything lol. This thread should be a sticky somewhere. Calling all mods, calling all mods!

[ersico]

i sell custom glyos all the time, i use packing tape from walmart or dollar tree
i use boxes from work bout 6*4*4 in size, or i reuse boxes sent to me (also reuse padded envelopes)
i get 2/$1 at the dollar tree or i get the big envelopes. cut in half and now i have 2
everything gets mailed as first class (package--even envelopes) with delivery confirmation if under the weight limit (1st class seems to get to its new home just as fast as priority and about half the cost)

[The DMC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrankCastle

Frank's favorite shipping supplies:

Tape- I can't think of the brand right now but Family Dollar sells packing tape on a yellow dispenser. It is by far the most cost effective. Scotch brand is great but by the time you get a few packages packed up you're running out of tape. The Family Dollar stuff is a decent strength tape and seems like it lasts forever.

Boxes- This is the hard one for me. I still have yet to find a good box supplier. Most places sell 3 sizes. Small cube, medium cube, and big cube! Well most of our figures need shipped in a rectangular box. I did find some nice scotch brand boxes at K-mart which are rectangular. I will update the sizes when I get home so i can actually look at them. The boxes are white and say mailing box on them and even have printed a place to write the destination and return address.

Bubble envelopes- this by far is the easiest category for me. Scotch brand makes a plastic feeling bubble mailer and can be had around 60 cents a piece from Wally World. More recently I have found some more traditional paper bubble mailers in two packs from the Dollar Tree for you guessed it... a dollar. These are a great alternative and the 15-20 cents saved every package adds up.

Frank's Favorite Shipper:

USPS- By far. And this may just be my experience. But I have yet to have problems shipping USPS. If you have a bunch of stuff to ship their flat rate boxes sometimes help for weight. If you have a large package (no jokes please) but doesn't weigh that much I prefer to ship parcel post. Normally takes 5 days at the most (typically 3-4) and is normally cheaper than priority. Now if shipping loose figures in those bubble mailers that we love so much then you have the wonderful option of first class. Sounds expensive but it's not. 2-3 bucks typically for a loose fig. Also be courteous to your buyer and pay the 80 cents for delivery confirmation. If you are pinching pennies then include it in your asking price.

I use the company Uline for my boxes. You have to buy in bulks of 25 and can be a little pricey at times but they are STRONG. It gives me piece of mind when I'm shipping peoples stuff off. They also come in any size you can imagine!

[Optimus Vader]

Here's a tip..

When you go to The Post Office, at least have your package sealed with the shipping address on it. Don't be the jackass preparing your package at the cashier counter and making the Postal Workers tape your box for you while people who made the effort on their own, on their own time, are standing there waiting for your dumb ass.

..and I'm not talking about asking a question about which form to fill out for this/that type of special shipping.

[FrankCastle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Optimus Vader

Here's a tip..

When you go to The Post Office, at least have your package sealed with the shipping address on it. Don't be the jackass preparing your package at the cashier counter and making the Postal Workers tape your box for you while people who made the effort on their own, on their own time, are standing there waiting for your dumb ass.

..and I'm not talking about asking a question about which form to fill out for this/that type of special shipping.

Agreed.

[FrankCastle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The DMC

I use the company Uline for my boxes. You have to buy in bulks of 25 and can be a little pricey at times but they are STRONG. It gives me piece of mind when I'm shipping peoples stuff off. They also come in any size you can imagine!

Thanks for the Uline tip. I think I may have found some perfect boxes for MOC legends and they end up being 41 cents a piece instead of a buck and change. Thanks!

[FrankCastle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ersico

i sell custom glyos all the time, i use packing tape from walmart or dollar tree
i use boxes from work bout 6*4*4 in size, or i reuse boxes sent to me (also reuse padded envelopes)
i get 2/$1 at the dollar tree or i get the big envelopes. cut in half and now i have 2
everything gets mailed as first class (package--even envelopes) with delivery confirmation if under the weight limit (1st class seems to get to its new home just as fast as priority and about half the cost)

I also reuse boxes all the time. (Granted their integrity is still in tact). Most of the time (as most of you know from experience) I ship in custom made boxes. Which I don't mind making, but sometimes they are a pain in the ass. I just make sure to use a ton of tape and tons of cushioning (which I will also add to my tip post)

[DHeezy81]

Just a helpful tip about the USPS. My mother has worked there for over 30 years and my gf has been there for 5. Delivery Confirmation is no guarantee that your package will be delivered to you. The person delivering your mail could drop it at the wrong address & it will still be scanned as delivered & there's nothing you can do about it. If you want to make certain your packages are going to get to their destination, add insurance. Packages with insurance can be tracked like DC but they're more likely to make sure your package gets to you in good shape so they don't have to pay for a lost/damaged parcel.

Another thing. When sending MOC items use something as a packing material. It doesn't have to be bubble wrap or peanuts. It can be old newspaper. The purpose of packing material is not to keep the item safe from all damage. It's to keep your item from bouncing around inside the shipping box as it gets tossed from bin to bin. The USPS workers do not gently walk your package from bin to bin. They all get thrown! Yes, even the ones you mark ''fragile''.

I also agree with OV, have your shit ready to go before you get there! It's annoying as hell. Like a person at a fast food joint staring at the menu trying to decide wtf to order like they've never been there before. They have the same shit they've always had!

I would say always package your items with care, send them the way you would want to receive them.

[Black Dynomite]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Optimus Vader

Here's a tip..

When you go to The Post Office, at least have your package sealed with the shipping address on it. Don't be the jackass preparing your package at the cashier counter and making the Postal Workers tape your box for you while people who made the effort on their own, on their own time, are standing there waiting for your dumb ass.

..and I'm not talking about asking a question about which form to fill out for this/that type of special shipping.

That comment made my morning. Ive been wheelin and dealin lately and obviously spending a lot of time at my local PO. You would be this shit happens at least every other time. I always LMAO when it happens and you hear the collective sigh. Luckily my PO has that automatic/computer/whatchamacallit that allows you to weigh your package, buy postage, and send it off without even getting in line. It may seem complicated at first but if your PO has this machine it is your best friend.

[behindthemask]

The big tip I can offer is reuse what you can. If you do a trade and the arker gives you a good box and bubbled wrapped the items. reuse the bubble wrap and box to cut down on your own shipping costs. Use white computer paper to cover up any stickers or mailing info and works fine.

Packaging: I personally like seperating the figure from their accessories, incase the items get dinged or moved around in shipping, less damage will happen. So I normally use zip lock bags for the accessories and 1 for the figure, then try to use bubble wrap. You can buy large bulk packs at places like Staples, office depot, a cheap way around buying small packages of it. Or if you want a cheaper way still, use garbage bags and a paper shredder to fill the box full of protective stuffing.

Important
get the shipping info well in advance of doing the trade, that way you can take pictures show them to the arker, box the items, label the box, weigh and measure the box using ups.com or canadapost.com you can calculate shipping costs and prevent yourself from under/over quoting people. Nothing worse then saying shipping is $5 and turns out to be $15 and there goes all your profits.

I also have a pdf file full of fellow arkers mailing info so that if I do future trades I already have their info with me.

If you are paranoid about not getting an item, offer to pay extra for a tracking # that way you can find out where it is at all times. Use paypal for payment that way incase you pay and someone doesn't ship, you can contact paypal and get your $$ back, money orders, checks not so easily done.

Feedback, leave feedback as soon as you recieve the item in question it helps us all find out who the good and bad people are to do business with.

Tape use clear tape, thick as is in 2'' wide, u can snag a good size roll for $3, make sure to cover all seams, edges and cover mailing labels with it, to ensure nothing happens when item is shipped.

Use appropriate sized boxes and bubble mailers to avoid extra shipping costs.

If you are unsure about someone and if they will ship your items or not. Ask if they can ship first. Unless cash is envolved then you have to send $$ first before items shipped, that's just how it works.

[Snailbot]

FrankCastle - Great thread. I was the shipping/receiving manager at my old job and rpetty much everything you mentioned, we did there. Reuse, cannibalize, repack and thats how I still do it. The only problem I run into is shortages of packing material.

behindthemask - Good tips! Depending on the price, I may invest in a small scale at home. I recently took a bath shipping an item.