How To Pack Your Books For Shipping - by Boozad 12 12

[kdoginohio]

Most signature series books are moderns, so I use current sized bags and boards and put them inside silver bags whenever possible. If it's a silver-age book, I use a silver age bag and board and typically I find a mylar top-loader to keep it safe.

(thumbs u

[synch]

modern bag & boards fit perfectly into magazine size

 

[yecul]

Thanks for this thread. I am hoping to sell some books for the first time soon and will use this advice to ensure safe delivery.

 

I've searched on the boards a bit, but can't find anything about shipping larger lots of comics. How would you package lots of, say, 20 or 50 or even 100 books? Break it up into separate shipments? Package them as above in groups of 10 and put those in a large box with packing material?

[lizards2]

Thanks for this thread. I am hoping to sell some books for the first time soon and will use this advice to ensure safe delivery.

 

I've searched on the boards a bit, but can't find anything about shipping larger lots of comics. How would you package lots of, say, 20 or 50 or even 100 books? Break it up into separate shipments? Package them as above in groups of 10 and put those in a large box with packing material?

 

You can do that many books in a single shipment. I recommend taking the backing boards off books in large shipments - they add weight, which raises the odds of damage as the box gets tossed around in transit. Secure packs of 8-10 books in golden age bags, then box and double box - insure boxes are big enough to put adequate packaging around the books and the inner box.

 

There rapidly becomes a weight point with larger shipments where UPS becomes a better choice than USPS, depending on where you are shipping.

 

P.M. me if you need any assistance...., and good luck!

[lizards2]

I've gotten two shipments of high grade books this week from boardies in priority envelopes / manila envelopes - what is wrong with you people? :shrug: Use a box - it rarely costs any more to use a box, and the books are way more likely to make it to their destination undamaged.

[TheLiamSturgess]

I've gotten two shipments of high grade books this week from boardies in priority envelopes / manila envelopes - what is wrong with you people? :shrug: Use a box - it rarely costs any more to use a box, and the books are way more likely to make it to their destination undamaged.

 

I've personally had about 97% of my books shipped in envelopes (bubble, manila, priority) and they've all arrived to me in tip-top shape.

[Boozad]

Envelopes are fine as long as the books are taped between adequate amounts of double walled card. If the books are just loose inside an envelope they're going to get battered.

[DR.X]

.62 cents ea from U-Line. + shipping. The only way to go for me. Get the order in before noon and there on my porch the next day. I use several different adjustable depth boxes, depending on how many books are going out.

 

 

Edited May 3, 2011 by DR.X

[lizards2]

I've gotten two shipments of high grade books this week from boardies in priority envelopes / manila envelopes - what is wrong with you people? :shrug: Use a box - it rarely costs any more to use a box, and the books are way more likely to make it to their destination undamaged.

 

I've personally had about 97% of my books shipped in envelopes (bubble, manila, priority) and they've all arrived to me in tip-top shape.

 

I hear that anecdotal evidence all the time - it is not my experience with HG books, and I get several shipments in a week. Maybe 80% of the books come through unscathed that way, but no where close to all - that is not an acceptable rate. Envelopes might work great for low grade junk, but not for expensive, HG books. I don't see those u-line boxes working well either, as there is not adequate cushioning around the edges.

 

I had a $75 book folded in half not three weeks ago, due to being sent in a priority envelope, and it had beefy cardboard.

 

Again, it rarely costs more to use a box, so why not do it? I'm rapidly writing a bunch of you off here.

 

[NP_Gresham]

I've gotten two shipments of high grade books this week from boardies in priority envelopes / manila envelopes - what is wrong with you people? :shrug: Use a box - it rarely costs any more to use a box, and the books are way more likely to make it to their destination undamaged.

 

I've personally had about 97% of my books shipped in envelopes (bubble, manila, priority) and they've all arrived to me in tip-top shape.

 

I hear that anecdotal evidence all the time - it is not my experience with HG books, and I get several shipments in a week. Maybe 80% of the books come through unscathed that way, but no where close to all - that is not an acceptable rate. Envelopes might work great for low grade junk, but not for expensive, HG books. I don't see those u-line boxes working well either, as there is not adequate cushioning around the edges.

 

I had a $75 book folded in half not three weeks ago, due to being sent in a priority envelope, and it had beefy cardboard.

 

Again, it rarely costs more to use a box, so why not do it? I'm rapidly writing a bunch of you off here.

+1

had a $400 book placed between thick cardboard get folded in half because the sender used an envelope.

It is good to know who uses envelopes so I can buy elsewhere.

[lizards2]

I've gotten two shipments of high grade books this week from boardies in priority envelopes / manila envelopes - what is wrong with you people? :shrug: Use a box - it rarely costs any more to use a box, and the books are way more likely to make it to their destination undamaged.

 

I've personally had about 97% of my books shipped in envelopes (bubble, manila, priority) and they've all arrived to me in tip-top shape.

 

I hear that anecdotal evidence all the time - it is not my experience with HG books, and I get several shipments in a week. Maybe 80% of the books come through unscathed that way, but no where close to all - that is not an acceptable rate. Envelopes might work great for low grade junk, but not for expensive, HG books. I don't see those u-line boxes working well either, as there is not adequate cushioning around the edges.

 

I had a $75 book folded in half not three weeks ago, due to being sent in a priority envelope, and it had beefy cardboard.

 

Again, it rarely costs more to use a box, so why not do it? I'm rapidly writing a bunch of you off here.

+1

had a $400 book placed between thick cardboard get folded in half because the sender used an envelope.

It is good to know who uses envelopes so I can buy elsewhere.

I had a $450 book come in off eBay last month with, I shiiite you not, one piece of cardboard in a manila envelope. I lucked out that time though, as no damage. It was a rare VF GA book too - pretty damm careless.

[TheLiamSturgess]

I definitely agree with you that envelopes aren't suitable for high grade expensive books. And I'm sure the "low grade junk" comment wasn't directed at me, but you are correct. I generally buy less expensive items (high and low grade) so cardboard and a mailer are often fine for me. Like I said, I haven't had a single incident yet.

 

Unfortunately for me, boxes do cost more to send in Canada, so they're not practical for one or two books.

[TheLiamSturgess]

As a side note, it is my opinion that shipping slabs in envelopes of any kind is stupid.

[lizards2]

No offense taken.., or intended in your direction - I just think nice books should be preserved. I know shipping in Canada can be expensive. The last few shipments I made to Canada, I could still send a single book shipped for $4 boxed. I see some of the large boxes coming from Canada to me, and...., it's expensive.

[bane]

Thanks to Gav's direction in this thread, my 2 slabs to the U.S. arrived ship-shape and unharmed (thumbs u

[yecul]

What's the best shipping method for a small number of books (say, 1-3 or <12) that is not media mail nor an envelope of any kind?

 

[lizards2]

If you use the right box and packing materials, you can get the packed box light enough to ship 1-2 books first class. That will run you $3-4.

 

If you use priority box # 1097 you can ship 1-2 books for under a pound, again, if you use the correct, light-weight packing materials. That will run you $5-5.50.

 

If your weight is over a pound, but under two pounds, use a regular priority box.

 

If your weight is over two pounds, check out the postal zone, and use a regular priority box or a medium flat rate box, whichever is cheaper.

[yecul]

Thank you! (thumbs u

[Walls]

I've gotten two shipments of high grade books this week from boardies in priority envelopes / manila envelopes - what is wrong with you people? :shrug: Use a box - it rarely costs any more to use a box, and the books are way more likely to make it to their destination undamaged.

 

I've personally had about 97% of my books shipped in envelopes (bubble, manila, priority) and they've all arrived to me in tip-top shape.

 

I hear that anecdotal evidence all the time - it is not my experience with HG books, and I get several shipments in a week. Maybe 80% of the books come through unscathed that way, but no where close to all - that is not an acceptable rate. Envelopes might work great for low grade junk, but not for expensive, HG books. I don't see those u-line boxes working well either, as there is not adequate cushioning around the edges.

 

I had a $75 book folded in half not three weeks ago, due to being sent in a priority envelope, and it had beefy cardboard.

 

Again, it rarely costs more to use a box, so why not do it? I'm rapidly writing a bunch of you off here.

+1

had a $400 book placed between thick cardboard get folded in half because the sender used an envelope.

It is good to know who uses envelopes so I can buy elsewhere.

I had a $450 book come in off eBay last month with, I shiiite you not, one piece of cardboard in a manila envelope. I lucked out that time though, as no damage. It was a rare VF GA book too - pretty damm careless.

I had a 9.6 copy of X-Men 142 come shattered in half because it was shipped in a padded envelope with cardboard. Only a $100 book but still freaked me out at the time. Wasted another four months finding a like graded copy for the same price. Edited May 24, 2011 by dwaller

[lizards2]

I've gotten two shipments of high grade books this week from boardies in priority envelopes / manila envelopes - what is wrong with you people? :shrug: Use a box - it rarely costs any more to use a box, and the books are way more likely to make it to their destination undamaged.

 

I've personally had about 97% of my books shipped in envelopes (bubble, manila, priority) and they've all arrived to me in tip-top shape.

 

I hear that anecdotal evidence all the time - it is not my experience with HG books, and I get several shipments in a week. Maybe 80% of the books come through unscathed that way, but no where close to all - that is not an acceptable rate. Envelopes might work great for low grade junk, but not for expensive, HG books. I don't see those u-line boxes working well either, as there is not adequate cushioning around the edges.

 

I had a $75 book folded in half not three weeks ago, due to being sent in a priority envelope, and it had beefy cardboard.

 

Again, it rarely costs more to use a box, so why not do it? I'm rapidly writing a bunch of you off here.

+1

had a $400 book placed between thick cardboard get folded in half because the sender used an envelope.

It is good to know who uses envelopes so I can buy elsewhere.

I had a $450 book come in off eBay last month with, I shiiite you not, one piece of cardboard in a manila envelope. I lucked out that time though, as no damage. It was a rare VF GA book too - pretty damm careless.

I had a 9.6 copy of X-Men 142 come shattered in half because it was shipped in a padded envelope with cardboard. Only a $100 book but still freaked me out at the time. Wasted another four months finding a like graded copy for the same price.

I just had a boardie ship me a slab in a similar fashion - all I can figure is that they never buy..., just sell.