Advice on packaging 42lbs of comics for shipping.

[dupont2005]

I have shipped large packages before without a problem. I shipped 70 pulp magazines to another board member and they arrived in the shape they were shipped in and I got it done for $15 with tracking.

 

I have someone who wants to buy 215 comics off me and wants them shipped reasonably. Of course I want them to be shipped safe as well, but a bunch of individual boxes with bubble wrapped comics will make this guy back out. The comics weigh in at 42lbs individually bagged and boarded right now. I think I'm going to put them two to a bag and board tonight and see how much space I save and weight I shave off. I really don't have a box on hand worthy of shipping them either, unless I save a lot of space by bagging them in pairs. I need a box about the size of one of those document boxes but much sturdier. A little bigger wouldn't hurt either, it would allow me to reinforce the inside to protect the comics better. The comics themselves will be made very secure but I know this box is going to be dropped and tossed so I need some buffer space to save the corners from damage. What do you guys recommend on a package this size? I need to get him a shipping quote ASAP. Looks like Media Mail will be about $20. I used the bathroom scale to weigh it so I added a pound to the calculator and an inch to all sides of the dimensions on the shipping calculator since I don't have a decent box yet.

[lizards2]

You need to ditch all the backing boards, to reduce both weight and volume. The extra backing board weight is more likely to damage the books than prevent damage.

[thehumantorch]

You need to ditch all the backing boards, to reduce both weight and volume. The extra backing board weight is more likely to damage the books than prevent damage.

 

Agreed. Best bet is to eliminate backing boards and individual bags and put 15 or so comics per large plastic bag and ship in a short box with bubble wrap. Check UPS as I got 3 long boxes shipped to me and they were cheapest.

[lizards2]

Put the books about 10 a piece in GA size bags, alternating back to front. Place them in Diamond shipping boxes, and put good peanuts or bubble wrap in the void around the bagged books.

[TFL-migration]

A 42 pound box will be a bit of a nightmare. I can picture the bottom of the box just caving in. If the buyer is willing. I would ship them in two boxes. It will keep the weight down on the boxes, and be a lot more secure. I would be very hesitant to ship one single box with that much weight in it. Double or triple box them for sure. At least that is what I would do.

[dupont2005]

You need to ditch all the backing boards, to reduce both weight and volume. The extra backing board weight is more likely to damage the books than prevent damage.

Okay. What I usually do is tape blocks of bagged comics together and then wrap the blocks in plastic wrap. Then I wrap the blocks up in shipping paper and shipping tape to make them more sturdy. Then I was planning on making a bed of bubble wrap one layer thick and line the sides with as much bubble wrap as I can while still fitting the blocks inside. Then top it with a layer or two of bubble wrap and depending on the fit maybe trim the box or add more bubble wrap so it's all snug. I feel like cardboard should be in the blocks somewhere though. Front and back only maybe?

[dupont2005]

You need to ditch all the backing boards, to reduce both weight and volume. The extra backing board weight is more likely to damage the books than prevent damage.

 

Agreed. Best bet is to eliminate backing boards and individual bags and put 15 or so comics per large plastic bag and ship in a short box with bubble wrap. Check UPS as I got 3 long boxes shipped to me and they were cheapest.

This stuff should fit in one long box with room to spare. I am already selling this stuff at cost though and was hoping not to lose one of my longboxes since I either have to pay crazy shipping to get them or drive 75 miles to the nearest LCS. If it is the best option I'll just add 4 bucks or so to his quote.

[dupont2005]

A 43 pound box will be a bit of a nightmare. I can picture the bottom of the box just caving in. If the buyer is willing. I would ship them in two boxes. It will keep the weight down on the boxes, and be a lot more secure. I would be very hesitant to ship one single box with that much weight in it. Double or triple box them for sure. At least that is what I would do.

I would like to do two packages but this guy is lowballing me and I'll likely take a loss if the shipping goes beyond $25

[thehumantorch]

You need to ditch all the backing boards, to reduce both weight and volume. The extra backing board weight is more likely to damage the books than prevent damage.

 

Agreed. Best bet is to eliminate backing boards and individual bags and put 15 or so comics per large plastic bag and ship in a short box with bubble wrap. Check UPS as I got 3 long boxes shipped to me and they were cheapest.

This stuff should fit in one long box with room to spare. I am already selling this stuff at cost though and was hoping not to lose one of my longboxes since I either have to pay crazy shipping to get them or drive 75 miles to the nearest LCS. If it is the best option I'll just add 4 bucks or so to his quote.

 

I believe the cheapest you can ship a longbox is about $60. That is why I suggested a shortbox. Wrapping each bundle of comics in bubble wrap will take up too much room. Better to cushion each end and side of the box with bubble wrap.

[skypinkblu]

Staples has the boxes that come with printing paper. You should be able to use two of those. They are sturdy, they will GLADLY give you the empty boxes, and they are free.

 

 

 

You can ship two of those boxes media. I'd ditch the boards. I have shipped two rows of books in those boxes, I brick pack them in magazine bags and tape them, add a layer of bubble wrap all around and I line the box with cardboard ...assuming they are fairly inexpensive books,it works well. Sounds like you MIGHT be able to get them in one.

 

[skypinkblu]

You need to ditch all the backing boards, to reduce both weight and volume. The extra backing board weight is more likely to damage the books than prevent damage.

 

Agreed. Best bet is to eliminate backing boards and individual bags and put 15 or so comics per large plastic bag and ship in a short box with bubble wrap. Check UPS as I got 3 long boxes shipped to me and they were cheapest.

This stuff should fit in one long box with room to spare. I am already selling this stuff at cost though and was hoping not to lose one of my longboxes since I either have to pay crazy shipping to get them or drive 75 miles to the nearest LCS. If it is the best option I'll just add 4 bucks or so to his quote.

 

I believe the cheapest you can ship a longbox is about $60. That is why I suggested a shortbox. Wrapping each bundle of comics in bubble wrap will take up too much room. Better to cushion each end and side of the box with bubble wrap.

 

It's cheaper if both parties are in the US;)

[dupont2005]

You need to ditch all the backing boards, to reduce both weight and volume. The extra backing board weight is more likely to damage the books than prevent damage.

 

Agreed. Best bet is to eliminate backing boards and individual bags and put 15 or so comics per large plastic bag and ship in a short box with bubble wrap. Check UPS as I got 3 long boxes shipped to me and they were cheapest.

This stuff should fit in one long box with room to spare. I am already selling this stuff at cost though and was hoping not to lose one of my longboxes since I either have to pay crazy shipping to get them or drive 75 miles to the nearest LCS. If it is the best option I'll just add 4 bucks or so to his quote.

 

I believe the cheapest you can ship a longbox is about $60. That is why I suggested a shortbox. Wrapping each bundle of comics in bubble wrap will take up too much room. Better to cushion each end and side of the box with bubble wrap.

I'm entering the weight and dimensions into the USPS shipping calculator and it says $19.15 for media mail from Ca. to Tn. I entered it at 44lbs and the exact dimensions of a longbox.

[dupont2005]

Oh yeah, and I think the longbox is the best option now. Better safe than sorry and I feel this is the safest bet for a single shipment this size. Since I'm shipping in a longbox I should leave them boarded right? I still think I will package them up into blocks and place the blocks of comics into the longbox just so they aren't flopping around loose in there.

[lizards2]

I would like to do two packages but this guy is lowballing me and I'll likely take a loss if the shipping goes beyond $25

 

There is no f-ing way to do this without damage. Sorry, but he's jerking you - I would write him off right now, and save yourself the headache.

[dupont2005]

Staples has the boxes that come with printing paper. You should be able to use two of those. They are sturdy, they will GLADLY give you the empty boxes, and they are free.

 

 

 

You can ship two of those boxes media. I'd ditch the boards. I have shipped two rows of books in those boxes, I brick pack them in magazine bags and tape them, add a layer of bubble wrap all around and I line the box with cardboard ...assuming they are fairly inexpensive books,it works well. Sounds like you MIGHT be able to get them in one.

 

That is exactly the box I have them in now. I fit them all in it for the purposes of weighing the package, but I cannot fit any reinforcing packaging material in there except for a single slice of cardboard to keep the two rows from intermingling. It feels really flimsy when I pick it up and that is why I decided I wouldn't ship it in there. I considered reinforcing the outside of the box and/or double boxing it though.

[dupont2005]

I would like to do two packages but this guy is lowballing me and I'll likely take a loss if the shipping goes beyond $25

 

There is no f-ing way to do this without damage. Sorry, but he's jerking you - I would write him off right now, and save yourself the headache.

I shipped a package almost as big to bronzilla and he was happy with it.

[lizards2]

I would like to do two packages but this guy is lowballing me and I'll likely take a loss if the shipping goes beyond $25

 

There is no f-ing way to do this without damage. Sorry, but he's jerking you - I would write him off right now, and save yourself the headache.

I shipped a package almost as big to bronzilla and he was happy with it.

 

I always hear that - but I wonder about repeat orders - that is the true sign of happiness.

 

It really comes down to how much damage the buyer can live with and still be happy.

 

As a seller, I don't want any damage..., unless there is some kind of consensual arrangement beforehand.

 

If you're shipping krap, then don't worry about it. If you're shipping stuff that you want to arrive in the condition you shipped it, then you're going to have to spend more than $25.

[dupont2005]

Well, I'm shipping high grade unread . I would like them to arrive as shipped not only because it's what he bought but because I have limited selling experience and want to do things right. If it matters, this guy had not seen scans, I made no promises of grade, and he isn't going to be slabbing them. I guess you could ask bronzilla if he would ever buy from me again but he went out of his way to say the package was shipped right, so I assume nothing was damaged during shipping.

[szelim]

Staples has the boxes that come with printing paper. You should be able to use two of those. They are sturdy, they will GLADLY give you the empty boxes, and they are free.

 

 

 

You can ship two of those boxes media. I'd ditch the boards. I have shipped two rows of books in those boxes, I brick pack them in magazine bags and tape them, add a layer of bubble wrap all around and I line the box with cardboard ...assuming they are fairly inexpensive books,it works well. Sounds like you MIGHT be able to get them in one.

 

That is exactly the box I have them in now. I fit them all in it for the purposes of weighing the package, but I cannot fit any reinforcing packaging material in there except for a single slice of cardboard to keep the two rows from intermingling. It feels really flimsy when I pick it up and that is why I decided I wouldn't ship it in there. I considered reinforcing the outside of the box and/or double boxing it though.

Is this with the boards? Ditch the boards and you'll save weight and space. As mentioned, brick together the comics in larger bags to prevent individual books from moving.

 

[HouseofComics.Com]

I've had good luck with long boxes shipped to me. The best advice I saw was the person who suggested taking an extra long box top and putting it on the bottom, which really protects the bottom corners.

 

Most bulk comic sellers end up with extra long boxes they might be willing to give away.