how to ship cgc comics so that they don't crack

[uchiha101]

Hey guys I'm kinda stuck on how to ship cgc comics safely without them cracking because I've got 4/5 comics cracked that were in cgc slabs and was wondering if there is a safe way to ship them? and what do you do if a customer complains about it?

 

 

[Gotham Kid]

Gabriel,

 

this topic is amply covered in CG.

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=3377506#Post3377506

 

Please try keep topics only related to the Golden Age of Comics in this section.

 

Thanks.

[uchiha101]

Gabriel,

 

this topic is amply covered in CG.

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=3377506#Post3377506

 

Please try keep topics only related to the Golden Age of Comics in this section.

 

Thanks.

 

Thanks I'll check it out

[woowoo]

Peter in Portugal

[Sqeggs]

I wonder where Boozad is these days?

[uchiha101]

ok I checked the thread and it's not about how to ship cgc elabs just raw comics and even if the method was the same they still arrived cracked

[VintageComics]

Place a piece of flat, thick, corrugated box cardboard on either side of the book that is exactly the same size as the slab. Wrap it up with bubble wrap nice and tight to keep the cardboard on both sides steady. Drop that bubble wrap / cardboard / comic sandwich and place it in a good sized box, with packaging peanuts all around the book so that the book is centered within the box and surrounded by peanuts.

 

The only way that slab will crack now is if something runs over the box.

 

 

[uchiha101]

Place a piece of flat, thick, corrugated box cardboard on either side of the book that is exactly the same size as the slab. Wrap it up with bubble wrap nice and tight to keep the cardboard on both sides steady. Drop that bubble wrap / cardboard / comic sandwich and place it in a good sized box, with packaging peanuts all around the book so that the book is centered within the box and surrounded by peanuts.

 

The only way that slab will crack now is if something runs over the box.

 

 

Thanks I'll give that a try when I sell my comics

[nearmint]

I just use a heck of a lot of bubble wrap. Never had a problem.

[uchiha101]

I just use a heck of a lot of bubble wrap. Never had a problem.

 

and that stops them from cracking? because I had people use a lot of bubble wrap and ship it to me and still crack and it was even a box inside a box too!

[nearmint]

I just use a heck of a lot of bubble wrap. Never had a problem.

 

and that stops them from cracking? because I had people use a lot of bubble wrap and ship it to me and still crack and it was even a box inside a box too!

 

I must use more. I've shipped literally hundreds of slabs and never had one crack.

[cheetah]

FWIW, I use the largest Medium Priority Mail shipping box available at the post office. I prefer putting no more than three books in one box, each wrapped in a plastic bubble wrap envelope (I use UPS padded envelopes when I have some, FedEx makes them, too) and then sealed with packing tape in case it gets rained on. I then wrap this in the small-sized bubble wrap (1/4-inch bubbles). Always make sure you've got the corners well bubbled as that is usually where the damage occurs. There are different widths of bubble wrap, I prefer the wider types as it folds down over the corners. If you use the proper width and amount, it will fit snugly in the box with no need for peanuts but you can use them to fill the extra space if you need to.

 

I've only had two slabs broken during shipping (and I've shipped a lot of books): one when I tried to fit 5 modern slabs into a flat-rate box and one going overseas. And the truth is, I've used almost every conceivable arrangement of bubble wrap and peanuts. As long as you have enough padding around the edges and don't leave any voids in the box, it will arrive in good shape.

[gino2paulus2]

I will add and this is just an extra safety measure that not all do but it never hurts to write, FRAGILE, please handle with care a couple times on that box!!

[uchiha101]

I will add and this is just an extra safety measure that not all do but it never hurts to write, FRAGILE, please handle with care a couple times on that box!!

 

that's good advice so I'll hope they pay attention to that when I write it on the box

[Junkdrawer]

If you have ever received a book from CGC, i.e. bubble wrap the book, peanuts over and under, no voids. Firmly packed in a sturdy box. Tapped up well.

[Sqeggs]

I'll second Roy's suggestion to use cardboard as well as bubble wrap. A thick wrapping of bubble wrap is usually enough, but I've received a couple of slabs sent that way that had cracks that might have been avoided -- although who knows? -- if cardboard had been used.

 

Also second Cheetah's advice of packing to minimize the chance of water damage. Careless delivery people have left boxes in puddles on my porch and if a storm rolls through, what was a dry spot can become a wet one.

[VintageComics]

I just use a heck of a lot of bubble wrap. Never had a problem.

 

and that stops them from cracking? because I had people use a lot of bubble wrap and ship it to me and still crack and it was even a box inside a box too!

 

I must use more. I've shipped literally hundreds of slabs and never had one crack.

 

If you're using a fairly large box with lots of bubble wrap that's probably fine, as the large volume of bubble wrap probably absorbs enough impact but unfortunately a small or medium amount of bubble wrap doesn't. It acts as a solid and transfers impact into the center of the box, thereby cracking slabs on boxes that get hit or damaged.

 

Packaging peanuts act as a liquid and absorb and deflect impact much better.

 

I will add and this is just an extra safety measure that not all do but it never hurts to write, FRAGILE, please handle with care a couple times on that box!!

 

To some employees that might be a red light to use the box as a football. When you're moving 1000's of packages an hour they don't have time to single out packages...unless you give them a reason to. I'd never write fragile, personally.

[gino2paulus2]

I just use a heck of a lot of bubble wrap. Never had a problem.

 

and that stops them from cracking? because I had people use a lot of bubble wrap and ship it to me and still crack and it was even a box inside a box too!

 

I must use more. I've shipped literally hundreds of slabs and never had one crack.

 

If you're using a fairly large box with lots of bubble wrap that's probably fine, as the large volume of bubble wrap probably absorbs enough impact but unfortunately a small or medium amount of bubble wrap doesn't. It acts as a solid and transfers impact into the center of the box, thereby cracking slabs on boxes that get hit or damaged.

 

Packaging peanuts act as a liquid and absorb and deflect impact much better.

 

I will add and this is just an extra safety measure that not all do but it never hurts to write, FRAGILE, please handle with care a couple times on that box!!

 

To some employees that might be a red light to use the box as a football. When you're moving 1000's of packages an hour they don't have time to single out packages...unless you give them a reason to. I'd never write fragile, personally.

 

I'm more of a glass half full guy and prefer to look at the positive side of humanity but as in every walk of life and job field I am sure there are some bad apples...let's not let those ruin the whole bunch though...that's why I added the PLEASE in handle with care...most people respond and react well to polite gestures...

[VintageComics]

I'm not painting with a broad brush. I've heard of examples on this forum where packages with "Fragile" written on them are targeted.

 

It's a nice thought, but you have to understand that when a company is moving a million packages a day across the country, they don't have an assembly line of doves handling the packages. The boxes are thrown, trucked, conveyor belted, dropped from cargo hold to cargo hold with little regard to a "Fragile" written on the box. It's mostly automated. They don't have the time to address such things when the packages are rushed to meet deadlines, etc. So the machines and trucks and tow lifts don't really treat one package differently from another.

 

So I just make sure each box is as secure as it can be (using the method I use) and hope for the best. No matter how well of a job you do, a small percentage will get damaged...or even worse, lost...but those are very rare.

 

 

 

 

[Illustrious]

Almost all packages I receive with "fragile" written or stamped on the box are crushed, dented, beat up. I think some Postal workers deliberately treat them worse out of spite.