Boxes for shipping comics

[dam60]

I wanted to see where everyone got their boxes to ship their books when they are shipping media or when you have too many books to fit into a priority box. Any and all suggestions appreciated.

 

Best,

 

DAM

[delekkerste]

For single CGC comics, I'll ship in a Priority Mail box with plenty of cushioning material. For multiple books, I use those compact boxes that Diamond uses to ship comics to dealers. My local dealer throws them out anyway, so he's happy to turn them over to me when I ask for them. They can easily accommodate multiple books, CGC or otherwise, and still leave room for you to put plenty of padding.

 

Gene

[hammer-migration]

Post office priority boxes, the larger of the two sizes. One will fit perfectly inside the PO Express Mail Box with adequate reinforcement and padding, making a parcel that is far sturdier than the sum of its parts!

[Rickdogg]

I use Priority boxes for up to 3 CGC books, after that I use Diamond Boxes or whatever I have in the other room I tape cardboard on the outside of the books and fill in all of the "empty space" with packing peanuts which fills in the dead space preventing the books from moving within the box. The peanuts also add extra cushion in between the outside of the box and the books themselves. I love packing peanuts because it keeps the package extremely light which yields cheaper shipping and handling costs for my customers.

[mcd-migration]

I ordered some boxes for shipping by Media Mail from this company. Boxes were about .35 cents each, add in shipping & they were around .50 to .60 cents. The ones I got are pretty solid (200 lb test) & will hold around 15-20 raw comics.

 

U-Line

 

(I got them in the Literature Mailer section)

[Smitty]

For media mail I use a box bought @ www.uline.com. They have white or plain tuck-top boxes. They are located in mid-west region or try papermart out of California. Priority boxes work good for one or two CGC books. I use lots of "peanuts" and have not had one damaged yet and I have shipped out several hundred.

[Joanna]

My books are mostly raw, and I really encourage priority mail. I will ship using other methods, though. One trick I've used is to trim a priority box so it's a more snug fit (less padding needed), then I cover it in brown shipping paper (stuff is cheap). The PO can't tell it's one of theirs because it's not standard sized, and the brown paper masks any markings.

 

I had to ship a small box overseas and turned it inside out (without using brown paper). The PO guy said I couldn't ship it because it was clearly a priority box. When i told him I wanted it to go global priority, he said that was fine, because they didn't offer any corresponding boxes of that size for GP, and as long as it was being sent "priority" it was acceptable. I hope he was right.

 

-- Joanna

 

[WilQuon-migration]

I don't ever go cheap on shipping material. The worse thing that can happen is get an email from an unhappy buyer getting a cracked case in the mail.

 

I used to ship slabbed books between 2 cardboard boxes, wrapped in lots of bubble wrap in a Priority Box. I use packing pink peanuts to fill in the space to prevent the book from moving around. Thus far, I have had no complaints.

 

I recently changed my shipping method to a product that was suggested by a fellow board member.

 

Bags Unlimited

 

I believe this product is bullet proof. I've gotten several repeat customers that absolutely love the packing material.

 

Here's a thread that may help: Thread

[Rickdogg]

"I use packing pink peanuts to fill in the space to prevent the book from moving around."

 

Pink eh? Why pink?

[ArAich]

[WilQuon-migration]

No reason! Supposely they're non-static!

 

Here's where I buy them: Pink Peanuts

[thecomicsheet]

I thought about buying some of those boxes. Do you just put the books in those boxes, put on postage and mail them? Or do you stuff these boxes inside a priority box and send it?

 

[WilQuon-migration]

 

These products are completely bullet proof. I bought additional cardboard pads since each mailer comes with only one pad. I simply sandwich the slabbed book together with tape, seal it and slap on a label on it and off they go.

 

The only way I see you can crack the case is if you deliberately try to break the case in half on your knees like you were to do kung-fu move on it. Also, the corners of the case are completely protected since the length of the mailer has room of about a half inch on each end after you seal it up.

 

I calculated the cost for each mailer and it comes to approximately $2.00 per mailer so I incorporate that into my final shipping cost. I found it's much better than the old way I ship books.

 

 

[thecomicsheet]

Anybody got a GIF of a postman doing kung fu on a comic box?

[GP_]

yeah I have had stuff shipped to me from Europe in those mailers, and the contents are always safe when they arrive.

[musicmeta]

I also would like to know what is the best way to ship a large number of non-CGC comics at one time. I plan on selling a complete run of Defenders 1-152 and the first 200-issues of Conan the Barbarian. How does one ship 152 or 200 comics and keep them from being damaged? What kind of box(s?) do I use? What's the best way to ship them?

 

Thanks,

[drbanner]

What kind of box(s?) do I use?

 

A big one! (Pause for the laughter...) Seriously though, take the books and make cardboard/comic sandwiches in groups of 20-30 books. Stack the books with half flipped over (or upside down) so the final stack is even. If you don't alternate them somehow, the "spine side" will be thicker. Alternatively, you could put 2 books in each board/bag - one in front and one in book which accomplishes the same thing. Then, make sure you have a buffer (newspaper, peanuts, bubblewrap) between the stacks and the edges of the box.

[blowout]

Anybody got a GIF of a postman doing kung fu on a comic box?

 

I don't think the postal service are that sophisticated when it comes to damaging boxes.

[musicmeta]

Thanks for the packing info on mailing this many out.

Do I use the same long comic book box they are currently in and just pad it if I can?

[drbanner]

I wouldn't think the long box would hold it's integrity very well...I'd search out a sturdy/square box from your local grocery store. Has anyone else shipped using a long box??