Another beautiful comic ruined by poor shipping

[IndyKMB]

I ship everything in a box. Always

 

This. Even single books. I do not trust that a "Do Not Bend" or "Fragile" label on an envelope makes a damn bit of difference.

 

Last week I sold an entire run of Outcast. I placed six bagged/boarded comics into a box, sealed it, and then repeated that process twice more. Those three mini boxes were then wrapped in bubble wrap and packed into a larger box.

 

I charged $11.95 to ship and it cost me $25 with the weight and insurance (so I essentially split the shipping cost with the buyer) but that cost is well worth the potential headache of a condition-sensitive return.

 

I guess for me the determining factor is how would I want these books to look if I were the one receiving them. Unfortunately not all sellers think that way.

[mrwoogieman]

Is it time for the I-pack-the-best oneupsmanship posts already?? Okay, then.

 

 

It all starts with freshly felled redwood tree and a saw mill. Then [...3,000 words later...]. And that's how I safely pack each and every comic I have ever sold, whether they cost a penny or oodle-thousands.

 

 

[paperheart]

Is it time for the I-pack-the-best oneupsmanship posts already?? Okay, then.

 

 

It all starts with freshly felled redwood tree and a saw mill. Then [...3,000 words later...]. And that's how I safely pack each and every comic I have ever sold, whether they cost a penny or oodle-thousands.

 

 

 

[90sChild]

Lizards, if it wasn't clear I am the buyer not the seller.

Also, yes any box that weights under 1 pound can ship first class. A 8 x 12 x 4 box typically only weighs 8 oz, so you can get 3-4 comics in there before it goes over a pound and up to priority mail. I always do this for my buyers.

 

Rufus, this particular seller actually had 100 % and over 1200 total, so it's still not foolproof. I do notice in my buying though that sellers with less credentialed feedback scores get alot less for their items.

[fastballspecial]

Problem: For books under $10, no one is going to pay the price for shipping in a box. Neither will I.

 

 

Ah Reality comes in

 

[fastballspecial]

A buyer needs to check sellers feedback. I figure if seller has 100% positive (or close to it) he/she must be doing something right. I hate when a buyer tells me how to package books. I also use envelopes all the time- mostly usps priority. 4 pieces of heavy gauge cardboard is more than sufficient. By the way, the quickest way to get an envelope bent is to write "do not bend" on it. If you write that you're basically telling post office employees they don't know how to do their job.

 

Nods

 

 

[aggr1103]

Do you guys have links to the boxes/mailers you use?

 

This! Someone have a link to where I can buy those shallow foldable boxes that are used for first class shipping?

[KPR Comics]

I used these. Never a complaint. They also fit nicely in a priority legal flat rate envelope.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/200-Comic-Book-Flash-Mailers-Fits-Most-Comic-Sizes-TPBs-and-Manga-Digests-/221669805574?hash=item339c8cce06:g:SNsAAOSwZd1VdoBm

 

 

[90sChild]

Find me a Mint 9.6 daredevil #179 for $10 or under and I'll show you my $15. Seems to be a $20+ book imo.

 

As for boxes I have a 'Container Store' near me which sells a 12x9x4 box for $1.19. I generally just buy one at a time since I don't list that many items.

I've never used these but home depot has a 25 pack for $12 too.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Plain-Brown-Box-12-in-x-8-in-x-6-in-25-Box-Bundle-PRA0046B/203581824

[Beastfeast]

I used these. Never a complaint. They also fit nicely in a priority legal flat rate envelope.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/200-Comic-Book-Flash-Mailers-Fits-Most-Comic-Sizes-TPBs-and-Manga-Digests-/221669805574?hash=item339c8cce06:g:SNsAAOSwZd1VdoBm

 

 

Those are cool but I don't see how they offer anymore protection than 3-4 pieces of double ply cardboard and a bubble mailer? Unless it's realllly dense cardboard. If it bends how I pack, it'll definitely bend that.

[rjrjr]

I used these. Never a complaint. They also fit nicely in a priority legal flat rate envelope.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/200-Comic-Book-Flash-Mailers-Fits-Most-Comic-Sizes-TPBs-and-Manga-Digests-/221669805574?hash=item339c8cce06:g:SNsAAOSwZd1VdoBm

 

 

Those are cool but I don't see how they offer anymore protection than 3-4 pieces of double ply cardboard and a bubble mailer? Unless it's realllly dense cardboard. If it bends how I pack, it'll definitely bend that.

 

Thickness of material being equal, one of these boxes will be stronger than pieces of cardboard. There is an inner protection layer and the outer protection layer (so a box within a box) And, the overlap on the ends ensures the books are not dinged when the corners are dinged.

 

I've never had a book damaged in one of these mailers, but I've had plenty damaged with cardboard and bubble mailers.

 

 

[Aweandlorder]

My contribution to this thread

 

 

[Beastfeast]

I used these. Never a complaint. They also fit nicely in a priority legal flat rate envelope.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/200-Comic-Book-Flash-Mailers-Fits-Most-Comic-Sizes-TPBs-and-Manga-Digests-/221669805574?hash=item339c8cce06:g:SNsAAOSwZd1VdoBm

 

 

Those are cool but I don't see how they offer anymore protection than 3-4 pieces of double ply cardboard and a bubble mailer? Unless it's realllly dense cardboard. If it bends how I pack, it'll definitely bend that.

 

Thickness of material being equal, one of these boxes will be stronger than pieces of cardboard. There is an inner protection layer and the outer protection layer (so a box within a box) And, the overlap on the ends ensures the books are not dinged when the corners are dinged.

 

I've never had a book damaged in one of these mailers, but I've had plenty damaged with cardboard and bubble mailers.

 

 

[90sChild]

Excellent, how were the contents?

 

As for those fold up boxes, they are a nice idea and save on weight but, I also felt that it could have easily been bent in half just as easily as using cardboard packaging in an envelope. The one I received recently actually held up just fine, though. Perhaps they are handled differently by the post office if they are considered boxes/parcels and not bubble mailers/envelopes.

 

To avoid making it "machinable" doesn't seem like it would be worth the cost

http://pe.usps.com/businessmail101/mailcharacteristics/parcels.htm

 

[KPR Comics]

You can end this right now.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ULTIMATE-Miller-Daredevil-Collection-Four-9-9s-CGC-9-8s-SS-by-Lee-Janson-/112021198760?&_trksid=p2056016.l4276

 

 

[90sChild]

Haha yeah I saw that, quite the collection. There's no fun in it though unless you do it a few books at a time. I wonder if he bought them all raw and graded copies himself (that would be a crazy nightmare) or if he just bought them graded one at a time over the span of a few years.

 

 

[500hpAudiS4]

I use these boxes. Save me so much time. I just tape the book down with regular tape, fold the box, use packing tape and mail them in flat rate envelopes. Never had a problem. 200lb tested... try bending the package after its packed

 

http://m.uline.com/h5/r/www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-165/Easy-Fold-Mailers/11-1-8-x-8-5-8-Kraft-Easy-Fold-Mailers

[wombat]

I use these boxes. Save me so much time. I just tape the book down with regular tape, fold the box, use packing tape and mail them in flat rate envelopes. Never had a problem. 200lb tested... try bending the package after its packed

 

http://m.uline.com/h5/r/www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-165/Easy-Fold-Mailers/11-1-8-x-8-5-8-Kraft-Easy-Fold-Mailers

 

I wish there was a way to get less than 100 of these.

[500hpAudiS4]

I use these boxes. Save me so much time. I just tape the book down with regular tape, fold the box, use packing tape and mail them in flat rate envelopes. Never had a problem. 200lb tested... try bending the package after its packed

 

http://m.uline.com/h5/r/www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-165/Easy-Fold-Mailers/11-1-8-x-8-5-8-Kraft-Easy-Fold-Mailers

 

I wish there was a way to get less than 100 of these.

Have you tried calling them?