Let's face it, we've all shipped a fragile item and had it break during shipping. There are many items that I would consider fragile, it definitely doesn't pertain to glassware alone! In this guide I'd like to share with my fellow eBayers the finer points of Packing & Shipping I have learned over the course of my adventures. Don't be fooled, I'm not just going to teach you how to double box a Fenton vase. These are techniques I have developed over years that function very well and can be applied to just about any item you are packing for shipping. There may be information in here for even experienced eBay sellers. Not only will I show you how to properly package an item, but even how to save money on both materials and by reducing package weight!
Let's start right off with general rules:
1.) Always, ALWAYS, weigh your item before listing. Check the Shipping Options available. Remember to take into account exactly how fragile an item is. A plastic toy doesn't need much packing while a crystal cup set will require more. I usually add 1-2 pounds to the Item Weight if it is somewhat fragile, and up to 3-4 pounds if it is VERY fragile (Porcelain, thin glass, etc) Also factor in Item Weight. A 1 pound fragile item will require less packing than one that weighs 10 pounds.
2.) Choose a box that most closely fits the dimensions of the item. You want there to be some room, but not too much, or you will be filling that in with packing and wasting money on Shipping Rate.
3.) Never put tape on the item itself, you may destroy the finish, paint job, or devalue the item in some other way!
4.) Don't just toss two fragile items together and wrap them in bubblewrap, you need to pad in between them, above them, to the sides. Every direction should have some sort of padding or shock absorber to prevent breaking. The USPS does a great job 99% of the time, but sometimes they really toss a package around. You have to plan for the worst, ESPECIALLY if the item does not have Insurance. If it breaks, that money is coming out of your wallet.
5.) Don't get caught up stuffing sheet after sheet of paper or other material into the box to fill it up. This works great as long as the density isn't too high (as you obviously want the padding to absorb shockwaves, not resist them) but you will often times end up paying well over your limit for Shipping Rate. There are methods you can use to safely secure the item you're shipping without going crazy on packing materials. I'll explain these later.
6.) When in doubt DOUBLE BOX IT. A few extra dollars in Shipping Rate is worth it to protect fragile glassware or delicate antiques.
7.) Delicate glass must be handled with extreme care. In one instance I shipped a 30 pound antique Hobnail Milkglass lamp. The lamp shades were made of glass as well as inner sleeves of an even thinner glass. I took the time to put a core of cardboard right through the middle and add bundles of padding to the top and bottom where the cardboard stuck through, essentially creating a skeleton that I added a little padding to the middle and wrapped in bubble wrap. The buyer was very happy when it came in the mail intact.
8.) For any item that can be damaged by water and moisture, make SURE to tape and seal all edges of the final box. Especially for electronics.
9.) Use your tools! Sturdy Scissors, $1.00 Discount Packing Tape (I use Duck Packaging Tape), a Tape Measure, and most importantly - attention to detail - Use common sense when packing a fragile item.
10.) If you use a box that has been previously shipped or has artwork on the outside but you want it to stand up to the standard white or brown... don't pay for the paper at the store! Ask for paper bags and cut them up to wrap your boxes with.
Okay, so you've read the Do's and Dont's of Packing Fragile Items. You've sold your item, (let's say) in this case it's a pair of porcelain doves. It's not too heavy, and not too fragile. You can throw down $5-10 right now and toss in some packing peanuts and bubblewrap the pair and call it a day. But what if you want to do it without spending a dime on Packing Materials? Let's talk about recycling!
Consider your packing materials. You can spend $3.40 a box and fortunes on peanuts and padded envelopes or you can use 100% Recycled Materials and become a part of the eBay Green Team! If you are looking for boxes, head to your local Wal-Mart or Superstore around Midnight. This is when night stockers are busy putting merchandise on the shelves. They often have shopping carts near them full of boxes or laying in the aisle. You can take these for free, they won't bat an eyelash and you are helping save the environment by recycling. As for packing material, there's no reason you can't buy $6.00 in Packing Peanuts if you absolutely need it for a delicate item, however, my personal favorite is to use plastic shopping bags, the plastic casing around bottled water packs, and even fliers from my mailbox!
Newspaper is always a good choice, but I find that it is typically heavier than the materials previously mentioned.
REMEMBER THAT THESE TECHNIQUES CAN BE APPLIED TO ALMOST ANY FRAGILE ITEM, USE IT FREQUENTLY!
So here's your pair of doves:
Quite nice, aren't they? Perfect for a mantle or shelf. Okay, let's get down to the nitty gritty. Notice how the tails flare out dramatically. It's not only great for art but it also makes this a delicate item. If you simply wrapped bubble wrap around them - sure you will protect it from surface to surface chipping, but one or even both of the doves may have their tails snapped off. The first thing you want to do in a situation like this is FILL IN THE BLANKS. Add some padding to the negative spaces so the surface is more uniform.
Like so:
And:
I used fliers that come with newspaper for two reasons. For one, it's cheap or even free. Two, newspaper tends to "rub off." These fliers you will notice have a glossy cover which makes them perfect for the job. Now that you've filled in the blanks you will want to make a boundary layer to distribute any shocks into the padding.
Boundary Layer:
This is going to be your redundant fail safe. If the outer box takes a serious hit, this will still protect your item from being damaged. Now that we have a nice bundle let's find an appropriately sized box. The bundle is around 5" x 4" so I chose a box that is 9" x 10".
The Box:
I'd like to talk about a little technique I developed to save on Shipping Rate (which buyers appreciate!) and has served me quite well. Obviously our little bundle isn't going to fit perfectly, and such is the case when you are using recycled boxes. It's not all the time that it's a perfect fit, so the obvious choice would be to stuff a ton of padding down in the bottom. Functional, but not very cost efficient. Let me introduce you to what I call "fillers."
Filler in the box:
Filler up-close:
It's basically a section of cardboard cut up and wrapped in such a way that it has shock absorbent qualities. I stuff a little more padding in the center to prevent it from collapsing. Now we don't have to put padding in the corners of the bottom, as the filler supports the bundle structurally from within. These can range from what you see in the photos to some more intricate tubing custom fitted for a secure fit. Use your best judgment when determining what kind of filler an item will need.... I definitely DO NOT recommend using a filler for a heavy item (20+ pounds) and anything reaching 10 pounds needs to have a very secure filler with good tape work.
Okay, let's put the bundle in and add a little more padding to the top!
Bundle in box:
It's still looking a little thin, so I'm going to add 3 or 4 more sheets of padding to the mid-section.
Extra padding:
We're almost there, the item is secured safely in the middle but the padding doesn't come up to meet the top of the box, and we don't want all that padding to get sloshed around and become dislodged. Time for another filler!
Final adjustment (1.2 Lbs):
Alright, if you did it right the flaps of the box should rest on top of the filler, completing a solid structure within the box from top to bottom with the item wrapped safely in a pillow in the middle. When taped up you should be able to shake the box in any direction without hearing ANY "thump" noises. If you do, it indicates that something has come loose or you need to add a little extra packing to the middle. Don't be afraid to use a little tape inside the box if you need to secure a filler or keep packing together.
For the purpose of demonstration I used a box that could have been a bit shorter, 8" Inches would have been better than 10" Inches tall. You can certainly save money on Shipping Rates by using a box that fits as close as possible, preventing the need for mounds of padding. The Doves Package could have easily weighed at just 1 Pound had I used a better fitting box, keeping Shipping Rates at a neat $5.85 or less.
Hopefully by the end of this guide you've learned a little something about the finer points of packing items for shipping, and most importantly, fragile items. You can save money and Shipping Rates by using Recycled Materials and cutting down on padding inside a package by applying these techniques correctly. It takes a bit more perseverance than buying your materials right off the shelf, but the result is well worth it! I know that inside the box is not the most beautiful job... ideally the buyer would like to see a waterfall of peanuts and clean crisp packaging. You can certainly spend the money on more expensive items, but my methods work just the same and are absolutely great for a budget.
I may write more guides showing how to pack specific kinds of items, or even something completely different. If you have any questions feel free to send me a message and I'll be happy to help you figure it out. Thanks for reading!
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