General shipping questions, tips and answers

[midbenne]

Thank you @jbacunn. Appreciate it. I'll do that and move on. 

 

Edit: Done and done. F that guy. Thanks again JBacunn

Edited January 19, 2016 by midbenne

[barakamon]

So a buyer wants to buy a set of 8 series 14 minifigures. What is the best way to ship this? It seemed like all of them can fit in a 6x9 bubble mailer, but I'm not sure if the minifigures will arrive safe considering how packed they are in there... 

[dcdfan]

So a buyer wants to buy a set of 8 series 14 minifigures. What is the best way to ship this? It seemed like all of them can fit in a 6x9 bubble mailer, but I'm not sure if the minifigures will arrive safe considering how packed they are in there... 

I pack everything I send in bubble mailers inside bubble wrap first. Overkill, probably but I pack the way I would want to receive it...

[barakamon]

6 minutes ago, dcdfan said:

 

I pack everything I send in bubble mailers inside bubble wrap first. Overkill, probably but I pack the way I would want to receive it...

But if I do so, then a 6x9 wouldn't cut it. The minifigures are still inside their original packing. Do you suggest to move to the next bubble mailer size?

[Grynn]

5 minutes ago, barakamon said:

But if I do so, then a 6x9 wouldn't cut it. The minifigures are still inside their original packing. Do you suggest to move to the next bubble mailer size?

If you are that concerned about it, spend the extra $0.20 for peace of mind in a larger mailer and be done with it. Shipping cost won't change...

[randrace]

I like to protect minifigures with cardboard. I used to just throw them in a bubble mailer, but a fig arived with a broken hand once.

Heres what I would do with 8 blind bags:

Put them in a #0 poly mailer or wrap in bubble wrap.

Roll tightly.

Cut a 10" x 15" (or so) piece of cardboard from an old box.

Roll your bubble package with the cardboard, making four folds to make a box. Fold with the grain of the cardboard. Cut slits on the edges and fold in flaps to complete the box.

[barakamon]

I like how that should protect everything but at the same time I'm worried; wouldn't that increase the shipping costs?

[Phil B]

1 hour ago, barakamon said:

I like how that should protect everything but at the same time I'm worried; wouldn't that increase the shipping costs?

8 bags = 8x1oz, plus 2oz for cardboard and 1oz for bubblewrap/mailer = 13oz, which (US prices) is indeed slightly more than a 9oz shipment, but I wouldn't worry about the $0.20 difference ..... As long as it stays under 16oz you're fine with @randrace's approach.

[randrace]

1 hour ago, Phil B said:

8 bags = 8x1oz, plus 2oz for cardboard and 1oz for bubblewrap/mailer = 13oz, which (US prices) is indeed slightly more than a 9oz shipment, but I wouldn't worry about the $0.20 difference ..... As long as it stays under 16oz you're fine with @randrace's approach.

Blind bags are .5 oz

Cardboard 1.5 oz

#0 Poly Bag .3 oz

You can do this and stay under 8oz

I just realized you are in Canada, so keeping it under 8oz probably doesn't mean anything to you. For me, this would be a $2.60 shipment. I'm getting to like the new USPS rates!

 

Edited February 16, 2016 by randrace

[gregpj]

6 hours ago, barakamon said:

I like how that should protect everything but at the same time I'm worried; wouldn't that increase the shipping costs?

Skip to page 15 ... you're going to end up in oversized lettermail.

https://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/prices/CPprices-e.pdf

I won't give you a lecture about shipping minifigures via lettermail since I've done it and never had an issue, but with 8 minifigs in a single mailer you need to be careful. You are essentially shipping a small parcel, but we don't have the same options as the US for cheap shipping of small parcels like this. Expedited shipping for such a small item will start around $10 (even in a bubble mailer) after taxes and fees and go up to around $14. If the buyer is willing to pay for the proper service, I honestly recommend it.

If you're shooting for oversized mail (you're going to probably land in the 200g-300g range), then what you should do is get a mailer large enough to basically ship all 8 polybags lying flat next to each other so no LEGO pieces overlap. Then get a piece of plastic large enough to wrap them, and tape it up (gently) to ensure the polybags don't flop around inside the bubble mailer. If the polybags settle to one end, Canada Post will either return it to you because it no longer fits through the sorter OR it risks getting mangled by the sorter.

If you're really concerned, give the buyer the choice. Is an extra $6-10 worth the peace of mind? Some will say yes, some will risk it.

** Edited to add... As an expedited parcel, it'll never go through the sorter so there is no risk to damaging the LEGO parts other than some extreme case of mishandling. I would never recommend a box for 8 polybags if you're just shipping in Canada or the US but if overseas then a small box is a good idea. **

[barakamon]

Thank you very much for the in-depth post! I've been sending minifigures by lettermail too but it's my first time with a buyer that wants multiple minifigures. I've talked with the buyer and have agreed on sending it expedited. If it's going through expedited shipping, then a single 6x9 bubble mailer should do the trick then? 

[gregpj]

12 minutes ago, barakamon said:

Thank you very much for the in-depth post! I've been sending minifigures by lettermail too but it's my first time with a buyer that wants multiple minifigures. I've talked with the buyer and have agreed on sending it expedited. If it's going through expedited shipping, then a single 6x9 bubble mailer should do the trick then? 

Yes, a single bubble mailer is all you need!

If you did the sale through eBay/PayPal or a simple PayPal invoice, you'll get the Canada Post Small Business rate (even a little better sometimes)... if you're doing this outside of PayPal then make sure you have a small business card (used to be called VentureOne) so you can get Expedited Shipping at the post office.

Expedited isn't always cheaper than regular parcel, but it comes with $100 insurance and tracking which regular parcel does not.

[trstnkn]

So after schlepping over 80 lbs of Legos to the post office with my 2 year old this morning, I started to think I should consider the postal pick-up at my house.  Does anyone do this succesfully?  I'm rarely home but only 2-3 hours during the day, so it seems risky.  Also, I live across from a neighborhood park with a lot of activity.  Seems like I would be asking for trouble with theft.

This was a rarity for me - usually shipping small bubble mailers, but it would be nice to use the option when I need it.

[trstnkn]

Had my first damaged package arrive to a buyer today.  $15 item so not a huge deal.  First class bubble mailer with mini figure in it.   Looks like it was run over by a car.  Mini figure is dismembered and crushed.

Obviously no insurance.  My first inclination is just take it on the chin.  Buyer was nice about it.  Inquired if I had insured it but assumed not.

Obviously for a $15 item it's not the end of the world, but where do you draw the line?  

 

[gregpj]

8 hours ago, trstnkn said:

Had my first damaged package arrive to a buyer today.  $15 item so not a huge deal.  First class bubble mailer with mini figure in it.   Looks like it was run over by a car.  Mini figure is dismembered and crushed.

Obviously no insurance.  My first inclination is just take it on the chin.  Buyer was nice about it.  Inquired if I had insured it but assumed not.

Obviously for a $15 item it's not the end of the world, but where do you draw the line?  

 

No insurance means you're on the hook. Until that parcel arrives in the expected condition and is in the hands of the buyer, responsibility for the safe arrival lies with the sender.

[Sprocket77]

8 hours ago, trstnkn said:

Obviously for a $15 item it's not the end of the world, but where do you draw the line?  

Obviously depends on what it costs for you to insure it. It costs me an extra €5 to send registered post which means I'm insured. If I did that on every €50 item, then effectively I'm insuring against a 10% defect rate or on €100 items a 5% defect rate. Obviously I'm not expecting a 10% defect rate so I don't take out insurance, meaning I'm effectively self insuring.

The point is to work out the cost, find a risk factor where you think beyond that it's too much risk and then that's the level where you take out the insurance.

[trstnkn]

Got it.  Thank you for clarifying my liability.  Offered return (with me paying shipping) or partial refund to buy replacement parts.  Oddly the rare part of the mini figure survived.  Rest is easy to purchase from Lego.  Buyer took the partial refund and is happy.  Win-win.

Thanks again for the help.

[barakamon]

I ran into another problem today, although this is more on the technical side. I've printed a shipping label from PayPal before, although that was for a domestic package. For that one, everything was fine and the actual shipping label you had to attach to the box actually fit into the half page shipping labels from Avery (mentioned in the Basic Materials Guide blog). 

However, I was printing an international label today, going from Canada to the U.S., and it seems that there's no way to make the label fit into the half page labels. I've cropped it as small as possible, omitting the section below the "detach here" line and the 'Powered by Pitney Bowes' plus date on the top, but it still would not fit into the half page. Would it be fine to resize label document to fit into the half page labels?

I was using Microsoft Word to do the cropping, and have reduced the margins as low as possible.

[trstnkn]

I've been shipping a few items through the Global Shipping Center in KY for just a few months now.  

Had a request from someone to include a large address label in chinese script on the package that is set to go through the global ship center.  They sent me a picture to print out.

Seems a little odd to do this, and I would think the shipping center might just cover it up.

Am I just being paranoid?  Or have others had similar requests?

[Phil B]

7 minutes ago, trstnkn said:

I've been shipping a few items through the Global Shipping Center in KY for just a few months now.  

Had a request from someone to include a large address label in chinese script on the package that is set to go through the global ship center.  They sent me a picture to print out.

Seems a little odd to do this, and I would think the shipping center might just cover it up.

Am I just being paranoid?  Or have others had similar requests?

AFAIK the GSP opens your box, takes the merchandise out and repackages it. So it makes no sense to me to add a special label to it. You might want to call ebay about this - perhaps the GSP needs this label for their shipping purposes.

[Alpinemaps]

I'd also suggest telling the buyer to contact GSP customer support and directing the question/requirement to them.  Your only responsibility is to get the package to GSP.  Everything from cost to how it's shipped to the address it goes to after it leaves GSP is between the buyer and GSP.

[Phil B]

3 minutes ago, Alpinemaps said:

I'd also suggest telling the buyer to contact GSP customer support and directing the question/requirement to them.  Your only responsibility is to get the package to GSP.  Everything from cost to how it's shipped to the address it goes to after it leaves GSP is between the buyer and GSP.

What he said!

[Alpinemaps]

Okay, I blew it today, wonder how bad the damage is...

Bought FedEx Smart Post.  Got distracted, and dropped the package off at the Post Office instead.

Am I screwed?  Will the PO give it over to FedEx?  Will they post it back to me?

Anyone ever make this blunder?

[cissi]

27 minutes ago, Alpinemaps said:

Okay, I blew it today, wonder how bad the damage is...

Bought FedEx Smart Post.  Got distracted, and dropped the package off at the Post Office instead.

Am I screwed?  Will the PO give it over to FedEx?  Will they post it back to me?

Anyone ever make this blunder?

I think you are fine. Even though technically it should be first carried by FedEx and then they hand it to USPS, I read somewhere on FedEx site in the past year that they said you can drop it at FedEx location as well as USPS. I don't know if they will charge you the FedEx rate or the USPS rate though. But USPS will carry it on with them for sure.

[barakamon]

So I got a buyer for a Sea Cow, and looked through his feedback. He only has a total of 6, being a member only from the 29th last month of March. What I find weird about it is that, of that 6, 3 were from the same seller, who doesn't have anything for sale at the moment even though it's a 2k+ top seller. 

The next seller has a whopping rating of 184k+, but multiple negative feedback as of the last month, with nothing on sale at its store currently. 

Another big fish seller with 49k+, again with a lot of negative feedback the last month, also with nothing for sale at the moment. 

There's only one seller without any negative feedback that gave this buyer a positive one. Should I be worried about this sale? I haven't accepted the offer yet.