Materials guide for LEGO selling & shipping

Many members have asked for a centralized place where they can go for shipping box information. I'm going to pin this post and update it as new information is provided. I just want to take a few minutes and thank those who wrote the following articles. They are still very good reference materials for the LEGO storage and shipping process. I may develop this into a blog article eventually.

Fcbarcelona101's : Selling LEGO : Basic Materials Guide
Mos Eisley 's : LEGO Storage Wars

Incompetech's Catalog of Amazon.com Box Sizes - (thanks No More Monkeys)

Amazon Boxes Sorted list by length - courtesy of pstebbing

I've scoured the forums and here is a list of box sizes with basic set information:

Boxes:
24x20x8 : Super Star Destroyer; Death Star, Roller Coaster, UCS Sandcrawler, Assembly Square
24x20x6 : Thicker sets like Town Hall, Tower Bridge
24x16x6 - 60052 Cargo Train, R2-D2, Maersk Line Triple-E, 7939 Cargo Train
24x16x4 - Helm's Deep, Vampyre Castle, Black Pearl, Friends Riding Camp, Parisian Restaurant, High Speed Passenger Train, Jabba's Palace, Downtown Diner
24x20x4 : Grand Emporium, Pet Shop, Imperial Shuttle, Haunted House, Palace Cinema, Fire Brigade
24x14x4 : Dolphin Cruiser, Coast Guard Patrol
24x4x12 - Dolphin Cruiser, Coast Guard Patrol
20x16x4 - Volkswagen Camper Van, Olivia's House, Sonic Raider, Sopwith, Creator Bike Shop, Batcave, Quinjet, Moria & Ambush
20x16x6 : Thicker sets like the Republic Gunship; City Cargo Plane
20x14x4 : Attack on Weathertop, Hulk 's Helicarrier Breakout, X-Wing 9493, Black Gate
16x16x4 : Gungan Sub, Pre Viszla, Tie Fighter
16x10x4 : Council of Elrond, Desert Skiff, City Grand Prix Truck
16x10x6 : Thicker sets like Creator Family House, Hillside House
15x12x4 : Funhouse, Orc Forge, Tumbler Chase, Daily Bugle Showdown, Hulk Lab Smash
12x12x4 : Uruk Hai Army, City Cargo Truck, Creator Treehouse, City Fire Emergency
11-3/4x8-3/4x4-3/4 : Wolverine Chopper, Arctic Batman, Power Armor Lex, Droid Escape, Cloud Cuckoo Palace
12x8x3 - Battle Packs, CA Avenging Cycle, Catwoman, Gandalf Arrives, Holiday sets
10x8x4 : Battle Packs, CA Avenging Cycle, Catwoman, Gandalf Arrives, Holiday sets

Envelopes:
4x8 : Minifigs & small polybags
6x9 : Polybags small & larger
10.5 x 16 : Larger shipments of 3 x polybags or more

Packing Tape : buy in bulk or on sale : you can throw some in during a Staples coupon promotion to get up to free shipping
Walmart.com Duck Brand Packaging Tape
http://www.staples.com/Staples-Standard-Grade-Packaging-Tape-Clear-189-x-110-yds-6-Rolls/product_380107

Retailers:
Uline.com : holiday sale starts first part of November (usually 30% off)
Staples.com : use coupon promotions - $10 off $30, $20 off $75, free shipping over $60
Walmart.com
USPS Priority Mail (free boxes at USPS.com)

 

Michigan Box Company:

Flat Boxes 18"-23" L  (thanks pstebbing)

GBE Packaging (thanks pstebbing)
 

PackingSupplies.com

http://www.packaging...ated_boxes.html     (thanks pstebbing)

 

Bubble Wrap:
3/16" thick x 350' ft x 12" wide - eBay

 

Sams Club

3/16" - 12"x240' $12.98 (In store) ($.05/LF) (thanks pstebbing)

I like to use large and small retailer plastic bags to wrap items in, even after I bubble wrap it.

For battle packs and even small sets, I sometimes use Wal-Mart, Target, or plastic bags from any store. Additional packing isn 't really needed. Usually like 2 bags on bottom, one to wrap the item, and two bags on top. Make sure to cover the corners of the item real nice to provide extra padding.

Rule of thumb : ship & pack all of your items the same way you 'd like to receive items you've purchased.

Shipping Paper:
Collect it when you receive shipments.
http://www.amazon.com/Pratt-Multipurpose-Packaging-KPR30241200R-Length/dp/B00AI652CM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408061459&sr=8-1&keywords=pratt+kraft+paper+1200?

Shipping Labels & Printers:
Dymo 450 & Dymo 400
Brother QL-700

DoNotInsertIntoMouth's : How to setup your label printer for shipping on eBay


Feel free to post a follow-up or point out anything I missed. I 'll update it with what everyone wants added. I hope this is helpful.

1 hour ago, maestro said:

So I've scanned Amazon and can't find cardboard box to post Winter Village Cottage (19" x 15" x 3"). Anyone here from EU that can advise please? Thanks. Really need to send this tomorrow am for eBay sale. 

Also looking for a good link to buy boxes to send Lego in general as I offload my collection

I’ve found Davpack OK for medium to small sized boxes.

https://www.davpack.co.uk/

1 minute ago, Bartat said:

I’ve found Davpack OK for medium to small sized boxes.

https://www.davpack.co.uk/

Thanks for that. Any non-UK ones? Anything I've ordered from UK in last while has taken a very long time to deliver to Ireland

Just now, maestro said:

Thanks for that. Any non-UK ones? Anything I've ordered from UK in last while has taken a very long time to deliver to Ireland

Sorry I am UK based and have only used UK companies. TBH I have seen significant leads times on all semi custom boxes for some time so I am ordering 6m out to make sure I have coverage.

14 minutes ago, Bartat said:

Sorry I am UK based and have only used UK companies. TBH I have seen significant leads times on all semi custom boxes for some time so I am ordering 6m out to make sure I have coverage.

That is good to know thank you. I only started eBay selling recently so good to be made aware of possible issues.

2 hours ago, maestro said:

So I've scanned Amazon and can't find cardboard box to post Winter Village Cottage (19" x 15" x 3"). Anyone here from EU that can advise please? Thanks. Really need to send this tomorrow am for eBay sale. 

Also looking for a good link to buy boxes to send Lego in general as I offload my collection

I always use 20x14x4 for those.

4 hours ago, exciter1 said:

I always use 20x14x4 for those.

Thank you, I couldn't find that size on Amazon but maybe wasn't searching enough.

Perhaps this has been asked before but it doesn't take much bubble wrap around the set to take up the space in the box. What is the ideal distance between the Lego set and the surface of the cardboard box on all sides?

59 minutes ago, maestro said:

Thank you, I couldn't find that size on Amazon but maybe wasn't searching enough.

Perhaps this has been asked before but it doesn't take much bubble wrap around the set to take up the space in the box. What is the ideal distance between the Lego set and the surface of the cardboard box on all sides?

I only use paper.

52 minutes ago, exciter1 said:

I only use paper.

Thanks for that. I had a more detailed read through this super thread and learned a little more. Thanks everyone

Check your snail mail for a discount code from Staples.

On 8/27/2021 at 4:36 PM, Bricklectic said:

Anyone know the length of the empire state building box? Is it same as Trafalgar or longer?

Amazon has specs of most sets on their listings

5 hours ago, Banjoman said:

Amazon has specs of most sets on their listings

I find BrickSet more accurate more often.  And don't complain about the pop-ups if you haven't logged in to the site.  Once you log in, the pop-ups disappear.  I last signed in about two years ago and don't think that I've had to since.

https://brickset.com/sets/21046-1/Empire-State-Building

 

Edited October 1, 20214 yr by raindog

Did paypal drop UPS option after migrated to shipstation? Don't see UPS anymore in my paypal / shipstation account, or is there anything I need to config?

Thanks

 

1 hour ago, SLL said:

Did paypal drop UPS option after migrated to shipstation? Don't see UPS anymore in my paypal / shipstation account, or is there anything I need to config?

Thanks

 

Did PayPal ever have UPS? I literally joined some other shipment platform to ship a present to my brother with UPS last year. I know PirateShip recently added UPS, maybe just use them?

16 minutes ago, keymomachine said:

Did PayPal ever have UPS? I literally joined some other shipment platform to ship a present to my brother with UPS last year. I know PirateShip recently added UPS, maybe just use them?

Thanks, will try PrateShip.

And yes, paypal had UPS for a long time. With the migration to shipstation, UPS is now dropped as well as the usps first class. And, you can't generate international label anymore. bummer.

Can anyone say if it is worth moving shipping over to PirateShip? I saw that that was a thing a few weeks ago but really don't know much about it.

7 minutes ago, Gonkalin said:

Can anyone say if it is worth moving shipping over to PirateShip? I saw that that was a thing a few weeks ago but really don't know much about it.

interested to see thoughts on this as well. also wondering how costs compare. 

12 minutes ago, Gonkalin said:

Can anyone say if it is worth moving shipping over to PirateShip? I saw that that was a thing a few weeks ago but really don't know much about it.

For eBay and Amazon sales, you forfeit any shipping protection those platforms may give you by buying postage from outside the platforms.

Having said that, PirateShip has been my backup postage provider for 2 years and so far I have no complaint.  Supposedly you can import sales from other platforms to it but I have not used that tool myself.

8 minutes ago, Gonkalin said:

Can anyone say if it is worth moving shipping over to PirateShip? I saw that that was a thing a few weeks ago but really don't know much about it.

 

1 minute ago, MotorCityMuscle said:

interested to see thoughts on this as well. also wondering how costs compare. 

one thing I can tell you is shipstation s*cks, more expensive and less option.

Pirateship usps label is fine, discount is decent. But if I am selling on ebay, I tend to use its own label for exact the reason @Darth_Raichu mentioned.

22 hours ago, SLL said:

UPS is now dropped as well as the usps first class. 

That's wrong.  I use first class on a daily basis.

Perhaps this has already been asked but any tips for packing 3 very large sets in the one box please? ToO+Tumbler+Winter Village Toy Shop. Thanks

4 minutes ago, maestro said:

Perhaps this has already been asked but any tips for packing 3 very large sets in the one box please? ToO+Tumbler+Winter Village Toy Shop. Thanks

If you are how they end up looking (shipping them), I would box each separately, then box together.

7 minutes ago, iahawks550 said:

If you are how they end up looking (shipping them), I would box each separately, then box together.

Yes original Lego set box must be preserved. I have often received a large double walled box from Lego online with 3 sets in it. All perfect

My airbags are taking up a lot of space in my store room and my wife perceives this as me having more LEGO than I actually do. What packing paper does everyone use! Plain old Kraft paper? Something else? Might be nice to have a filler option that’s smaller than all the airbags I have.

Edited November 8, 20214 yr by Brystheguy

5 minutes ago, Brystheguy said:

My airbags are taking up a lot of space in my store room and my perceives this as having more LEGO than I actually do. What packing paper does everyone use! Plain old Kraft paper? Something else? Might be nice to have a filler option that’s smaller than all the airbags I have.

All airbags go in the trash. I can sometimes get this roll for $30.

Pratt Multipurpose Kraft Paper Sheet for Packaging Wrap, KPR30241200R, 1200' Length x 24" Width, Kraft https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AI652CM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_FWAFYHH2HQMST9VPMGKS?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

1 hour ago, exciter1 said:

All airbags go in the trash. I can sometimes get this roll for $30.

Pratt Multipurpose Kraft Paper Sheet for Packaging Wrap, KPR30241200R, 1200' Length x 24" Width, Kraft https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AI652CM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_FWAFYHH2HQMST9VPMGKS?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I developed a new hobby of rolling up old Kraft paper while watching TV. Saved a lot of space. All airbags go except one box just in case I need them.