posted on April 29, 2001 10:30:25 PM
I will be shipping quite a few books via media rate and would like your opinions on how you all package these and where you get the supplies.
Obviously my priority boxes will not work unless I get crafty.
posted on April 30, 2001 01:39:15 AM
I would advise boxing books, even if it means getting 'crafty' with priority boxes and shopping bags for wrapping.
Simply wrapping books or putting them in envelopes exposes the edges and corners to damage if dropped or handled roughly. Maybe not a big deal for cheapo books but you will have some angry customers if you start selling rare first editions where the buyers can be very picky over condition.
Even if boxed, there should be some padding at the edges. Foam wrap works fine.
Books can be very fragile items and should be treated with care. Its frequently not at all difficult to crack a spine which will drastically reduce the value to some collectors.
Of all the items I sell, actually books are the second most labor intensive, after paintings.
posted on April 30, 2001 05:30:41 AM
FishBowl
First, ignore snakebait's suggestion to cover proprity boxes with grocery bags. I was charged extra when a seller did that, because the covering ripped and exposed the priority box. Seller got a negative for it.
Books are FRAGILE in a whole different way than glass or china ... 1) you have to protect the paper, 2) you have to keep the weight of the book from damaging itself (a jolt in the wrong direction and the covers will split from the pages ... it's only a strip of paper holding them on), 3) you have to keep other packages from pounding the corners flat during collisions.
1 & 2) ... slide book into a plastic bag, wrap it snugly around the book, and seal it shut with tape, making a full loop around the bok. Tape the inside address onto the plastic bag. The snug wrap holds the pages and cover into one piece, preventing the spine from moving.
2. For ordinary books, I wrap this into "b-flute" which is a single-faced corrugated packing material that comes in rolls. A full 2-layer wrap, stapled on the ends and the opening sealed with tape is a very sturdy package.
If I am worried about the corners, I tape a heavy piece of cardboard, slightly larger than the book, on either side, making a sandwich, then b-flute it.
For elderly, or fragile books, you need to construct a box. Get "soda flats" from the grocery store (shallow cardboard tray/box things) and build a box big enough to hold the book AND bubblewrap padding.
The trick is ... immobilize the book and protect the corners.
posted on April 30, 2001 05:36:49 AM
I've shipped out over 700 books in the past year, the great majority of them in paper padded envelopes. I've recently started using boxes for some of the older and/or thicker books.
Just make sure that the book doesn't move around loosely in the box. Also, if you're using a padded envelope, make sure that the book isn't too snug. If it just barely fits in there, use the next size up. The bubble padded envelopes are rather flimsy for books IMO.
Ironically, the only package that arrived damaged to the buyer wasn't even a book and it was packed in a sturdy box. This happened just within the last month.
posted on April 30, 2001 06:07:18 AM
I just turn the priority box inside out, wrap plain brown paper over it to conceal the "USPS..." that they've placed on the inside of the box to prevent this and mail it out with a label cut down from their priority labels and secure it down with clear tape. Be sure to tape the box all around on the sides before you put the wrapping paper on it because they're so flimsy that they can pop open.
posted on April 30, 2001 06:18:33 AM
redskinfan ...
Priority boxes are meant for priority mail, not a government subsidy to cheapskate eBay sellers. The cost of the "free" box is built into the rates. The cost of using priority boxes for non-priority stuf could be the loss of your mailing privileges and a hefty fine.
If the wrapper is damaged and the USPS shows? The USPS will charge the recipient extra and they will be really annoyed. If the recipient refuses to pay, it bounces back to you at priority rates both ways.
posted on April 30, 2001 07:54:21 AM
Whatever you do, don't wrap in newspaper. I had a beautiful set of 3 Nancy drew with d/j sent wrapped in newspaper~ all d/j shown black marks which I can't figure how to get off .
I usually put my low priced paperback books in a bubble envelope and often get " good packaging" as feedback. I have had complaints if it is an expensive book( now I wrap these in bubble wrap and put in a sturdy box.) Or if I want to protect the book even if it is lowpriced , I wrap in bubble wrap and then put in a bubblewrap envelope. Good luck!
posted on April 30, 2001 08:39:59 AM
consecuences?? Not a word in my dictionary.
Turning a priority box inside out to use for Media Mail because you are too cheap to buy a proper box really says it all (outside of the fact that it's dishonest).
And padded envelopes do not provide proper protection for hardcovers. I have never had a hardcover book that was shipped in an envelope arrive undamaged.
posted on April 30, 2001 09:00:12 AM
Again, (I'm not saying this is the only way to go) but most of my books, hardcovers included, were shipped out in paper padded envelopes. I've never had one sent that way arrive damaged and my feedback reflects nothing but praise for my packaging.
I am using boxes for more of my books now as they do work better for thicker hardcovers.
I can understand why someone who consistantly gets damaged hardcovers in padded envelopes would be against a seller shipping them that way. But I have to wonder why this seems to happen with every hardcover they receive and not to my buyers?
Anyway, I get my supplies from www.networkpackaging.com and it costs about the same for a box vs. a paper padded envelope.
posted on April 30, 2001 09:57:32 AM
It saves the buyer money, not me because I was charging for the boxes. It would cost me close to $1.50 a box after sales tax but now I can charge the buyer less money since they're not paying for those boxes. The post office makes money off of it either way.
I started doing it after I started using half.com to sell some of my books because half.com just reimburses shipping, and actually not that since they don't ever pay you for your sales. I started in March...it's going to be nearly 2 months tomorrow and not a single check. So I stopped doing half.com. I've lost over a hundred dollars with them and there's no way to make them pay me the money they owe for the sales. I wonder how many other sellers they've jipped.
posted on April 30, 2001 10:05:39 AM
consecuences?? Not a word in my dictionary
engelskdansk!! Websteer's Thurd World Dictunery HB/DJ 1989; "consecuences, what happens when you lie, telling Mom you did your spelling homework so you can watch Brady Bunch."
redskinfan...... I have had to pay extra for a package delivered in an inside out Priority box. It wasn't much but I immediately contacted the seller to pay the difference. No reply so he/she wore a neg.
abacaxi....right on! (as usual)
suz23..... try an art gum eraser! DON'T RUB just roll/pat gently across.
posted on April 30, 2001 02:03:10 PM
I use mostly padded envelopes and boxes when appropriate and/or available. Most sellers do not use plastic to wrap their books--no excuse on that.
Two slabs of corrugated cardboard can do the the job for many books.
Media mail needs zip+4 if you want it there reasonably quick. I barcode all my labels.
posted on April 30, 2001 03:50:59 PM
Trust me even if you turn the priority boxes inside out and wrap them USPS will catch you.
I have had 2 packages come to me postage due.
I refused delivery and packages were sent back.
This means seller now has to pay priority both ways and still reship my item.
Not to mention USPS can fine you.
There is a reason those boxes have a unique texture and thickness.
Be carefull it's not worth the loss.
JB
posted on April 30, 2001 05:14:27 PM
Redskinfan -
"It would cost me close to $1.50 a box after sales tax" .......
$1.50 a BOX? Only if gold plated! I suggest you check out b-flute, because I can ship a book in it for under $0.30 (average cost) and don't risk having the USPS Inspection dudes invite me in for a chat.
Do you order the priority boxes in quantity straight from the USPS? If so, remember that card you signed? That was you stating that the boxes were not for anything but priority mail use. The consequences can be pretty stiff.
BJGrolle -
Perhaps you have been lucky and the buyers didn't know that smashed corners are a flaw. I have giuven a few negatives for bad packing ... no discussion, no asking for refunds, if it's badly packed it gets a negative for it.
[ edited by abacaxi on Apr 30, 2001 05:17 PM ]
posted on April 30, 2001 09:55:01 PM
my 2 cents on inside-out Priority boxes:
I won an auction for a heavy book. Shipping was high, but I sell books too and understand- it was heavy. Bottom line, shipping was stated in auction, I sent that amount. The seller emailed when he received my money and said that if he could ship it cheaper he would (I never asked him to, but said fine). Next email: he was shipping it cheaper (I assumed media mail) and was sending a refund shortly.
a few days later: 'Tom the Mailman' ringing my doorbell. It would appear that 'shipping cheaper' meant turning a Priority box inside out AND cutting down a Priority address label. Both of these he pointed out- along with a 'postage due' amount to cover the difference. Yes, those boxes and labels are unique and the PO is dilegently looking for them in their new capacity.
I thought this was a strange situation, as I never balked at the shipping cost- happily paid it, never looking to chisel it down. No idea what his motive was, other than maybe feeling strange charging the original high price (which was actual cost)? and thought he was doing me a favor?
About a week after the book came I did get a check from him for the difference, but I still ended up paying the original price! So it was all for nothing on his part and I have no idea if the USPS sends out warnings for misuse of their boxes (which they will tell you are still their property).
I didn't neg him, as I truely believe that he thought he was doing me a favor, but I still wasn't thrilled about it.
posted on May 1, 2001 01:53:57 AM
I sometimes receive items in priority boxes, but I do not use them to ship to the US, only domestically (I am in Australia), because of course, I am concerned that my customer does not have any hassle at their end.
But I was wondering if the correct postage has been paid for once, is it then ok to use the box again inside out? Presumabley it would have the original postmarks on it to show it had been correctly paid for once?
Seems a shame that not to recycle.
I was getting my boxes from either the post office, office max, or wal-mart. The cheapest I was able to get a book-sized box was $1.37 plus tax. When I used to live in Virginia I could get all the boxes I wanted for free from behind the dollar store, but they destroy the boxes here.
It seems you can't win with this, if you make the buyer pay for the box, they complain and then you get flack in here that the boxes and packaging material you're supposed to "eat" as a cost of doing business. If I were to make all of the buyers pay priority no one would buy from me.
I bought a big box of "cd mailers" from a mail order supplier someone recommended here and even though they have cd/dvd on the envelopes, there's no way they're cd size. I tried to cram a cd in one and the top of the cd was still sticking out.
posted on May 1, 2001 05:07:46 AM
redskinfan ...
All you have to do to get intact boxes almost anywhere is ask the stocking clerks when they usually stock shelves and show up then. If you save $1.37 a box, it's cost effective to scavenge. Usually they just flatten them for disposal, not shred or burn them, so they are not destroyed.
For books, take one of those flattened boxes and cut a T-shaped chunk with the top arm as tall as the book is, and wide enough to wrap around the book at least once. The arm of the "T" needs to be long enough to wrap 1+ times up and around. Place plastic-bagged book at intersection of "T" and wrap the strips around it. I use a pizza cuter to crease the box where I want it to fold. Book is protected!
Or you can do the same with 2 strips, one just a bit wider than the book is tall, and one just a bit wider than the book ... wrap one aroune one way, then wrap the other, tape firmly, and you have a cardboard inner protector. Wrap in grocery bag or slide into manila envelope and tape snugly around the inner cardboard protector.
Now ... what is there about packing a book that is too hard or expensive for you?
posted on May 1, 2001 05:31:31 AMabacaxi, do you recommend using any particular type of plastic bag? I've been using Mylar comic bags to hold the smaller books. I try to steer away from using PVC plastic bags.
posted on May 1, 2001 11:58:28 AM
Vidpro -
I use gallon-size or quart size food storage bags from the supermarket, whatever is on sale for cheap. Their only purpose is to protect the book from moisture during shipping, so they don't have to be archival.
