posted on June 19, 2001 04:25:04 AM new
I am not a book seller, but every once in awhile I list a few. Some old, some new. What is the best way to ship books? Padded envelopes don't seem secure enough to me, I'm probably going to wrap with small bubble wrap and then put in a box. Is that good enough?
posted on June 19, 2001 05:58:48 AM new
Padded envelopes are usually just fine for light paperbacks and hardcovers. I use them most of the time--you need to make sure there's enough room around the book--it's the corners/edges that get dinged most. All books should be put into a plastic bag first.
Boxes are always recomended if something is heavy.
posted on June 19, 2001 07:16:49 AM new
If I don't have any padded envelopes, would wrapping in bubble wrap, paper, plastic bag, and then put in a regular brown envelope work for the lighter books?
posted on June 19, 2001 07:24:23 AM new
I don't know about a plain brown envelope. I ship my books in some envelopes that claim to be 6 times stronger than paper. I also use tyvek envelopes and boxes. It depends on the book(s).
I've found that bubble wrap and mailers are less expensive than "bubble mailers." I still haven't figured out why adhering the bubbles to the mailer makes it so expensive.
posted on June 19, 2001 07:49:26 AM new
i use jiffy bag which is strong and well padded but weighs more than bubble mailer.
i used to be able to get the kind which you can make your own cardboard mailer it comes in a roll and you just place your book on it and fold and seal it on all sides.
does any one know who is still selling them??
some bookdiscount sellers use heavy cardboard paper,place the book inside and stapled all open ends,i guess you would need a heavy duty stapler for that.
posted on June 19, 2001 09:13:06 AM new
I ship a lot of books and have heard complaints from buyers about other sellers shipping them in regular envelopes and even the bubble envelopes. The cheapest solution I have found to make sure books arrive in the same condition they were sold is to place corrugated cardboard on one side of the book, then wrap with 1/2" bubble wrap (that's the one with the big bubbles), and place in a Tyvek envelope. It makes for a thick package but arrives in good condition.
posted on June 19, 2001 10:35:17 AM new
I sell lots of books on ebay, mostly collectibles $20 and way up. I ship them all in a small box cardboard box that costs me 65 cents. The box is something like 9x12x3. The book is wrapped in bubblewrap and the box filled with packing material. Either peanuts or shredded paper (roll your own).
I charge $3 (plus insurance) to ship my book. The media mail postage is usually between $1.30 and $2.00. This fixed cost is clearly noted in the auction.
In shipping over 1000 books, I have never once had anyone EVER even mention the slight charge beyond actual postage. Rather my feedback is literally full of comments regarding how well the item was packed.
Customers just want a good value for their money. They know they paid a little above postage, but they also see where that money went.
Hippy wannabe 
~^~