Diy: Packing And Shipping Parts
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,868
Likes: 0
From: Mississauga, ON and Long Island, NY
It has come to my attention that some of us are clueless when it comes to packaging and shipping parts. I was myself when I first started selling parts, but quickly learned the best way to pack and ship all sorts of items. I am now an established seller both on the forums and on ebay, where I run my own business. I've shipped with UPS and both USPS and Canada Post over the past few years. Hopefully this info will help those of you that are either intimidated by shipping or just have no experience doing so.
First, I will go through the process of actually sending the item in the mail. Then I will explain the best ways to package the item up.
Step 1. First things first, when you are selling are part, you always want to figure out how you will be shipping the item before anything else. You have to take into account how big and how heavy the item is. If it's a small part like a window switch unit or shift surround, you could fit that into a small box. If its something bigger like a headlight or headers, you will need a bigger, stronger box.
Step 2. Now, most people who have experience with shipping all sorts of items can guestimate shipping charges, and usually will include them in the price of the item (ie: $50 shipped). However, if you are unsure of how much it would cost, it is best to get the zipcode or postal code of the person interested in buying the item. Then you would bring that information along with the item already boxed up, ready to be shipped, to your local post office and ask them for a shipping quote. You could also obtain a shipping quote online from usps.com and canadapost.com, but I have found them to sometimes be inaccurate and thus unreliable.
There are a few different ways to ship items. For a large or small padded envelope that isn’t too heavy or thick, First Class mail via USPS and Small Packet USA via Canada Post is the way to go. It’s cheap and quick. For a heavier or thicker large envelope, Priority Mail via USPS is the way to go. For boxes, I usually use USPS Parcel Post. If you are in a rush, you can use Priority Mail, but it’s usually more expensive than Parcel Post. When in doubt, the clerk at the Post Office will be able to advise you on which method is best for you.
You should also see if the buyer would like to add shipping insurance (covers against loss or damage in transit) or tracking information. If they do, find out how much that will be and add it to the quote. The way shipping insurance works is, you insure the item based on the value of it. I believe if you insure it for $100 or less its $1.89, but I could be wrong so it's best to make sure.
Step 3. Now that you have your shipping quote, you can tell your buyer how much it will cost. If they agree to the shipping charges, then they will pay you the amount in addition to the amount you are asking, unless of course you are able to work out a deal with them for a different price. Do not ship the item until they have paid you.
Step 4. Once they have sent payment, you are ready to ship the item out. This is something I cannot stress enough: if they have sent an e-check through paypal, always wait until it clears in your account before shipping the item out. This will protect you in case their payment does not clear.
What you do now is bring the item to the post office, they will calculate the postage, and if you are adding shipping insurance or a tracking number, they will add those as well. Then you pay for postage, and they ship it for you.
Now this is very important, if you are shipping to another country, you will have to fill out a customs form. The form is pretty self explanatory, but make sure you always mark it as a gift, with a value of $10. This will ensure that your buyer does not incur any further brokerage fees when the item clears through customs. I have been doing it that way for years and have never had any of my buyers have to pay brokerage. Even if the item is worth $100, you should put $10 as the value. For item description, stick to basics. If it’s an OBX turbo manifold, put something simple like “car manifold”. If you put something weird or not clear, they may decide to open it up to inspect it, which will cause it to be held up there, thus delaying delivery to your buyer.
Now I will explain the best ways to package your item up.
Here are some of the supplies you may need:
Bubble wrap
Good packaging tape (don’t cheap out on this)
Cardboard boxes
Kraft paper (for covering boxes with pictures and writing, I use it to cover USPS priority mail boxes when I wanna use them for parcel post)
Sharpie marker
Padded envelopes
Newspaper, packaging peanuts, or other materials for cushioning
Now, REDZ has already written a great DIY (in which he mentions how I managed to ship him items incorrectly) on how to pack and ship large items. It can be found here http://www.rdtiburon.com/index.php?showtopic=14447. So, I will touch on some of the specifics and focus on smaller items.
Step 1. Wrap item in bubble wrap, newspapers, whatever you have that will protect it from being scratched or chipped.
Step 2. Find appropriately sized box or envelope. Don’t stick a small part like a window switch in a shoebox, find a smaller box, be creative if you have to. Remember, the larger the box, the more cushioning you will have to use, and the higher the shipping charge will be.
Step 3. Add cushioning. Put a layer on the bottom first, then your item, then surround it on the sides and top with cushioning. Make sure there is no movement at all, or as little as possible. This will help prevent the item from being cracked or scratched in transit.
Step 4. Seal the box with tape. Make sure you get all sides and that you put enough so it will not break open.
Step 5. If you are using a box with a lot of writing and pictures, it’s best to wrap the box in brown kraft paper. This isn’t absolutely necessary, but I like to do it because it looks more neat and professional, like you took the time to package the item with care. If you don’t have brown kraft paper, you could always re-use the inside of a paper shopping bag.
Step 6. Add your name and address to the top left hand corner, and your buyer’s name goes about 1 inch lower and about 1 inch or so to the right. It depends on the size of the box, but should be done in the same manner that you would write the addresses for a letter. I always use a sharpie because it’s bold and easier to read than pen. And make sure you write neatly, don’t scribble.
If you are shipping a breakable item, it’s a good idea to write “Fragile” or “Handle with care” in big bold letters. I have had many buyers ask me to do this and add extra padding because their mailman is rough with their mail.
And that’s it, it’s ready to go. When it comes down to it, just use good judgement and common sense. Don’t just throw an item in a box and send it, put some thought and effort into it. This will ensure that your item arrives safely and that your buyer is happy with the item.
That’s about it, if I think of anything else, I will add to it. If anyone has any other ideas or tips to add, please do so.
First, I will go through the process of actually sending the item in the mail. Then I will explain the best ways to package the item up.
Step 1. First things first, when you are selling are part, you always want to figure out how you will be shipping the item before anything else. You have to take into account how big and how heavy the item is. If it's a small part like a window switch unit or shift surround, you could fit that into a small box. If its something bigger like a headlight or headers, you will need a bigger, stronger box.
Step 2. Now, most people who have experience with shipping all sorts of items can guestimate shipping charges, and usually will include them in the price of the item (ie: $50 shipped). However, if you are unsure of how much it would cost, it is best to get the zipcode or postal code of the person interested in buying the item. Then you would bring that information along with the item already boxed up, ready to be shipped, to your local post office and ask them for a shipping quote. You could also obtain a shipping quote online from usps.com and canadapost.com, but I have found them to sometimes be inaccurate and thus unreliable.
There are a few different ways to ship items. For a large or small padded envelope that isn’t too heavy or thick, First Class mail via USPS and Small Packet USA via Canada Post is the way to go. It’s cheap and quick. For a heavier or thicker large envelope, Priority Mail via USPS is the way to go. For boxes, I usually use USPS Parcel Post. If you are in a rush, you can use Priority Mail, but it’s usually more expensive than Parcel Post. When in doubt, the clerk at the Post Office will be able to advise you on which method is best for you.
You should also see if the buyer would like to add shipping insurance (covers against loss or damage in transit) or tracking information. If they do, find out how much that will be and add it to the quote. The way shipping insurance works is, you insure the item based on the value of it. I believe if you insure it for $100 or less its $1.89, but I could be wrong so it's best to make sure.
Step 3. Now that you have your shipping quote, you can tell your buyer how much it will cost. If they agree to the shipping charges, then they will pay you the amount in addition to the amount you are asking, unless of course you are able to work out a deal with them for a different price. Do not ship the item until they have paid you.
Step 4. Once they have sent payment, you are ready to ship the item out. This is something I cannot stress enough: if they have sent an e-check through paypal, always wait until it clears in your account before shipping the item out. This will protect you in case their payment does not clear.
What you do now is bring the item to the post office, they will calculate the postage, and if you are adding shipping insurance or a tracking number, they will add those as well. Then you pay for postage, and they ship it for you.
Now this is very important, if you are shipping to another country, you will have to fill out a customs form. The form is pretty self explanatory, but make sure you always mark it as a gift, with a value of $10. This will ensure that your buyer does not incur any further brokerage fees when the item clears through customs. I have been doing it that way for years and have never had any of my buyers have to pay brokerage. Even if the item is worth $100, you should put $10 as the value. For item description, stick to basics. If it’s an OBX turbo manifold, put something simple like “car manifold”. If you put something weird or not clear, they may decide to open it up to inspect it, which will cause it to be held up there, thus delaying delivery to your buyer.
Now I will explain the best ways to package your item up.
Here are some of the supplies you may need:
Bubble wrap
Good packaging tape (don’t cheap out on this)
Cardboard boxes
Kraft paper (for covering boxes with pictures and writing, I use it to cover USPS priority mail boxes when I wanna use them for parcel post)
Sharpie marker
Padded envelopes
Newspaper, packaging peanuts, or other materials for cushioning
Now, REDZ has already written a great DIY (in which he mentions how I managed to ship him items incorrectly) on how to pack and ship large items. It can be found here http://www.rdtiburon.com/index.php?showtopic=14447. So, I will touch on some of the specifics and focus on smaller items.
Step 1. Wrap item in bubble wrap, newspapers, whatever you have that will protect it from being scratched or chipped.
Step 2. Find appropriately sized box or envelope. Don’t stick a small part like a window switch in a shoebox, find a smaller box, be creative if you have to. Remember, the larger the box, the more cushioning you will have to use, and the higher the shipping charge will be.
Step 3. Add cushioning. Put a layer on the bottom first, then your item, then surround it on the sides and top with cushioning. Make sure there is no movement at all, or as little as possible. This will help prevent the item from being cracked or scratched in transit.
Step 4. Seal the box with tape. Make sure you get all sides and that you put enough so it will not break open.
Step 5. If you are using a box with a lot of writing and pictures, it’s best to wrap the box in brown kraft paper. This isn’t absolutely necessary, but I like to do it because it looks more neat and professional, like you took the time to package the item with care. If you don’t have brown kraft paper, you could always re-use the inside of a paper shopping bag.
Step 6. Add your name and address to the top left hand corner, and your buyer’s name goes about 1 inch lower and about 1 inch or so to the right. It depends on the size of the box, but should be done in the same manner that you would write the addresses for a letter. I always use a sharpie because it’s bold and easier to read than pen. And make sure you write neatly, don’t scribble.
If you are shipping a breakable item, it’s a good idea to write “Fragile” or “Handle with care” in big bold letters. I have had many buyers ask me to do this and add extra padding because their mailman is rough with their mail.
And that’s it, it’s ready to go. When it comes down to it, just use good judgement and common sense. Don’t just throw an item in a box and send it, put some thought and effort into it. This will ensure that your item arrives safely and that your buyer is happy with the item.
That’s about it, if I think of anything else, I will add to it. If anyone has any other ideas or tips to add, please do so.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,868
Likes: 0
From: Mississauga, ON and Long Island, NY
lol, Blank_00Tib, post a pic of yourself dude.
He was a little confused on how to ship an item. Ok, he was clueless, lol. We all tried to explain it to him in the shoutbox, but it was confusing so I ended up just writing an essay pretty much, lol.
If you really want I can post up pics next time I get a shipment ready to go.
He was a little confused on how to ship an item. Ok, he was clueless, lol. We all tried to explain it to him in the shoutbox, but it was confusing so I ended up just writing an essay pretty much, lol.
If you really want I can post up pics next time I get a shipment ready to go.