Tuesday 11 October 2016

How To Package Books For Shipping

Although not the most fragile of objects, books still need to be packaged properly in order to ensure that they undergo the shipping process without damage. Butcher paper and strapping tape alone are not sufficient, and, for hardcover books, neither are padded envelopes. Luckily, it's easy to learn how to package books for shipping so that they arrive in the same condition as they were mailed. With proper precautions and packing material, your books will arrive with little or no damage!

Part 1. Packing The Books

(i) Place each book between two pieces of cardboard. Neatly cut two pieces of plain cardboard, exactly the size of the book. Sandwich the book between them to protect the cover. This is especially important if the book has a printed dust jacket, or a glossy cover design.
This must be plain, bare cardboard rectangles. Cardboard with print or stickers may stick to the book, or transfer print onto the cover.
Trim the cardboard as close to the book's size as you can. On the off-chance that the package suffers an impact, protruding cardboard edges can bend inward and damage the book. If the cardboard and book are the same size, they are better able to resist damage in a fall.
(ii) Wrap in paper. Wrap brown paper, newspaper, or wrapping paper around the cardboard protectors, then tape them in place. This secures the cardboard in place.

(iii) Wrap in plastic. To protect your books from water damage, pack them inside a plastic barrier. A zip-locked bag is perfect if you can find one large enough. Otherwise, wrap the book in sturdy saran wrap.
Plastic newspaper delivery sleeves are the right size for many books. Put the book in the bag, fold over the top of the bag, and seal it with packing tape
(iv) Choose a container. Pick a container with room for padding, but not so much space that the books will rattle around.
If you are shipping a single paperback and you are not too worried about damage, choose a snug, padded envelope. If the book is fragile or valuable, use a small box instead.
If you have a major shipment, choose sturdy boxes and double-check the weight capacity. Weigh the books before packing to avoid breaking the box.
Look for postal requirements and offers. For example, the US Postal Service will give you a free box if you purchase Priority Mail (although this is much more expensive than Media Mail)
(v) Line the bottom of the box with padding. Bubble wrap, packing peanuts, and crumpled plastic bags are lightweight options. Crumpled newspaper works too, but the weight may add a bit more to shipping costs.
You can also use condensed Styrofoam. Buy a cheap Styrofoam cooler and cut it into strips that fit the gaps around the books.
One last option: seal zip-locked bags most of the way, then blow into the small gap. Seal shut and use these as airbags to protect your books.

(vi) Pack the books. Pack the container based on how many books you have to send:
If you only have a few books, pack them flat in a box, with the cover facing up or down. Separate each book with padding (see below).
For a major shipment, pack the books with the spines facing upward. Choose books of exactly the same size, so you can lay additional books flat on top of them. Allow room on each side of the box for padding.

(vii) Fill the remaining space in the box with padding. Pack this material tightly on all sides of the books until they cannot shift at all.
If you have the space, separate all books with their own layer of padding. One way to do this is to sort the books by size, in stacks, and wrap each stack tightly in bubble wrap.
(viii) Tape securely. Close the box lid. Get out your packing tape and run it halfway up one side, across the lid, and down the other side. Repeat with a second piece of tape in a cross shape. Cover any flap or opening with packing tape, to prevent something catching on it and ripping it apart. For extra protection, tape along each edge seam of the box as well.
Don't tape more than necessary. It's a nuisance if the recipient has to cut off yards of tape to get to the book.
Weaving the lid flaps together is not a good substitute for tape. You may weave the flaps together in addition to taping.
Part 2. Sending The Books


(i) Address the package. If your address label was printed on plain paper, it may tear in transit. Tape down the entire label with clear packing tape. Leave bar codes bare, since tape can make them more difficult to scan.

(ii) Ask for media postage rates. Many postal services offer a discounted price for shipping books. This includes the US Postal Service's Media Mail option, which is much cheaper than a regular package.
If you paid for postage with stamps, ask for a "zero postage strip" at the post office. This proves that you gave your book to a human, and therefore that your package was approved as valid.
(iii) Buy postal insurance and tracking information (optional). These are recommended if you are shipping valuable books. Tracking information may be available for free from some postal services.

USPS hold mail

Spam mail

USPS address change

USPS tracking number

USPS office hours

How To Ship With A Private Parcel Services

Private parcel services are a fantastic way to ship packages--quick, easy, and inexpensive. However, most businesses try to wheedle every last penny out of you during a sale and the UPS Store is no different! Without revealing any 'inside secrets', here is a compilation of lessons learned while shopping at the UPS store. The consumer should not be cheated out of money--a business should be run fairly.

Steps

1. SIZE MATTERS. It's true. The pricing of a package depends on several things; size, weight, and destination. If you pack an item yourself, select the smallest possible box (including any room for padding). Also remember that most stores round UP in sizing boxes! 12.3 inches (31.2 cm) will be rounded up to 13 inches (33.0 cm). Often this makes no difference, sometimes it does.


2. HEFTY IS PRICEY. This should be fairly common sense. Items which weigh more also cost more to ship. When shipping through UPS Ground, the weight is often negligible (up to a certain weight.) If shipping through Air (next day or second day), weight is much more important on price. Always try to pack the box as light as possible.

3. DESTINATION. The destination usually can't be changed. The further away it is, the more expensive it is to ship. You really can't do much about this; however, a Rural Surcharge will be given if a house is not on the regular UPS route. In this case, try to find somewhere on route to ship to (such as a PO Box). When shipping a $5 package to a rural area, a charge of ~$4 is added!


4. TOGETHER OR APART? If you're shipping packages to the same place, it'll often be cheaper to consolidate all the packages into one box--the price of the box would be less than the fuel surcharge of each individual package. This is not always the case. Try using common sense--if you have only three packages, it's probably cheaper to ship them individually. If they're pre-boxed, you may be able to have the boxes taped together. This negates redundant fuel surcharges and the price of an additional box! Just watch out for being charged for over-sized packages.

5. TAKING YOU FOR A FOOL. That's right. What you don't know can't hurt, right? When shipping Air or Second Day, multiple times are given. If you really don't care what time it gets there, always ask for the latest time ('End of Day delivery.') This will save you just a few dollars, but it's better than losing a few!

6. POSTAL SERVICES COST MORE. Want a letter stamped and mailed? It'll cost more than it will at the post office. Want to buy some stamps? It'll still cost more. If it's a service of the USPS, go to the USPS office. It'll save you money.

7. PADDED ENVELOPES. The average cheapest price of a UPS package is about $5. If you put, for example, a CD in a padded envelope, it'll cost at least $5 to ship it. The post office will ship it for $2 or less.

8. CUSTOM BOXES. Sometimes your item to be shipped is irregularly shaped. Sometimes they just don't have the box you need. Either way, paying for two or more boxes isn't usually fun. If you can, buy another box elsewhere or even make your own out of scrap boxes.

9 DON'T ACCEPT A HIGH PRICE. Sometimes employees at the UPS Store will try to knock a few dollars off for you. If you say, "Go ahead and try, but if you can't, that's OK" then you have given them permission to ship your package as is, despite the employee having offered to try to lower the price.

USPS hold mail

Spam mail

USPS address change

USPS tracking number

USPS office hours