SHIPPING TIPS, TRICKS, AND HELPFUL HINTS FOR
PACKING LIKE A PRO!
GUIDE FOR EBAY BUYERS, SELLERS AND BEGINNERS
First let me say this is good, sound advice coming from an experienced shipper of 14 years in the field. Over the years I have picked up a few "tricks of the trade" that have been absolutely beneficial to my ebay business. Noted below is some BASIC information that has helped guide me through the years. This information will help boost your confidence, improve your shipping skills, and help you get through the dreadful thoughts of processing a damaged freight claim. In addition, this guide will hopefully shed some light on the whole "who to blame" process when damage does occur. Your customers will thank you for it, and you will enjoy the positive feedback in return.
Feel free to skip over the sections of this guide to the areas that will benefit you the most.
Insurance and Damage claims: These are the 2 misunderstood areas of the shipping process. I will try to simplify it for you. Please understand that no matter how well a box is packed for shipment, accidents do happen! If your (perfectly packed box) falls off the back of a delivery truck, and into the path of another vehicle, your package will more than likely sustain damage. THAT, is why you buy insurance! Insurance was meant for accidental coverage and packages lost in transit, and not for improper packing. Improper packing is usually the result of most breakage. When breakage occurs, and the packing inside that box is determined to be inadequate, it is a possibility that "no refund" will be issued, regardless of insurance coverage. You can sometimes avoid this situation by checking your sellers feedback. If repetitive damage claims have ocurred in the past, you can bet it will happen again. Either pass on the auction or send out a few questions to the seller before bidding. For Example:
Ask the seller if they are willing too mark all sides of the box "Fragile".
Request that your purchase be double boxed and not over packed before bidding.
Let them know you have read their feedback and have a genuine concern in regards to shipping and ask the seller what type of packing materials are used to safeguard and protect their shipments.
Ask for specifics and how the item will be packed if you were to place a bid.
If you ask any these questions, chances are you will get honest answers and a decently packed box. Most sellers are willing to provide good customer service if they know you have a concern with shipping. As a buyer, it IS part of your purchase and you should insist it be worthy of the cost. In any case, I still recommend protecting your investment by purchasing insurance. Yes, even when buying from an experienced shipper.
Insured Damage Claims- DO YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO?
Buyers, make contact with your seller immediately and let them know you have damage. Exchange phone numbers for direct communications. DO NOT let the seller tell you, "Once it leaves my hands, I am no longer responsible". Do not accept this as a response and let them know you need their cooperation to get your claim filed.
Buyers, Ask the seller to please submit any and all receipts and documentation to their local branch or location where package was originally processed. Do NOT ask for this information to be mailed to you, it will only delay your claim. This is the quickest method and at this point, half the process is complete, if the seller complies. If the seller refuses to file on your behalf, contact the delivery company for alternate options.
Sellers, your responsibility as a shipper is to provide all shipping documentation to file the claim: which will include an actual value of the contents inside that damaged box (invoice of the sale), insurance receipt, label receipt, postal receipt, and or any online documentation that you may have. A postal/shipping receipt is required, in order to file a claim- so keep all receipts for up to 60 days after shipping any box.
Buyers, to expedite the process you can provide any of these options as proof of damage by submitting.... photos to the seller, photos to the delivery company, inspection from your residence, inspection at time of delivery, or.... take the damaged box to the Post Office/UPS for inspection. IF...you have obvious damage during delivery, ask the driver to inspect the package right then and there. They are able notate in their delivery log "damaged in transit".
In other words... before ANY refund can be issued....(the damage will need to be accessed and confirmed)... (the packing will need to be inspected) ...and (the damaged box collected). The dated receipt for the shipment, proof of insurance, and the value will need to be declared. All of these issues will need to be addressed, and both parties will need to work together for positive results. When processing claims outside of your state, the photo exchange is the quickest method with minimal inconvenience. Some shipping company's will not accept this as proof, and want to see the actual damage. Keep in mind...without proof of damage, there is NO claim!
Tip: The buyer should not discard any of the contents or packing until it has been inspected by the delivery company...if you do, there is a possibility that the claim will not be satisfied, and may result in no refund.
Claims checks or refunds may exceed 30 days, so expect this. The shipper is usually the person who will receive the refund since they are holding the proof or receipt for the shipment. Once received, the refund should then be sent to the buyer. To avoid delays and after the inspection confirms damage with a refund pending, sellers will often send or issue their own refunds and then "wait out" the refund from the delivery company. An added note for angry buyers: Please be patient, your damaged purchase does not always have to end with negative results, and the damage may not be the fault of your seller. You will want to wait to post any feedback until after you get your refund. Give the seller time to make it right for you. If a positive attempt by the seller was made to satisfy your claim, then it is in your best interest as a buyer, to wait it out peacefully, together. After All, the seller is holding your cash.
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Delivery or Signature Confirmations: A must have!!
Do not make this an option for your buyers, and always include at least one of these in your shipping quote and never ship a package without at least one of them. It is the only proof you will have that confirms delivery to the buyers address or actual proof of delivery with a signature.
Just the Basics
Don't use bubble envelopes or folders for shipping valuable books, or anything that can be crushed on its corners. They do not offer enough protection and are not suitable for heavy books. This makes me crazy when I receive a valuable book, described as mint condition, with its corners and edges crushed due to improper or inadequate packing. This is a viable strike for negative feedback everytime in my opinion. Always insist that books and valuables be box shipped and not bagged or shoved in an envelope.
Don't forget to seal your books and paper or fabric items in plastic before shipping. This will protect in wet delivery conditions. Its a good idea to keep saran wrap and small plastic waste basket liners on hand. You can custom cut the liners to fit, wrap and seal... its cheap and protective. I use saran wrap for a variety of items.
Don't overfill your box with packing materials! This alone, is the single cause of most damaged shipments. If over-packed, damage from any 1 of the 6 sides of the box can occur. A puffy box is an accident waiting to happen. If you need to force the packing material back into the shipping container in order to seal it, as a rule, it is over packed! If the sides of your box are bulging, it is over packed. If you can see that pressure exists inside the shipping box, then you have to realize how easy damage could occur if a heavier box were dropped on your nice tightly sealed puffy box.
Don't wrap or pack any items that could become damaged from the ink of newsprint. Use newsprint only as a last resort, it can cause permanent discoloration and especially to book edges. I rarely use newspaper for packing, its dirty, it smells, its heavy and costly to your customer when used as a packing material. So use caution, you want to protect your shipment not destroy it.
Don't under-pack, for obvious reasons.
Don't ship ANY item, especially glass- in a box that does not contain the "Shipping Seal of Approval", also known as a Box Certificate! You will find this seal located on the bottom of every approved shipping container. It is usually a round inked seal that details the weight limitations and crush test for that box. This seal also shows the maximin capacity of your box, at testing. If your box is approved, do not exceed those limitations, as damage can and will occur.
Don't unpack china, porcelain, pottery, or glass right away if temperatures at delivery are bitter cold or below zero. Your warm hands could shatter, crack or cause crazing in the ice cold pieces. Allow the shipment to come to room temperature before opening. It is important to avoid dramatic temperature changes in most breakable items.
CHEAP & CREATIVE SHIPPING SOLUTIONS AND TIPS THAT WORK!
This is one of the best packing ideas I have found! BALLOONS!!! They are fun, colorful, protective, practical, and cheap!! ...and you will have no shortage in offers to blow them up if you have little ones.
Here's another great idea, SARAN WRAP!!! Sooo many uses and it is perfect for protecting books, paper & postcards, sterling silver, and fabrics in wet delivery conditions. I recommend picking up a few boxes of the colored Saran Wrap too! ( available only during the holidays). Use the colored saran wrap for multiple smalls that are placed in white packing peanuts. The items are less likely to be overlooked when unpacking the contents.
The use of colored tissue paper also serves the same purpose.
Use colored tape when taping bubble wrap, the clear tape is soooo difficult to see. It prevents possible damage from ripping and tearing when unpacking the contents. With colored tape the buyer can see where cut. If you don't have colored tape, draw a line across the tape with a black sharpie, or notate "cut here" for your customer.
Use strips or sections of light-weight cardboard to make your own tubes for rolling goblets or tumblers before shipping.
When wrapping the goblets in cardboard, do not tape the ends shut! Loosely pack the ends with tissue paper to fill the open ends.
When shipping large heavy dinner plates... wrap each plate with tissue paper to prevent scratching. Place cardboard between each plate. Double box and stack no more than 4 to each inner box. Use at least 3 inches of quality packing between each inner box. Be sure ALL sides of each box have this 3 inch cushioning.
Always double box breakables and allow for this additional cost in your shipping quote.
Place at least 3 inches of LOOSE packing peanuts around all breakables.
Proper packing is key! The secret to proper packing is to 'shake the box" and fill with peanuts until the settling is just below the top rim of the box. Leave room to comfortably place a flat section of cardboard on top of the peanuts without having to force the packing back into the box. You want the cardboard slat to sit flat and level under the flaps.
Custom fit your box to fit. If your shipping container is too large for the item you are shipping, cut a larger box down, to custom fit your needs. This can be done by cutting the depth at all 4 corners and then score the sides to create the flaps. I use a box knife and a straight edge piece of cardboard as a ruler to keep the score straight.
Keep all sizes of cardboard flats and pieces on hand for any type of shipping.
Make your own shipping labels, don't buy them! If you don't have an account with Paypal to purchase labels, try using "Microsoft Word" to create your own labels. Cut and paste the buyers address directly from the payment details page into your pre-created label saving you shipping time. You can save or delete the label with each use, just cut the previous buyers address out and save your blank creation to be used again. You can insert small details from your clip art , or your own logo to the label. It looks professional with an easy to read label. Be sure to tape over the entire created label to protect against wet delivery conditions. Printer ink will wash off and bleed in rain water.
If you are shipping large bulky items, wrap and bend cardboard around the areas you want protected. Balloons for packing large bulky items really come in handy. Its ok to use air pockets under cardboard. Use saran wrap to hold air packets in place. Shrink wrap or do a cardboard wrap if you have sharp areas that might break the air bag. Tape the cardboard into place without allowing any tape to touch the item.
Use air packets, balloons or small light weight boxes to fill vacant areas in your package. Reserve the costly packing peanuts for small shipments.
Use rubber bands instead of tape to hold your bubble wrap in place. Your handicap customers who have difficulty removing tape, will love you for this.
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REQUIRES SPECIAL HANDLING
Stemware Tips:
Always fill the bowl area of the goblet with tissue paper or packing peanuts before you bubble wrap.
Wrap all goblets in tissue paper, paper towel or a protective paper to prevent scratching if any shifting occurs during shipment.
Bubble wrap goblets before using PRE- ROLLED cardboard tubes for double protection.
Book Shipping Tips:
When packing books for shipping... use a flat box that is at least 2 inches larger at each of the 4 sides of the book.
Be sure to First, Completely Seal your book in plastic to protect in wet delivery conditions.
Place the book dead center in the bottom of the box. DO NOT protect the CORNERS by using a padding, or any type of protection. You want to protect the corners with nothing more than air! Place a piece of styrofoam or soft foam at each CENTER SIDE, and each CENTER END. (see photo below) If the book has movement, add a larger piece of styrofoam until NO movement is noticed. The styrofoam pieces should hold the book centered in the middle of the box. If a corner gets crushed in shipment, you have at least a 2 inch gap to allow for the impact of the crush. If padding IS PLACED at the corners, and if damage occurs, the force of the damage with protection in place will impact the corner of the book inside that box. Place a piece of cardboard across the top of the book before sealing it shut. I do this just in case the buyer uses a box knife to open the box. This is the safest method I have found.
Offer a free mylar cover as part of your auction, it protects the jacket during shipping and the buyer gets an added bonus you can include as part of your auction. They are very inexpensive, and can be purchased here on ebay.
Stay away from manilla and padded envelopes for shipping books, they do not offer enough protection for the corners and edges of the book, PERIOD!
EBAY MOTORS: See my other guide for shipping heavy auto parts like Cams & Heads
EBAY MOTORS:
http://reviews.ebay.com/SHIPPING-GUIDE-FOR-EBAY-MOTORS-TIPS-amp-TRICKS-CAMS-HEADS_W0QQugidZ10000000004726013
If you found this guide helpful, please remember to click "YES" at the bottom. Thank you for taking the time to read my guide.
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