How To Pack Your Books For Shipping - by Boozad

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It's always good to add an extra layer of moisture barrier too, regardless of the season. Right now, with the snow and rain, packages are getting left out in the elements. I always add an extra sealed plastic bag over the contents before packing.

This is a very good idea. I double bag my comics for the same reason then secure the 2nd bag down to the cardboard.

I sold a slab to a guy in California last summer (I'm in MI)...when it arrived, the heat had warped the plastic so bad that it had to be reholdered (on my dime). I used bubble-wrap around the slab & inserted that into a priority box. Anything I could've done different?

Come to think of it, CGC called me when they got it & told me it would need to be regraded because the book 'may' have been affected. It did go down to a 6.0 from a 6.5.

Mike

Wait... Hold up...

You are saying that the entire slab was melted in transition from MI to CA

Because of the weather?

That's what he said.

I found some old pictures...

It cost me a pretty penny. I had to pay to have it shipped back to CGC, & then when they said they would have to regrade it, I paid for that also. Oh well, live & learn. I'm just curious if there's something like putting too much bubble-wrap on or something.

Mike

OK - Here is another thing - do NOT use scotch tape to secure anything that is critical - it is just not that strong.

I recently received a $500 book that had been scotch taped down to an interior wall of an interior box. At the first bump on its journey, the whole book tore loose and was rattling around inside that interior box when I opened it up. Luckily, no damage, but it could have been a disaster.

Another one - you need to put multiple books in a singular bag prior to sealing them in a cardboard sandwich, otherwise they float and slide at the first bump. I got a shipment of about 30 books that were just piled loosely in the sandwich. They slid out and around, and the majority received corner duns from flying around inside the sandwich and the box.

I wrap my books in newspaper like a present, prior to making the cardboard sandwich.

That's what he said.

 

I found some old pictures...

 

 

 

It cost me a pretty penny. I had to pay to have it shipped back to CGC, & then when they said they would have to regrade it, I paid for that also. Oh well, live & learn. I'm just curious if there's something like putting too much bubble-wrap on or something.

 

Mike

Anyone knows how to avoid this type of thing?

Hey there, I just made a guide to packing CGC comic books for mailing. I'll attach it to this message. Please look it over and tell me if you think this looks like a good way to package? I wasn't actually mailing anything, just taking pictures so I could make this guide. I thought it might be useful to people. (Thanks to Forbush-man and others here for the suggestion about which USPS boxes to order.)

Bravo! Thanks to you and everyone else that has posted in order to help noob shippers have an idea on how to ship securely (me, soon).

Much appreciated!

OK - Here is another thing - do NOT use scotch tape to secure anything that is critical - it is just not that strong.

 

I recently received a $500 book that had been scotch taped down to an interior wall of an interior box. At the first bump on its journey, the whole book tore loose and was rattling around inside that interior box when I opened it up. Luckily, no damage, but it could have been a disaster.

 

Another one - you need to put multiple books in a singular bag prior to sealing them in a cardboard sandwich, otherwise they float and slide at the first bump. I got a shipment of about 30 books that were just piled loosely in the sandwich. They slid out and around, and the majority received corner duns from flying around inside the sandwich and the box.

Additionally - do not ship raw books in open top mylar snugs, unless you first bag and board them, or you bag and secure the mylar itself. At the first bump, the book will fly out of the top of the mylar snug. If you tape the mylar's opening as some sort of solution, the book just flies into the tape, and will likely get tape-pull damage.

That's what he said.

 

I found some old pictures...

 

 

 

It cost me a pretty penny. I had to pay to have it shipped back to CGC, & then when they said they would have to regrade it, I paid for that also. Oh well, live & learn. I'm just curious if there's something like putting too much bubble-wrap on or something.

 

Mike

 

Anyone knows how to avoid this type of thing?

Probably nothing anyone could do to avoid this from happening. Too many unknowns/questions involved here.

Did the package get left on a porch in direct sunlight on a 90+ degree day?

Was it left in a truck/van for a long time with windows rolled up in extreme heat?

Got this..bummer looks like a corner got taken out, which stinks cause the books were in amazing shape. All boards got hit, but 2 books got it:

Burn the witch.

Bought comics from Dave and Adam's Card World and they were bagged, no board, in top loaders, in a FedEx envelope, in a cardboard box with packaging peanuts.

That wasn't the problem, though. The problem was instead of tape, they used a DA Card World sticker to tape down the bag, resulting in a bag virtually impossible to open without damaging the book, especially considering there was no board. I ended up cutting the bag open, being extremely careful not to accidentally trim the comic. Heartstopping.

Guess I should have known from the name of the shop that they wouldn't know how to work with comics ...

Basically you're saying it was impossible to open without damaging the bag. And it arrived just fine? What's the problem?

Basically you're saying it was impossible to open without damaging the bag. And it arrived just fine? What's the problem?

Well, there wasn't a board in the bag, so it made it more difficult to open the bag without damaging the book-- even if I had scissors handy. Seems like an oversight to me, but maybe it's not as big a deal to other people.

Did your heart restart?

Did your heart restart?

Yes. I think hanging is too soft of a punishment, but that is just me. :shrug:

Don't use the O Medium Flat Rate Box (11 X 8.5 X5.5 ID) for shipping comics. It is too small and too flimsy, and you'll usually wind up with corner dints if you use this box, no matter how great the inside packaging.

The box is just too small to provide adequate protection from the normal rigors of shipping.

Linky

Gotta get a cracked slab replaced. Is there any advice on packaging/shipping or who best to ship with?

http://www.reliablepaper.com/12_1_8_x_9_1_8_x_1_White_Corrugated_Bookfolds_p/rpsm1291.htm

Just refreshed my stock in these mailers. This was the best price I could find online. These are very versatile. I usually also put a piece of corrugated on each side of the books and then place them in here.