How do you ship?

BusyBailey

BusyBailey

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Jun 19, 2015
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I'm getting ready to sell a few knives on the Exchange for the first time and I'm reviewing my options for shipping and payments. I think I've got the whole Pay Pal thing down but that is a different subject altogether. I've never really done much shipping myself and was wondering if there were any tips or tricks you'd care to pass to a guy just starting out.

So far the only experience I've had with shipping was sending in a SOG so long ago I can't remember anything about the experience. Then, about two weeks ago, I shipped a knife to Spyderco and used UPS per the recommendation on their warranty page. I'm not really sure what I expected but $13 seemed a bit high for what was essentially a bubble envelope. I had pre-packaged the knife in an old box so that wasn't as important in this case.

So here I am, taking my pictures and getting ready to post in the Exchange, help me be a good seller and ship well.
 
I use usps priority. I have a roll of bubble wrap i use and wrap the knife up, shove it in the box and your good. With priority you get a tracking number to give to the buyer and it normally only takes 2-3 days
 
99% of the time I use usps priority mail with signature confirmation. I get nuts with wrapping. I buy a big role of plastic wrap, plastic wrap first. Then I wrap it in paper and mark handle end and blade tip. Next bubble wrap and pad inside box. For exterior taping I like hurricane tape or gorilla tape.
Lastly if it’s a very expensive item you may consider registered mail.

Hope this helps
 
I recommend using a box for shipping, with some sort of padding medium surrounding the knife or knife box that you place inside.
Packing peanuts, newspaper, plastic bags, bubble wrap, Kraft paper, it all makes good padding.
USPS shipping is almost always going to be cheaper than ups, and you still have tracking, and insurance if you want it, plus some people also have to PO boxes, which UPS does not ship to.
If you have PayPal, you can print out a label with that, and get a discount on it as well.
 
I use United State Post Office priority mail 2 day small flat rate box. Anywhere in the US for $7.20 (CONUS only? Never shipped to AK or HI) . An envelope is $6.70-7.25 so most folks use the box. Plus you can get a few pocket knives in one box.

When they pay by paypal (or money order/check, etc) you will get a shipping address. Copy or print that out and tape/write it on the box. Like valknut said, you will get a tracking number, email that info to the buyer so he/she can keep track of the new toy.

I haven't shipped to Canada or overseas in a long, long time.
 
USPS small flat rate box every time. Make sure it's packaged well, and it always arrives within 2-3 business days. I always ship for free, but some people add it into the price. I believe it is $7.20 shipped in a small flat rate box.
 
I ship USPS priority insured-usually the small flat rate box works. If the knife has it's own box, package(bubble wrap, paper towel, tissue) so it doesn't rattle around in it and then package(bubble wrap, paper towel, newspaper) that box it doesn't rattle around in the shipping box. If practical tape the knife to the bottom of the shipping box adds security. Tape is your friend-use lots of it on the shipping box-especially on the ends of the small flat rate boxes. If they are crushed the ends open up.
A signature also adds another layer of security -over $500 it comes automatically with the insurance
How many add ons-insurance, signature you use depends on the value and risk you are willing to accept-you are responsible for the package getting to the buyer
Other than that keep good communication with the buyer, ship fast and provide the tracking number as soon as possible.
Good luck on your sales
 
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Agree with the above consensus. I usually use bubble wrap and packaging tape to secure the entire package. Don't depend on the seal provided on the Priority Mail flat rate box.
 
USPS Priority. As a seller, I get why some may want to ship signature required. But as a buyer, I prefer it not be used, and typically ask sellers to not use it. Where I live, I don’t have a mail box on my property. There is a common post at the entrance to my street where each resident has a locking mail bin. There are also two large locking parcel bins as well. If my parcel doesn’t fit in my bin, it gets placed in one of the larger lockers, and that key is left in my bin.

If a package is sent signature required, it won’t be left in my locker, and now I have to find time to leave work early to get to the post office to pick it up. Yes, I know, minor inconvenience. But still, since my delivery point is secure, there’s no benefit for the sender to pay for signature required.
 
Astronaut FX said:
USPS Priority. As a seller, I get why some may want to ship signature required. But as a buyer, I prefer it not be used, and typically ask sellers to not use it. Where I live, I don’t have a mail box on my property. There is a common post at the entrance to my street where each resident has a locking mail bin. There are also two large locking parcel bins as well. If my parcel doesn’t fit in my bin, it gets placed in one of the larger lockers, and that key is left in my bin.

If a package is sent signature required, it won’t be left in my locker, and now I have to find time to leave work early to get to the post office to pick it up. Yes, I know, minor inconvenience. But still, since my delivery point is secure, there’s no benefit for the sender to pay for signature required.
Click to expand...
That solves 1/2 the problem, but what if the PO delivers it to another box than yours or steals it and marks it delivered. I understand the problem, but I just had an $800 knife with signature delivery, marked delivered and signed for by someone other than the buyer(scrolled address and signature). If it hadn't been for the signature the PO would have just ended things there, but with the bad signature the buyer filed a claim and miraculously the knife reappeared. No doubt it is a pain until it saves a knife.
I think mass drop areas (apartments and such) are where the signature is most useful. The GPS reading isn't much help(I believe) where there are a number of units located together.
Also hard to claim you didn't get something if you signed for it.
Non the less it is just an added form of security and it is up to the individuals if it is used or not. Almost all packages would arrive safely without insurance or signature. It is only when you fall into the almost group that it comes in handy.
 
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I always ship USPS Priority in a small flat-rate box and insurance to the value of the sold knife. I put the knife in its box, assuming it has one. If the knife rattles in the factory box, I use bubble wrap until it doesn't, then I pad the factory box inside the flat-rate box and use regular shipping tape to cover all of the box seams and the shipping label.

I do hand-write the shipping label, but I have very neat block printing.

I also prefer not to have signature required on delivery because I am never home when delivery is attempted, but I will add it if a buyer wants it.

Not sure what I'll do if I sell something that won't fit in a small flat-rate box, though.
 
Wow guys. That was a load of useful information. Thank you very much. I hope a few of you will help me practice and scoop up some of the knives I'm putting up.
 
USPS Priority Mail boxes. The knife wrapped securely in bubble wrap. A packing slip attached to the Bubble wrap. The Knife Taped to the inside of the USPS Priority Mail box. The Box assembled, sealed and taped.

I forget who was the first member here to send me a knife taped to the inside of the Priority Mail box. There's no way you can get the item out of the box without taking it completely apart. It's really secure.
 
USPS Flat rate with the object wrapped in a plastic bag then bubble wrapped and that bundle taped down to the bottom of the box. Packing material surrounding the object. Every seam and corner on the box is taped.
Always insured for 100% of the amount, and signature required on anything over $250.

When folks buy from you, they are paying for your reputation. Once they pay, you are holding their knife, treat it as such.
 
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I always ship USPS First-Class in a small box or Priority Flat Rate box. I only accept Goods & Services payments, my price is always all-in (including the shipping and PayPal fee), and I only ship to the US because shipping internationally is expensive and inherently riskier. This lets me generate and print my shipping label via PayPal, and both I and the buyer get PP's G&S protection.

My packaging method varies a bit depending on the size and construction of the knife and what I have on hand, but most often it's:
  1. Turn a 1' square of bubble wrap diagonally and roll the knife up inside it
  2. Fold the ends into an "S" shape and then tape everything together in the middle
  3. Put bubble wrap in the box
  4. Nestle the knife in there like a baby bunny bedding down for a nap ;)
  5. Put more bubble wrap in the box
  6. Tape multiple times across the box in both directions (and with Flat Rate Small, make sure to cover the "easy access" tabs in tape)
Sometimes I'll wrap the knife in paper towel before the bubble wrap (for a traditional slipjoint with fancy scales, let's say), and sometimes I'll use crumpled-up paper newspaper for the outer layer of padding. But no matter what my end goal is a knife securely bubble-wrapped, well-protected from moisture, surrounded by padding on all sides, with as little room to move in the box as possible, in a sturdy box with enough tape to make sure it arrives in the same condition it left in. I've sold a couple dozen knives here and never had a problem with this approach to packaging.

And lastly, I follow up via PM (or wherever) with a tracking number, and generally follow up again after I see that the knife has arrived.
 
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