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| | | Author: | Yaboyaric  | | Posted: | Jan 31, 2023 08:32 | | Subject: | Shipping sets question. | | Viewed: | 92 times | | Topic: | Shipping | |
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| I'm thinking of listing a few unopened sets for sale. But I'm new to
selling and not sure the best way to package/ship them. Also should I insure
them or should I leave that up to the buyer?
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| | | | | Author: | jennnifer | | Posted: | Jan 31, 2023 09:44 | | Subject: | Re: Shipping sets question. | | Viewed: | 33 times | | Topic: | Shipping | |
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| In Shipping, Yaboyaric writes:
| | I'm thinking of listing a few unopened sets for sale. But I'm new to
selling and not sure the best way to package/ship them. Also should I insure
them or should I leave that up to the buyer?
|
Pack them securely within a larger, sturdy cardboard box. Use lots of bubble
filler or the brown paper LEGO uses now. Use at least one layer of plastic to
protect against moisture. Always assume your buyer cares a great deal about the
condition of the box.
You can include insurance in the total cost of postage for your buyer, or cover
the additional cost yourself. Insurance is never up to the buyer. You are responsible
for the delivery of the package, not them. If it doesn't arrive, you are
the one who would be refunding and then filing the claim. Use Paypal/Shipstation
or Pirate Ship to print postage and save money for your customers with commercial
rates.
Monitor the tracking so you know when it's been delivered and received.
Good luck!
Jen
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| | | | | Author: | pcthurman | | Posted: | Jan 31, 2023 10:00 | | Subject: | Re: Shipping sets question. | | Viewed: | 34 times | | Topic: | Shipping | |
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| In Shipping, Yaboyaric writes:
| | I'm thinking of listing a few unopened sets for sale. But I'm new to
selling and not sure the best way to package/ship them.
|
Always pack your sealed sets in a new cardboard box. Never use a used box because
the box strength has been compromised from already being used. I bubble wrap
the sealed box, I also use packing peanuts or large air bubbles and fill the
entire area around the sealed set to protect it from any damage that may occur
during shipping.
I also bubble wrap polybags, but I ship those in a bubble mailer.
| | Also should I insure
them or should I leave that up to the buyer?
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Insuring them is a good practice, not for the buyer, but for your protection!
Take pictures of your sealed sets so if a buyer wants to see the actual set you
are selling, you have them already. Package the sets up, get your weight and
dimensions, and enter those into your inventory "listing".
Secondly, very few buyers will ask for insurance and most buyers will baulk
at being charged extra for insurance. Since insurance is based on the price of
the item, calculate that into your asking price. Hypothetically, if you have
it listed for $200.00 and insurance will cost $6.00, then list your set for $206.00,
or list it for $200.00 and cover the cost of insurance yourself. As stated above,
insurance is for the seller's protection, not the buyers.
Lastly, think about signature delivery. This is required for any purchase over
$750.00 in the USA, however you can choose to use this if you want more protection
on more expensive sets. I use it on any purchase over $100.00 at my cost and
inform my buyer that a signature will be required.
I have been shipping used and sealed Lego sets worldwide for 19 years and have
only had 1 package damaged in all my years and never have had a package lost.
Above all, pack carefully, it will pay off in the long run.
Cass T
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| | | | | | | Author: | rab1234 | | Posted: | Jan 31, 2023 12:39 | | Subject: | Re: Shipping sets question. | | Viewed: | 32 times | | Topic: | Shipping | |
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| This is a good, thorough response. I would just argue that insurance is almost
never worth it. Shipping companies wouldn't offer it unless it made them
money. If you ship enough orders, you will average out saving a lot of money
by never getting insurance.
I've never had a package lost or damaged with over 2000 orders. I believe
First Class USPS covers $50, but if I'd paid for additional insurance on
orders over that amount, a rough guess is I'd have wasted maybe $500 to $1,000.
Building the insurance cost into your prices just means you're costing yourself
sales, so it's still costing you money in the long run.
However, if you're only planning on selling a handful of sets, by all means
use it for peace of mind.
In Shipping, pcthurman writes:
| | In Shipping, Yaboyaric writes:
| | I'm thinking of listing a few unopened sets for sale. But I'm new to
selling and not sure the best way to package/ship them.
|
Always pack your sealed sets in a new cardboard box. Never use a used box because
the box strength has been compromised from already being used. I bubble wrap
the sealed box, I also use packing peanuts or large air bubbles and fill the
entire area around the sealed set to protect it from any damage that may occur
during shipping.
I also bubble wrap polybags, but I ship those in a bubble mailer.
| | Also should I insure
them or should I leave that up to the buyer?
|
Insuring them is a good practice, not for the buyer, but for your protection!
Take pictures of your sealed sets so if a buyer wants to see the actual set you
are selling, you have them already. Package the sets up, get your weight and
dimensions, and enter those into your inventory "listing".
Secondly, very few buyers will ask for insurance and most buyers will baulk
at being charged extra for insurance. Since insurance is based on the price of
the item, calculate that into your asking price. Hypothetically, if you have
it listed for $200.00 and insurance will cost $6.00, then list your set for $206.00,
or list it for $200.00 and cover the cost of insurance yourself. As stated above,
insurance is for the seller's protection, not the buyers.
Lastly, think about signature delivery. This is required for any purchase over
$750.00 in the USA, however you can choose to use this if you want more protection
on more expensive sets. I use it on any purchase over $100.00 at my cost and
inform my buyer that a signature will be required.
I have been shipping used and sealed Lego sets worldwide for 19 years and have
only had 1 package damaged in all my years and never have had a package lost.
Above all, pack carefully, it will pay off in the long run.
Cass T
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| | | | | | | | | Author: | peregrinator | | Posted: | Jan 31, 2023 12:59 | | Subject: | Re: Shipping sets question. | | Viewed: | 37 times | | Topic: | Shipping | |
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| In Shipping, rab1234 writes:
| | I've never had a package lost or damaged with over 2000 orders. I believe
First Class USPS covers $50, but if I'd paid for additional insurance on
orders over that amount, a rough guess is I'd have wasted maybe $500 to $1,000.
Building the insurance cost into your prices just means you're costing yourself
sales, so it's still costing you money in the long run.
|
First Class doesn't cover anything insurance-wise. Priority Mail covers $50
if you buy postage at the counter, $100 if you buy commercial.
FWIW I've had two orders go missing out of 500+ - about 1 per year. They
weren't worth insuring but imo anything over $100 is.
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| | | | | | | | | | | Author: | rab1234 | | Posted: | Jan 31, 2023 19:20 | | Subject: | Re: Shipping sets question. | | Viewed: | 29 times | | Topic: | Shipping | |
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| Well I’m that case I’d be out more like $4,000 if I’d bought insurance on all
my orders. I think I’ve paid for extra insurance a couple times when orders
were $500 or something.
In Shipping, peregrinator writes:
| | In Shipping, rab1234 writes:
| | I've never had a package lost or damaged with over 2000 orders. I believe
First Class USPS covers $50, but if I'd paid for additional insurance on
orders over that amount, a rough guess is I'd have wasted maybe $500 to $1,000.
Building the insurance cost into your prices just means you're costing yourself
sales, so it's still costing you money in the long run.
|
First Class doesn't cover anything insurance-wise. Priority Mail covers $50
if you buy postage at the counter, $100 if you buy commercial.
FWIW I've had two orders go missing out of 500+ - about 1 per year. They
weren't worth insuring but imo anything over $100 is.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | peregrinator | | Posted: | Jan 31, 2023 20:25 | | Subject: | Re: Shipping sets question. | | Viewed: | 30 times | | Topic: | Shipping | |
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| In Shipping, rab1234 writes:
| | Well I’m that case I’d be out more like $4,000 if I’d bought insurance on all
my orders. I think I’ve paid for extra insurance a couple times when orders
were $500 or something.
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Where are you buying insurance from? USPS is very overpriced - on the rare occasion
when I need it I use Shipsurance, it's like 1/3-1/2 the cost of USPS
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | rab1234 | | Posted: | Feb 1, 2023 10:50 | | Subject: | Re: Shipping sets question. | | Viewed: | 37 times | | Topic: | Shipping | |
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| Like I said, I don't get insurance often enough to even shop around. Checking
just now through USPS, it's around $2.50 for a first class package for the
cheapest insurance. So if I'd paid that on 2000 orders, I'd be out $5,000.
Even if I somehow found insurance for $1, it would be a loss of $2,000. The
bottom line is that by definition it's a losing proposition in the long run
or else no company would offer it.
In Shipping, peregrinator writes:
| | In Shipping, rab1234 writes:
| | Well I’m that case I’d be out more like $4,000 if I’d bought insurance on all
my orders. I think I’ve paid for extra insurance a couple times when orders
were $500 or something.
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Where are you buying insurance from? USPS is very overpriced - on the rare occasion
when I need it I use Shipsurance, it's like 1/3-1/2 the cost of USPS
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | Nubs_Select | | Posted: | Feb 1, 2023 11:47 | | Subject: | Re: Shipping sets question. | | Viewed: | 39 times | | Topic: | Shipping | |
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| In Shipping, rab1234 writes:
| | Like I said, I don't get insurance often enough to even shop around. Checking
just now through USPS, it's around $2.50 for a first class package for the
cheapest insurance. So if I'd paid that on 2000 orders, I'd be out $5,000.
Even if I somehow found insurance for $1, it would be a loss of $2,000. The
bottom line is that by definition it's a losing proposition in the long run
or else no company would offer it.
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Yikes that’s expensive. With chit chats the first $100 on a package to Canada
or the USA is only .49 CAD and then like $1-$2 CAD for each 100 extra till you
hit the limit of line $600-$700
| |
In Shipping, peregrinator writes:
| | In Shipping, rab1234 writes:
| | Well I’m that case I’d be out more like $4,000 if I’d bought insurance on all
my orders. I think I’ve paid for extra insurance a couple times when orders
were $500 or something.
|
Where are you buying insurance from? USPS is very overpriced - on the rare occasion
when I need it I use Shipsurance, it's like 1/3-1/2 the cost of USPS
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| | | | | Author: | Shiny_Stuff | | Posted: | Feb 1, 2023 12:28 | | Subject: | Re: Shipping sets question. | | Viewed: | 47 times | | Topic: | Shipping | |
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| In Shipping, Yaboyaric writes:
| | I'm thinking of listing a few unopened sets for sale. But I'm new to
selling and not sure the best way to package/ship them. Also should I insure
them or should I leave that up to the buyer?
|
All good answers on this thread already.
When possible, DOUBLE BOX Lego sets. Use an old, empty Lego set boxes that are
slightly larger or some other internal box. This is pretty easy to do with small
and medium sized sets, but may require some creative, extra effort for very large
and massive sets. Just be aware of the final combined weight so that you do
not push the parcel into the next shipping weight and size price level.
Also, other posts mention being generous with the bubble wrap or air pillows,
but DO NOT fill the shipping carton to the extreme -- leave some void space
so that if the outer shipping carton gets squished or smashed, the impact does
not also squish the Lego set inside.
When I used to ship a lot of sets, I would get a lot of FREE shipping cartons
late at night at grocery stores. My favorite were from frozen foods and pre-sliced
meats and cheese because the dimensions accommodated a lot of Lego set boxes
and the outer cartons from those products are often a much stronger grade of
corrugated cardboard.
Lego casepack boxes make poor outer shipping cartons for Lego sets if the set
you are shipping is the exact correct fit without any space for padding. They
do made a good internal box for Double Boxing.
Buying single boxes from pack-and-ship stores will work when you have no other
proper shipping carton available, but the price per box can be pretty high --
anywhere from three to seven dollars per box. Long term it is cheaper to find
a box wholesaler or manufacturer that is local to you where you can purchase
bundles of boxes of various sizes at wholesale prices and you can go there with
a vehicle yourself and avoid paying expensive freight delivery charges. Moving
companies also sell boxes, but they mostly stock sizes that are not ideal dimensions
for Lego sets.
Before even listing very large and jumbo sized Lego sets for sale, it may make
sense to see if you have a proper shipping carton for it. Then, after it sells,
you can be ready to ship it out much quicker.
____
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USA, New York
Canada, Ontario