What is the best way to ship comics or similar items from Canada to US with delivery confirmation?

[kerrcollectables]

What is the most cost-effective method to ship comics via Canada Post to the USA with a Paypal-accepted proof delivery?

Size-wise, I am looking at shipping items in large document envelopes with cardboard protection. They are in the gray area where the value is too much for me to feel comfortable shipping without some protection from scammers, but not enough to spend $50+ on shipping.

I am having a very hard time definitively finding the answer on the Canada Post site, and the people at the post office seem not to know either. The answers I have found so far seem outrageously exhorbitant.

[silverpinups · Accepted solution]

I would ship the comics in a comic bag and back board between 3 pieces of thick corrugated cardboard in bubble mailers or using boxes.

Gorilla proof packaging is needed for expensive comics and using Canada Post shipping services such as Tracked Packet-USA or International (up to 100.00 in insurance) 15.00-45.00CDN for shipping or Xpresspost-USA or International (up to 800.00CDN in insurance) 35.00-95.00CDN for shipping.

Tracking is required for Seller Protection (proof of delivery).

Unfortunately, there aren't many options available via Canada Post.......  

[kerrcollectables · Accepted solution]

Thank you very much. I didn't know about Tracked Packet-USA.

I am still confused though because the "Find a Rate" tool on the Canada Post website only offers me USA Letter Post or Priority Worldwide.

[momcqueen · Accepted solution]

That's for lettermail only. If you meet minimum dimensions by boxing it, it becomes a parcel and you have more options presented to you. If it were me, I'd wrap it in something waterproof like a polybag and then put it inside a very thin box with careful stuffing so that it remains completely immobile. With tracking.

[kerrcollectables · Accepted solution]

Oh, I see. I haven't used XpressPost in a very long time, but I thought they gave you a flat stiff document envelope into which would fit a packaged comic?

Where do you get suitable thin boxes? Or do you just make it yourself from a larger box and packing tape?

[momcqueen · Accepted solution]

I buy all my boxes from uline. They come in every conceivable size. I don't sell magazines but toys of various sizes and like to be certain the box fits the item so I keep about two dozen different sizes on hand.

[momcqueen · Accepted solution]

Last I checked with Xpresspost USA is that they don't do thin. That envelope is a Priority service.