Shipping New in Box Items

[ericsells75]

My standard disclaimer is that I am new shipper and slowly tackling different topics.. today's question is Shipping New in Box Items.

I have a number of either New or Complete in original box items that I want to ship. It seems dumb to pack these in a different/new box to ship. But obviously I don't want to ship the item in plain sight. How do you ship these items so you don't waste a box or give away the contents? 

I've heard some say wrap in a garbage bag but that doesn't seem great. Brown wrapping paper?

Suggestions? Thoughts? Best Practices?

[pjcdn2005]

Most retail packaging does not stand up well in the mail so you should always put those items in a shipping box.   If an item is new in box, buyers expect the box to be in new condition too and if you ship it on it’s own, there is a good chance that it won’t look new, even if you wrap it in paper or plastic.

[reallynicestamps]

Exactly.

Retail packaging is designed to attract the customer. If it is damaged, even just scraped and bumped, the customer starts out feeling skeptical.

But most retailers received those packages in a larger quantity- on a pallet or boxed. That is the protection against damage in transit.

In addition to boxes, which are expensive, look into "B-flute" which is a corrugated card with only one smooth side. I used to use the kind where the non corrugated side was self-stick, making a sort of cornish pastie or empanada out of the item (mostly books).

https://www.uline.ca/Product/Detail/S-19399/Paper-Cushioning/Corrugated-Wrap-Roll-B-Flute-48-x-250%2...

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@ericsells75 

Always have a good supply of assorted boxes. I get mine for free from the local dollar store, and use 1 just slightly larger than the box you are shipping. If it's going in Canada and you are comfortable with the actual packaging you can wrap in brown wrapping paper(or a layer of bubblewrap for added protection) also available at your dollar store. If it is going a great distance to another country best to ship in another box. If it's in wrapping paper customs could always open and no guarantee they would re-wrap. More suggestions from canadapost attached

https://www.canadapost.ca/blogs/business/ecommerce/packaging-101-what-you-need-to-know/amp/

-Lotz

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

Box in box.

Use bubble wrap or air pads to make sure it doesn't bounce around.

It is generally acceptable to re-use a box from something else. So if you order something online, and the box isn't trashed, hold on to it. You can also get free boxes from grocery stores just by asking, but they may not all be appropriate for shipping.

Like others have said. If someone buys something new, there is a general expectation that it will arrive looking like it came off of a store shelf. If you ship a new in box item without an extra cardboard box, the odds of that happening are low.

Alternatively, Canada Post sells flat rate boxes in three different sizes/price points. I think it is something like $18/$23/$28. I believe that flat rate = expedited shipping speed. I try to keep 1 of each flat rate size on hand, but they are rarely cheaper than the Shippo rates. I recently shipped a 2.5 KG package that was still slightly cheaper going from ON to BC than with a flat rate box. Although, if you're stuck in a situation where you have to pay $5 for a single box at Canada Post or Staples, that is when the flat rate box might be cheaper, because the box comes "free" with the postage.

[hlmacdon]

Box cutting tools tend to be popular for shippers of irregular or inconsistently sized items so they can resize larger shipping boxes to fit their items. I never ship things in bare retail packaging. Sensitive point for customers and free advertising for the porch bandits.