Cardboard boxes and bubble mailers each have benefits and drawbacks when it comes to shipping LEGO items.
Should you pack your eBay LEGO orders into bubble mailers or cardboard boxes?Good question! The short answer? Bubble mailers are an inexpensive, lightweight option that works well with many common LEGO parts orders. Cardboard boxes, on the other hand, are better at protecting sealed LEGO set boxes as well as more fragile and delicate LEGO pieces. The long answer is…well, let’s stroll through the rest of the article to find out.
Using Bubble Mailers to Ship LEGO items
Many LEGO items can be packed safely and economically in bubble mailers. Bubble mailers are packing envelopes lined with bubble wrap. Use caution, however. Occasionally you will encounter more fragile pieces such as antennae that could potentially break without reinforcement like extra bubble wrap or stiff cardboard. If you’re shipping LEGO instruction manuals, reinforce them with extra cardboard so that they do not bend in the mail.
PROS OF BUBBLE MAILERS
– bubble mailers are inexpensive: bubble mailers can cost $0.10-$0.30 each if you buy them in quantities of 100 or more
– bubble mailers are more light weight than boxes, which reduces shipping costs
– bubble mailers take up less storage space than boxes
– USPS Flat Rate Padded envelopes are free (you need to order them through the USPS website)
CONS OF BUBBLE MAILERS
– bubble mailers cannot be recycled, making them less eco-friendly than boxes
– bubble mailers may require extra padding or cardboard reinforcement for more fragile items
Using Cardboard Boxes to Ship LEGO items
You will use boxes mostly to ship larger orders, some fragile items, and new in the box LEGO sets. Boxes are heavier and much sturdier than using padded envelopes. You will also need to use additional packing material inside the box so that the contents do not shift during shipping. Inside the box packing material can include: packing peanuts, bubble wrap, crumpled newspapers, etc.
PROS OF USING CARDBOARD BOXES
– boxes are much sturdier than bubble mailers
– boxes can be recycled, making them more eco-friendly than bubble mailers
– the post office provides free USPS Flat Rate Boxes (you can pick some up in the post office or order them online)
CONS OF USING CARDBOARD BOXES
– boxes cost more than bubble mailers
– boxes require more storage space than padded envelopes
– boxes require additional packing material inside to secure the shipment (e.g. packing peanuts, bubble wrap, crumpled newspaper, etc.)
Whether you choose boxes or bubble mailers largely depends upon the item you’re shipping and your own discretion. Just remember that if the item arrives to the buyer broken due poor packaging, you will be responsible for refunding the buyer. If you’re not sure whether the item will break or not, always err on the side of packing safer. Both your buyers and your Paypal account balance will thank you.