You do not need expensive packaging materials if you are sending an acrylic display stand but if it is a delicate figurine then something more than a bubble mailer would be expected.
You’ve all heard stories about the friend or neighbor that received an item in the mail and due to the poor packaging, it arrived in pieces. It’s a fact of life that many items gets banged around and some destroyed while being shipped. You may consider writing Fragile on items you are shipping but that may even be an invitation to some to have fun with it.
The problem most face is that they simply do not use the right materials when it comes to packaging. You do not need expensive packaging materials if you are sending an acrylic display stand but if it is a delicate figurine then something more than a bubble mailer would be expected.
A real key to packaging safely is the movement within the package. This is often something that is overlooked and can be remedied as easily as scrunching up some old news print. Literally an expense of pennies and a minute of your time can make the difference in your item arriving safely or not.
If you feel that newspaper looks a little unprofessional, especialy if it is someting going to an online buyer then bubble wrap would do the same thing and is also not very expensive.
Another sometimes overlooked process is a quick wrap in some plastic film. This is very inexpensive, can be bought at your local warehouse store and will protect even the most expensive items from any water damage.
A final word on shipping carefully. If it is an expensive item then you may want to hire a proper courier and not go with the local post. An investment of a couple dollars more could mean a new lifelong client instead of a demand for reimbursement.
A good courier will will strive to keep his reputation strong where an hourly wage earner at the post office may not be so interested in the care of your package.
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