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Shipping Comics
General Concepts
The first rule of shipping comics is: Keep it flat!
Remember, every bend, wrinkle, and crease is another demerit for that
comic. Even if you think "Oh, it's so old and beat-up already, I'm
sure it won't matter," remember that the person on the receiving end
wants the best they can get, which probably means "old, beat-up, and
flat!"
Cardboard. You'll want cardboard. And a knife or something to cut it
down to size, of course, but you've got to have cardboard.
The best way to protect a comic in shipment is to sandwich it between
two pieces of cardboard, each of which is slightly larger than the comic.
Because comics are about 7" by 10", I've found that 8" by 11" cardboards
are just right - and that fits nicely into most envelopes, too!
Please keep in mind that the thin, white cardboard used to store comics
(the "backing" board that goes in with a plastic bag) is not
enough to keep a comic flat in shipment. Using multiple backing boards
doesn't really help much, either, since it's still relatively easy to
bend a short stack of them. Stick with plain, old corrugated cardboard.
Supplies
Got your cardboard? Great! Here are a few other things you'll need:
- Bag and board for the comics
- Tape
- Envelope or Box
Let's take it from the top:
Bag and Board: As mentioned, you should probably put each comic
in a plastic bag, with a backing board. Not just any bag and board!
Your local comic shop would be glad to sell you as many bags and boards
as you need - from one to a thousand. Try to resist the temptation to
use an "almost-right" bag, or to skip the backing board, or to use some
other form of stiff paper or cardboard. These are all the wrong
way to save money, since they'll either not help preserve the comic, or
actually damage it!
In addition, when I'm packing comics for shipment, I like to put the
bagged comic in another plastic bag. This can be just about any
kind of bag, and ensures that the "real" bag doesn't get tape goo on it.
Tape: "Oh, come on, tape is tape, right?" Well, yes and no.
The problem is that neither regular cellophane tape nor masking tape
are very good at sticking to cardboard for a very long time, so you
really ought to use packing tape - I use the 2" wide size.
Envelope or Box: Okay, now we're getting into specifics: How
many comics are you shipping? What "class" of shipping are you using?
We'll get into specifics below, but here's an "obvious" point: Make
sure the envelope or box can hold the comic(s), after they've
been padded with cardboard! (Can you guess how I learned this lesson?)
One comic
Okay, you've got your cardboard and tape and all, and you're ready to go!
- Put the comic in the comic bag, with backing board
- (Optional) Put the bagged comic in a generic bag
- Put the comic between two pieces of slightly-larger cardboard,
and tape that "sandwich," using packing tape.
- Here's a refinement: If you can, use one piece of cardboard
with top-to-bottom corrugations, and the other with left-to-right
corrugations. This makes the sandwich extra strong!
- Put the sandwich in an envelope, add address and postage, and you're done!
Well, of course, I skipped the part about picking the envelope and postage.
As always, shipping choices come down to deciding between time and money.
(Chances are, the recipient was the one who made this decision, but it's a
good idea for you to keep these things in mind.)
Is this a cheap comic, not deserving of deluxe treatment?
Then you probably want to use a plain, manila envelope, and First Class mail; depending on the weight, this will cost $1.18 to $2.30.
Does the recipient want the comic NOW, and hang the cost?
Then you probably want to use one of the Postal Service's Priority Mail
envelopes, the ones marked "Flat Rate;" this will cost $3.95 (Note that if you use your own
envelope and it's one pound or less, it's a mere $3.50). Or you can use
Express Mail for overnight shipping: $12.25 and up. Ouch!
At this size, the Postal Service is probably the most economical choice;
UPS and other package-oriented businesses are better for larger items.
Note that the choice of shipping methods does not change the way
you pack the comic!
Some people prefer to use padded envelopes (either lined with "foamy"
plastic, or bubble-plastic), and I can see why - the padding does a
great job of preventing most dents and dings, and the plastic keeps most
moisture from getting to the comics inside. And they work well whether
you're using First Class or Priority Mail - no need to keep two kinds
of envelopes on hand! However, even though padded envelopes are stiffer than plain ones,
you still need to sandwich your comic in cardboard - keep it flat!
"Do Not Bend": Should you write this on the envelope? It seems like
an obvious thing to do, but here are a couple points to consider: Like it
or not, such notices do draw attention to your package, and all it takes
is one contrary-minded person to undo your hard work. Also, my opinion is
that if you've got nice, stiff cardboard, saying "Do Not Bend" is just
redundant. Personally, I almost never add that notice.
Two to Ten comics
This is pretty much the same as shipping one comic, with just a few
exceptions.
Bag and Board: If you're sending multiple recent comics in a series,
e.g. Iron Man #320 to #330, most collectors won't mind if you put
two comics in one bag. If you're sending a bunch of cheap comics (25¢
each, or less), you can probably put them all in one bag. But remember the
first rule: Keep them flat!
Cardboard: Yes, you still want to sandwich this stack of comics
between two pieces of cardboard.
Envelope: Here's where it starts getting tricky, because it's hard
to get more than eight comics (in cardboard) into a regular envelope.
If you're using Priority Mail, you might check out the large
Tyvek® envelopes at the post office - your
cardboard sandwich is sure to fit in one! When I use one of those, I
seal it up normally, then fold and tape all the loose parts, so that it's
a tidy bundle, rather than having the comics sliding around inside.
Ten to One Zillion comics
Now things get different! Obviously, you'll have to switch from an
envelope to a box. But what box?
It's easy to get a box that holds a couple hundred comics - it's called
a "short box," and it's available through most comic shops for about
three or four dollars. Pack it with comics, tape it up tight, and you're
ready to ship! (I still recommend a plastic bag, for moisture protection;
use a wastebasket-size trash bag to line the box.)
The difficult task is finding the right size box for
your in-between size stack of comics. Look at the stack, visualize
something else that size, then go to a store that sells those things
and see if they've got an old box! (Who says comic collectors aren't
creative?!)
However you obtain your box, remember to pack it tightly enough that
the comics don't shift around inside. Again, put the comics inside a
"generic" bag (such as a plastic grocery bag) and tape that closed - it'll
help hold them together as a unit, making it easier to pack the rest of
the box with foam peanuts or crumpled paper or whatever.
Now that we're getting to seriously heavy boxes (10 pounds or more), it's
probably worth your while checking alternatives to the post office;
UPS is the usual choice for this size shipment, although FedEx Home
Delivery is not as expensive as you might suspect.
General Shipping Info
Web sites: No surprise here - all the big shippers have helpful
Web sites, including the post office!
US Postal Service -
Be sure to see their Rate Calculator
United Parcel Service -
They've also got a
Quick Cost
Calculator
FedEx -
Surprise! They also have a
"Get Rates" page!
Media Rate: This was formerly known as "Book Rate" or "Special Standard Rate." It's much cheaper than other rates for packages
over a pound, and it's got an entire set of restrictions
in the USPS guidelines. Frankly, though, it seems to come down to one
simple question: Will the clerk at the post office allow you to send
a package marked "Book Rate," or will they refuse it ("Comics are not
books")? You'll never know until you try, right? And even in one post
office, one clerk might allow it and another clerk refuse it. Good luck!
(This is why it pays to be nice to the postal clerks.)
Insurance? It's a good idea to insure your package, but keep in
mind what you're getting. If the package is lost or damaged, the
sender collects the insurance money, not the recipient - if the
recipient paid you for the comics, then presumably you'd use the
insurance to refund their money. I've heard stories of both success and
failure at getting a payment for postal insurance - use your judgment.
Delivery Tracking? This service was introduced by the USPS in 1999 or so, and it's useful for what it does, but you need to understand what it
does not do. Delivery Tracking lets you know when our package was
delivered. Sometimes, not always, it lets you know where your
package is during shipment, e.g. sitting in a warehouse in Kansas City.
My opinion is that it's useful if you need verification that your comics
got there - to be blunt, if you don't trust the recipient to tell you.
For the most part, I don't use Delivery Tracking.
Shipping outside the US
Not in the United States?
I apologize for the US-centric approach I've taken here, but most of this
information is taken from my personal experiences, and I've only resided in
one country. We'd love your help with non-US shipping info - send mail to
the editor!
Meanwhile here's one bit of assistance: The USPS has a short page of
links to Other Postal Web Sites.
Sending outside the United States?
This opens up a fairly large set of issues, but let's stick to basic
assumptions: We'll assume that the recipient has paid you appropriately,
that it's legal for them to receive your comics in their country,
and that you're using the US Postal Service.
The two things you'll have to handle now are:
- Customs Forms: In most circumstances, you need to fill out
USPS Form 2976, declaring a value for the contents of your package.
You'll also need to declare whether it's a gift, or merchandise; this
usually determines whether or not the recipient has to pay duty fees.
Strictly speaking, if the recipient paid you for the comics, you should
check the "Merchandise" box, but it's not uncommon for people to try to
avoid the fees.
- Postage Options: Again, the trade-off is speed vs. time!
If your package is 4 pounds or less, you can send it via "Global
Priority Mail" (3 to 5 days, $9), and "Small Packet - Surface" (4 to 6
weeks, usually under $5) allows packages up to 11 pounds. Chances are,
the recipient of your comics knows about these options, and can give
you as much advice and information as you need.
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Oct-15-04 at 00:00:00
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