Shipping baseball caps

[glacier922]

Anyone have experience with shipping baseball caps or any hats? I don't want it being crushed or anything while it is being shipped. What kind of packages do you use and how do you package them? Any help would be great, thanks.

[bjammin]

I would look on valuemailers.com. they also have an EB store, and see what all they have to offer. I like their shipping supplies.

[Erik_]

Depends really on how much you're willing to spend on packaging. I used to sell caps/hats in Australia and just used a basic satchel for postage. Never had a single complaint about the hats being crushed.

Some customers would request that the hats would be send out in a box, but it was a very low percentage. But when I was sending items internationally I would post them in a box. You'll notice if you order a hat from a Chinese supplier that they usually send it in a box.

[glacier922]

Got a link for that "satchel"? That's a new word for me lol. Could I just type satchel on google and that's the package I can use? Thx

[Erik_]

Another term for them maybe courier bags, or postal bags. I suppose different countries have different lingo.

They're just a basic bag. If you're going down the route of boxing each hat, i'd mention it in your listing as it's a good selling point.

Here's a picture of the satchel:

http://www.bigredpackaging.com.au/Si...chel-Bag-L.jpg

[glacier922]

Ahh I see. So boxing each hat carries a certain premium? I think it should be light enough to send it through first class mail in the states. It's the cheapest form of sending under 12 ounces and fastest. Thanks for the suggestions guys.

[Erik_]

Originally Posted by glacier922

Ahh I see. So boxing each hat carries a certain premium?

As someone who also buys a lots of hats personally, I am not sure that i'd pay a premium for a box. But if the seller is advertising boxed packaging it's definitely a plus for me.

Curved brim hats - I don't really mind how it's packaged.

Flat brim hats - I want it packed in a box so it has the least chance of bending.

[MM78]

People love their hats.

[vogeltron]

Originally Posted by bjammin

I would look on valuemailers.com. they also have an EB store, and see what all they have to offer. I like their shipping supplies.

There corrugated boxes aren't that great from valuemailers I am looking for a different source once I run out of these I have on stock. I sell lots of baseball style hats. Always use 8x8x5 corrugated boxes. I just put each hat in a plastic bag like you would get from the grocery store. They usually end up weighing about 9 or 10 oz. I don't even stuff with news paper or anything else. Just put the hat in a bag then in the corrugated box.

Sometimes if it is just over 9 oz you can trim a flap and get under the weight.

They are somewhat expensive compared to bubble mailers. Like .40 or .50 cents. I can't remember. But 10 oz first class mail + the box is still cheaper than any for of priority mail.

I buy bubble mailers from Value Mailers and I bought several hundred corrugated boxes a few months ago. I was not impressed on the quality of the boxes the bubble mailers have been fine.

[bjammin]

That is good to know. I have used the bubble mailers and poly bags, but only flirted with buying their boxes. Now I won't. Thank you Vogeltron!

[GreenBean]

Originally Posted by bjammin

That is good to know. I have used the bubble mailers and poly bags, but only flirted with buying their boxes. Now I won't. Thank you Vogeltron!

Never been sure if it was a bad batch, but those boxes last season especially were not the better standard they had been.

[jeffweico]

You might want to try pkging.com for any type of boxes. They are inexpensive AND you can even have your logo printed for a small fee. They are much cheaper than sources such as uline. I'm not sure how they would compare to valuemailers. I love valuemailers for bubble mailers and shipping labels (for the Zebra LP2844), but not for their boxes or mailing tubes.

[vogeltron]

Originally Posted by bjammin

That is good to know. I have used the bubble mailers and poly bags, but only flirted with buying their boxes. Now I won't. Thank you Vogeltron!

Yea, there weren't great. To revise what I said before. Been buying the Poly Bubble Mailers. Not the yellow generic ones. They have been a pretty good source thus far.

Looking for a good place to buy Corrugated boxes. Unfortunately don't live close enough to a Uline center to pick em up and I don't need an entire Pallet to the math doesn't pencil out.

[rsot]

Bubblewrap considered?

[vogeltron]

Originally Posted by rsot

Bubblewrap considered?

Not on Hats. If you have a good corrugated box. You can usually just put the hat in a plastic bag if it does not already come with one. Sometimes trim a flap and get it just under 9 or 10 oz. Depending on size etc.

I will say learning over the past two years makes me feel like and idiot. I use to ship Priority for US hats. Put them in the shoe boxes over pay for shipping even considering the cost of a corrugated box which ain't cheap. I was to dumb and cheap to figure out the most cost effective way. I guess money was easier back then so I didn't care.

[rsot]

I shipped very few hats way back - nothing like wholesale, just getting rid of old gear (some of the sales for which I regret - oh well) - I would just bag and wrap - no complains /shrug

[Sandy D]

I ship a ton of new and vintage hats and send them in a good bubble mailer most of the time.

If it is a vintage hat and I make large profits on it I will make sure to put it into a box.

Never an issue with a good bubble mailer. Dont go cheap as they will get crushed.

[rsot]

Friend ordered a cap from Cali to Montreal - was crushed to hell - she was annoyed.

[GreenBean]

File a claim or get a refund.

Fact of online shopping.

Deal with it.

Dont go cheap or risk damage.

[rsot]

Preaching to the choir Madam you're spot on

[glacier922]

@sandy d

What bubble mailer do you mean? Do you mean this type of mailer:

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1401769460.497493.jpg

Also, what size box do you use? I want to use the minimum size possible. Walmart or those types of stores don't have a sample size box for me to eyeball the size, so I have to rely on pics on the Internet, so I can't eyeball that.

Can a box be shipped first class mail cheaply? I know a hat and an empty box should be less than 13 ounces and usually those are really cheap to ship first class. Thanks.

[vogeltron]

If you are shipping baseball hats. New ones fitted or even snap backs. 8x8x5 corrugated boxes are the way to go. You can ship first class mail. They usually end up being 9 or 10 ounces in weight. I have seen one person use 8x7x5 its a bit tight might not fit all hats.

I would never ever ship a baseball hat in a bubble mailer. You would have to be insane. Possible some other hat might be fine. But the original post was about Baseball hats/caps. I sell about a thousand caps a year. 8X8X5 Corrugated box and USPS Frist Class mail. I use to be cheap and ship priority because I didn't want to buy the boxes it cost me about a $1-1.50 more in the end. I am sure the difference is even more now.