Packing and shipping fragile items: the complete guide

You won the auction, the buyer paid — now the item has to survive the journey. Damaged-in-transit is the most avoidable dispute there is, and avoiding it costs about ten minutes and a few dollars of materials.

The double-box method

Professionals ship ceramics, glass, cameras and electronics the same way: wrap the item in bubble wrap, place it in a snug inner box, then float that box inside a larger outer box with at least five centimetres of cushioning on every side. The inner box should not move when you shake the outer one.

Materials worth paying for

• Genuine bubble wrap — crumpled newspaper compresses and shifts.
• A new outer box. Used boxes lose half their crush strength.
• Proper packing tape, applied in an H-pattern over every seam.
• A “FRAGILE” label — it will not guarantee careful handling, but it costs nothing.

Protect yourself as a seller

Photograph the item during packing, insure anything above your comfort level, and always ship with tracking. Add the tracking number to the order so the buyer can watch it travel — buyers who can see their parcel moving almost never open “where is my item” disputes.