I'm trying to figure out the cheapest but safest method for shipping single issue raw comics using USPS First Class. 1 1

[Robot Man]

3 hours ago, gregwynn said:

Do people actually think that the post office reads the do not bend? Better too add enough card board so that they can not bend the package.  Next thing you will tell me is COA's are actually worth something 

I put that on the package for the carrier so they won’t try and bend it to put in a letter slot. 

[fastballspecial]

On 5/1/2021 at 10:27 AM, adampasz said:

I don't put a cardboard sandwich in the gemini. You don't need it. The Gemini is plenty thick.

Better to reinforce with extra backing boards, or maybe a single piece of thinner cardboard. Gemini sells "filler pads", which are designed to fit in the mailer.

For higher-value books I would put the bagged & boarded comic in a top-loader or maybe a Mylite4 for some extra rigidity.

And $50 of bubble wrap is like 1000 feet! Probably way more than you need. I buy 175' rolls online for like $15.

I would definitely be adding cardboard either inside or out. I get at least 4 or 5 Gemini's a year that take corner damage because
they aren't protected well enough in the corner cardboard helps that. I dont buy Gemini's for cost reasons, but if I re-use them
I put a piece inside and outside as protection.

 

[fastballspecial]

If you want to ship 1st class get some poly mailers they are cheaper and you can put cardboard inside
them to protect the books. They are cheap and you can protect them better then Geminis do and are cheaper.

I cant stress enough that you need to secure your books inside the cardboard. A buyer usually will never complain
about a book that is well secured, but they will really complain if its slides out and gets corner dinged. Just saying.

'

[OuterboroGuy]

I use these from Bags Unlimited.  The Kraft mailer, plus one bagged and boarded comic, plus one cardboard filler pad/backer board they also sell, should come just below 8 ounces.  (However, I almost always send with the comic sandwiched between two backer boards secured with painter's tape, which ends up being over 8 ounces.  Never had a complaint and usually recipients are very pleased with the packaging.)

For more than 3 comics, I use the Gemini folding mailers and send those via USPS priority.  For more than 10/12 comics, I will use one of the Bags Unlimited mailer boxes and send those USPS non-flat rate Priority.

[Roo_Phillip]

For you fellow cardboard sandwich users, whether inside a Gemini or envelope, here's a very simple way to make your sandwich 3x as rigid:

Cut one piece of cardboard with the grain vertical and the other with the grain horizontal.

You're welcome.

 

(Excessive?  Possibly.  OCD?  You bet!.  But I hate damaged comics, and it's strong as heck.  Try it!)

[adampasz]

Just checked current eBay rates:

up to 8oz: $3.85
<=12oz: $4.68
<=16oz: $5.98
Legal Envelope (any weight): $7.70

You can (just barely) do Gemini + 1 comic + 2 pieces of cardboard for < 12oz.

Gemini + two comics plus + cardboard gets you closer to 16oz.

If you want to ship 8oz or less, you probably can't do it with a Gemini...

Note, these are cross-country rates. Regional rates to nearby states may be less.

 

Edited May 4, 2021 by adampasz

[theguy1991]

Thank you all for the responses!

[onlyweaknesskryptonite]

For one of the lowest cost (outside of gathering free second hand materials )

That I use on the cheapest books( but also use as the beginning to really protect all of my shipping up to full long boxes)is foamboard. Even if you get it at the local dollar general it is $1 a sheet and you can do 3-4 modern sized comics. It ends up being one of the cheapest, lightest, strongest material.  Here is a really quick run down /example of an oversized thicker book. in this example I use painter's tape but you can substitute it for cheaper tape. I also use ebay branded as I have piles of it built up from when I was selling a ton on ebay again you can use any packing tape

( even water activated for registered more expensive items also for making boxes<how I make boxes to hold/ship long boxes>) 

Measure size of book and mark at least 1/4" larger on all sides. When I cut it out I make sure to leave a seam that folds as apposed to taping all sides. again measure or trace width of the book and foam board sandwich to cut strips. 

use those strips to reinforce all sides/edges/corners. 

then use packing tape to secure all of that ( I usuallyplace two strips at edges then fold down onto the face and back to each edge is at minimum double layered.  

just this if you are shipping say a 99 cent book or reader copy. It is a lot stronger that you would think and here is its weight. 

that said this is really being as cheap as possible.  When I ship anything worth something this is only the sandwich that then gets a layer of bubble wrap and into a Gemini.  More expensive . The Gemini gets bubble wrapped and goes into a priority flat rate or I make another box similar to the method above and use the registered tape. 

 

This works for any size package as you make your own. I have used this 3000+ times in the last 10 years. Here is a quick photo shot of long box ( only images not shown is that the long box uses two lids one top and bottom as well as a layer of foam board to fill in between those lids. ) 

Also note on heavy packages I use the reinforced water activated tape ( registered tape) 

[onlyweaknesskryptonite]

Also works great for cards. 

[onlyweaknesskryptonite]