Archive for the ‘How To Ship’ Category

Our Supplement To Following Video
The author of this video found on YouTube recommends putting important documents in a box and we agree. We would like to add a few more points:

  • Place your documents in a plastic bag, or wrap them in plastic, in the event that the box gets exposed to liquids-such as if it should sit outside in the rain for any length of time.
  • Wrap your documents in thin plastic bubble wrap to avoid any document tearing.
  • Try to choose a box that will minimize the empty space inside the box after placing the wrapped documents.
  • Remember to always used good quality tape and tape the corners of the box closed. Box corner tearing is a common shipping problem.
  • Good Luck and Good Shipping,
    Your How To Ship Advisor

    Make your contribution and submit a video on how to ship documents using the recommendations above!!

    Comments (0) Posted on Tuesday, March 11th, 2008


We have foraged the internet and gathered all worthwhile links on “How To Ship a Bike” in one place. We reviewed each instructional for content value and have come up with the top 9 instructionals on “How to ship a bike” and have provided them here. Together they provide well rounded information needed to for you to get your bike to its destination. Let us know if we missed something.

#1 Here is an excellent series of video clips designed to help you pack and ship your bike we found on YouTube. The author goes through the steps needed to pack and ship your bike. We decided to break them up into two categories 1) bike disassembly and 2) packing and ship.

#2 This instruction provides you with a basic outline of steps and the materials needed to ship a bike. It does not go into the details. Good if you want a quick outline.
Instruction from BloomBikeShop

#3 This instruction provides more detailed steps without unnecessary wordiness.
An Ehow Tutorial

#4 This instruction seems to be geared towards a younger audience. It gets into a little more detail than the above but is also more wordy. They do provide some cute drawings.
Instruction from Tutorials.com

#5 This instructional is very bare bones but we include it because it stresses guarding against dim weight restrictions by obtaining the proper sized used bike box from a bike shop.This author also recommends obtaining a used box and cutting it if it is too big. We recommend just going out and getting smaller box.
A WikiHow Instruction

#6 We include this instruction because it describes a very nice and probably expensive case that can be obtained in order to ship a bike for frequent travelers. It also has a nice section at the end on picking a shipper, what day during the week to ship package and what service to use.
Instruction from Tr-County Bike Association

#7 This instruction describes one person’s experience trying to ship a bike to the US from Canada. Unless you are doing the same this may not be of interest to you.
Instruction from TravelWriter

#8 In this instruction the author goes through his experience shipping a bike. This is good if you want to read about other people’s experience.
Instruction from “hookllk”

#9 This is a ready made forum on shipping a bike. Here you can ask specific questions from bike shipping experts.
Instruction from ROAD BIKE REVIEW

Good Luck and Good Shipping,
Your How To Ship Advisor




Make your contribution and submit another video on how to ship a bike using the guidelines above!!

Comments (3) Posted on Tuesday, March 11th, 2008

Our Supplement To Following Video
Liquid blood is biological product and must be designated either an infectious specimen or a diagnostic specimen. According to the Department of Transportation guidelines in either case it has to be packed by a trained person. If the specimen lacks risk group 2-4 pathogens it then it is considered a risk group 1 specimen, or a diagnostic specimen, and the shipping of diagnostic specimens are governed by the following three regulating bodies:

Good Luck and Good Shipping,
Your How To Ship Advisor

Contribute to our site and submit a video on how to ship blood using the guidelines above!!

This video found on YouTube show is specifically on how to ship a dried blood sample.



Comments (0) Posted on Tuesday, March 11th, 2008

Our Supplement To Following Video
This is a short video entitled How to Ship On Ebay actually just shows you how to use Paypal to print out a shipping label once you have received confirmation of payment.


Our Supplement To Following Video
We like the following video very much. The author does a good job of mentioning the general points assoiciated with packaging and shipping on Ebay.

Contribute to our site and submit a video on how to ship on ebay that covers other aspects of shipping on Ebay!!

Good Luck and Good Shipping,
Your How To Ship Advisor

Comments (0) Posted on Tuesday, March 11th, 2008

Our Supplement To Following Video
The following video on shipping a guitar was found on YouTube. The author goes through the packing procedure for a guitar but says very little about shipping.
We have the following comments:

  • Be very careful with used boxes. Many corrugated boxes are manufactured for one time use. Be sure that any weak spots in the box are reinforced with acrylic packing tape.
  • Use acrylic tape at least 2 inches wide for closing the box. Tape the corners of the box as this is a common point for tearing.
  • When placing the guitar in the box make sure that you have filled in all the empty space.
  • Guitars may be subject to dim weight regulations. Input your specifications into the dim weight equation to be sure.
  • Think twice about marking a package “Fragile” or “Handle with Care” sometimes this pisses of a disgruntled courier and backfires.
  • Put the shipping label on the side of the box that you want to remain up during transit.
  • If you decide to use bubble wrap instead of old newspaper, use bubblewrap with at least 5/16 inch diameter. This is intended for medium weight objects.
  • Guitars may be shipped by DHL, Fedex or UPS. To avoid weekend storage in shipping warehouses ship via air on early in the week.

    Good Luck and Good Shipping,
    Your How To Ship Advisor

    Contribute to our site and submit a video on how to ship guitar using the guidelines above!!

    Comments (0) Posted on Tuesday, March 11th, 2008

Cakes fall either into the perishable or non perishable catergory. They can be shipped using any of the major shipping companies (Fedex, UPS, DHL, USPS)

In general, a cake should be shipped in two boxes. The inner box will contain the cake and keep it from being crushed. The outer box will contain the cake box and extra packing material.

Materials:

  • plastic refrigerator container (non perishable)
  • double corrugated cardboard (either)
  • packing foam or bubble wrap (either)
  • plastic wrap (perishable)
  • a foam container (perishable)
  • reinforced moisture resistant tape (either)

 

Non perishable cakes

Non perishable cakes are any unfrosted cake that could normally be kept out on the counter without refrigeration.

Purchase a plastic refrigerator container from the store that is be big enough to hold the cake at least a couple of days in advance to air out the plastic smell, a double corrugated box, Try to get something that provides a tight hold so that your cake will not move around too much. Before baking the cake, you may want to consider choosing a baking pan for your cake with the size of the refrigerator box in mind. Cover the cake in aluminum foil and place into the plastic refrigerator box. If you are concerned about the cake remaining moist during the shipment, wet a strip of kitchen paper towel, wring it out and place it into the refrigerator box. The moisture from the paper towel will be locked into the box and keep the cake moist during transit.

For the outer box choose double corrugated cardboard box. This outer box should allow about a half inch to an inch of empty space around the cake box. In order to insulate the cake box from the ravages of shipping, place packing foam or bubble wrap around the cake box in the null space.

Close the box and used reinforced moisture resistant tape to close both ends and reinforce the corners. Corners are a very susceptible area for tearing on boxes.

Perishable cakes

Perishable cakes are any unfrosted or frosted cake that would normally require refrigeration, such as cheesecakes.

A perishable cake must be frozen rock solid before shipment. It should be wrapped in sealed plastic to avoid loss of moisture as it defrosts. It should then be placed into a foam container that serves to surround the cake in about 2 inches of insulation. This foam container serves as the inner box which then goes into a double corrugated box with a half inch to an inch empty space for packing material. Packing foam should be used to protect the inner foam box. Close the box and use reinforced moisture resistant tape to close both ends and reinforce the corners. Corners are a very susceptible area for tearing on boxes.

Perishable cakes should be sent overnight. They can be sent next day morning or afternoon. Make sure you check whether you would like a signature for receipt of package. Signatures cost more.


Good Luck and Good Shipping,
Your How To Ship Advisor


Contribute to our site and submit a video on how to ship cakes using the guidelines below!!

Comments (4) Posted on Tuesday, March 11th, 2008

Books can be shipped using any of the major shipping companies (Fedex, UPS, DHL, USPS)

Books must be protected from moisture and shredding. To do this, the book must be double wrapped before placing it into a double walled corrugated cardboard box.

 

materials

  • double walled corrugated cardboard box
  • bubble wrap
  • packing foam
  • polyethylene plastic
  • pressure-sensitive or nylon-reinforced tape, or 60-pound, three inch wide water-activated reinforced tape

Smaller Books

 

1) Wrap book in plastic. A food grade zip lock polyethylene bag would work.

2) Seal with reinforced tape.

3) Wrap the book in bubble wrap to protect it from shredding.

4) Tape the bubble warp securely around the book using reinforced tape.

5) Flatten double walled corrugated cardboard box

6) Place the book in the flattened cardboard box.

7) Seal box at one end (including the corners).

8) Fill any remaining empty space between the book and the box with more bubble wrap or packing foam.

7) Reinforce the corners with additional tape as the corners are a very vulnerable area for book boxes.

8) Tape the other ends of the box closed (including the corners).

 

Larger Books

1) Obtain polyethylene plastic form your hardware store.

2) Cover the book with the plastic.

3) Seal with reinforced tape.

4) Wrap the book in bubble wrap to protect it from shredding.

5) Tape the bubble warp securely around the book using reinforced tape. Do not use masking tape!

6) Fill any remaining empty space between the book and the box with more bubble wrap or packing foam.

7) Reinforce the corners with additional tape as the corners are a very vulnerable area for book boxes.

8) Tape both ends of the box closed.

 

Sealing and labeling

1) Make sure the fill out the label correctly. Shippers charge a $5.00 address correction charge for having to figure out addresses.

2) Make sure to indicate whether you want a signature upon the delivery.

Good Luck and Good Shipping

Your shipping advisor

Good Luck and Good Shipping,
Your How To Ship Advisor


Contribute to our site and submit a video on how to ship books using the guidelines below!!

Comments (0) Posted on Tuesday, March 11th, 2008

How to ship artwork (small and flat)

Flat artwork can be shipped using any of the major shipping companies (Fedex, UPS, DHL, USPS)

In short, the artwork needs to be double packed in a box so that it will be protected form moisture and will not be folded.

Artwork smaller than 8×10 inches

Materials

  • priority shipping envelope
  • 14″ priority box from your shipping agent
  • polyethylene plastic
  • pressure-sensitive or nylon-reinforced tape, or 60-pound, three inch wide water-activated reinforced tape

Packing

1) Place it into a priority document envelope and seal.

2) Cover envelope with plastic and seal with tape.

3) Then flatten the 14″ priority box by opening the edges of the box.

4) Slip the envelope into the flattened 14″ priority box and tape each end with reinforced tape.

 

Artwork larger than 8×10 inches but smaller than 8×14 inches

materials

  • 14″ priority box from your shipping agent
  • a larger double corrugated box
  • polyethylene plastic
  • pressure-sensitive or nylon-reinforced tape, or 60-pound, three inch wide water-activated reinforced tape

 

1) Place artwork into the 14″ flattened priority box seal with tape.

2) Flatten larger corrugated box.

2) Place that into flatten larger corrugated box.

3) Seal each end with reinforced tape (including the corners).

Remember that if you use priority boxes from your shipper, use must use that shipper and you cannot ship it ground. They will charge you extra for the box if you try to do that.

 

Large Artwork

materials

  • a double corrugated box larger than artwork
  • another corrugated box larger than first box
  • polyethylene plastic
  • a piece of chloroplast from hardware store
  • pressure-sensitive or nylon-reinforced tape, or 60-pound, three inch wide water-activated reinforced tape

1. Take the first corrugated box and turn it inside out so that the original writing is not visible form the outside.

2. Tape the box so it is a flatten the box with both ends open.

3. Fold the flap over and seal with reinforced tape.

4. Cut the Cloroplast to the appropriate size to fit the larger box.

5. Insert Cloroplast into the the larger box to reinforce box strength and avoid folding.

6. Cover the first box in plastic to protect against any moisture and seal.

7. Insert first box into second flattened box.

Understand that the box will probably spend most of the standing on its side.

However, remember to reinforce the box with tape (not masking) to secure the integrity of the box.

8. Go to your shipper and request that it be sent overnight.

9. Make sure your check signature required if you do not want it left on a doorway.

If the size is very large the package will be charged by dim weight instead of regular weight. The idea is that the package takes up and a lot of room on the truck but the company is not compensated adequately by its weight.

A word about the fragile label!

There are those that believe that you should always label a fragile package fragile. There are others who work for shipping companies as handlers that believe that labeling a package fragile will only encourage bad behavior from rogue handlers. The fact is that fragile marking will not give the package any more special treatment. If you want special handling that you must pay for that service.

Acquire insurance for the value of the package. If shipping internationally, avoid overestimating the cost of the computer as the recipient will have to pay duty on the estimated cost of the shipment. Make sure that the recipient reports any damage immediately.

 

Good Luck and Good Shipping,
Your How To Ship Advisor


Contribute to our site and submit a video on how to ship artwork using the guidelines above!!

Comments (0) Posted on Tuesday, March 11th, 2008

Things to do…

  • You must obtain an IATA travel approved shipping kennel with water bowls. The animal must be able to turn around and stand erect without hitting the top or sides in the kennel. The kennels must also contain absorbent materials.
  • The animal must have a health certificate dated within 10 days of travel-including rabies vaccination which needs to be at least 30 days old and less than one (1) year.
  • For International travel your veterinarian must fill out the APHIS form 7001 International Health Certificate and USDA endorsement.
  • All paperwork must to be originals and contain original signatures. No faxes or copies.
  • Decide on whether you want your pet transported by air or by ground. The obvious difference will be time in transport and cost.

Animals cannot be transported using DHL, Fedex or UPS

  • They can be transported by a pet transport company.
  • Pet transporters are private companies that can provide the following services:
    Pick up and Delivery - between airports, kennels, quarantine, veterinarians, and home.
    Flight Reservations - with emphasis on airlines and schedules that are best for the well being of your pet.
    Flight Kennel Sales - the correct type and size in accordance with IATA regulations meeting country and airline requirements.
    Health and/or Veterinary Certificates - every country has its own set of regulations, and these change frequently. Domestic &
    International Documentation - consulate legalization, import licenses, transit permits, etc
  • The International Association of Pet Transporters or Ipata web site provides a search engine so that you can find the Pet Transporter nearest you.

It is possible for any individual to ship their pet directly with most airlines in the US.

  • You must contact your airline and inform them that you want to ship your pet. Most airlines allow pets to be shipped as cargo and have specific programs to help you.
  • The larger aircraft even have special sections in the cargo department just for pets. In every case the area in cargo is pressurized and temperature controlled just as it is in the cabin.
  • Some research into the on time arrival record of your airline of choice through the Aviation Consumer Protection Division would help ease your worries about your pet being in cargo for too long.

Things to remember…

  • If the transport of the animal is delayed to conditions beyond their control, most airlines will pass kennel fees to the owner.
  • If the animal should get sick and need medical attention during transport most airlines will also pass the veterinarian charges to owner. This usually is not a concern to a loving pet owner.

Good Luck and Good Shipping,
Your How To Ship Advisor

Some airline programs…

Continental

Delta

United Airlines

Northwest Airlines

US Airways


Make your contribution and submit a video on how to ship a pet using the guidelines above!!

Comments (0) Posted on Tuesday, March 11th, 2008

Things to do…

  • You must obtain an IATA travel approved shipping kennel with water bowls. The animal must be able to turn around and stand erect without hitting the top or sides in the kennel. The kennels must also contain absorbent materials.
  • The animal must have a health certificate dated within 10 days of travel-including rabies vaccination which needs to be at least 30 days old and less than one (1) year.
  • For International travel you must fill out the APHIS form 7001 International Health Certificate and USDA endorsement.
  • All paperwork must to be originals and contain original signatures. No faxes or copies.
  • Decide on whether you want your pet transported by air or by ground. The obvious difference will be time in transport and cost.

Animals cannot be transported using DHL, Fedex or UPS

  • They can be transported by a pet transport company.
  • Pet transporters are private companies that can provide the following services: Pick up and Delivery - between airports, kennels, quarantine, veterinarians, and home. Flight Reservations - with emphasis on airlines and schedules that are best for the well being of your pet. Flight Kennel Sales - the correct type and size in accordance with IATA regulations meeting country and airline requirements. Health and/or Veterinary Certificates - every country has its own set of regulations, and these change frequently. Domestic & International Documentation - consulate legalization, import licenses, transit permits, etc
  • The International Association of Pet Transporters or Ipata web site provides a search engine so that you can find the Pet Transporter nearest you.

It is possible for any individual to ship their pet directly with most airlines in the US.

  • You must contact your airline and inform them that you want to ship your pet. Most airlines allow pets to be shipped as cargo and have specific programs to help you.
  • The larger aircraft even have special sections in the cargo department just for pets. In every case the area in cargo is pressurized and temperature controlled just as it is in the cabin.

Things to remember…

  • If the transport of the animal is delayed to conditions beyond their control, most airlines will pass kennel fees to the owner.
  • If the animal should get sick and need medical attention during transport most airlines will also pass the veterinarian charges to owner. This usually is not a concern to a loving pet owner.

Good Luck and Good Shipping,
Your How To Ship Advisor


Some programs…

Continental

Delta

United Airlines

Northwest Airlines

US Airways


Contribute to our site and submit a video on how to ship animals using the guidelines above!!

Comments (0) Posted on Tuesday, March 11th, 2008