Bubble mailer vs Box to mail razors

[GarageBoy]

Not a rant or anything, just wanna mention that guys, PLEASE mail razors in a box.
I've gotten a few razors in the mail before in bubble envelopes. Always scares me when I see it. If it's in an envelope, the mailman will try to squeeze it in my mail slot, where after it falls about 3' to the hard ceramic ground. Usually, someone else in my building will open the door and slam it against the wall. Also, USPS handlers aren't exactly kind to mail either.

So guys, please mail with a box, I'll pay a little more and wait if need be. Thanks!

 

[htownmmm]

Bubble and a box!

marty

 

[norman931]

I always ship razors in a box.
I once received an Old Type Gillette in an envelope from which the comb teeth (bent) were protruding. The seller ruined a 100-year-old razor to save a buck on shipping.

 

[EvoDevo]

I have wrapped razors in a lot of bubble wrap and then sent them in a bubble mailer before this has seemed adequate to me. To the point where razors have a solid inch or so of bubble wrap around them. But I guess a box is better.

 

[pibeandres]

How about a box in a bubble?

Bubble and a box!

marty

 

[scoopster]

I mentioned shipping in a box in the Buy/Sell/Trade tutorial and several folks commented that they have had success wrapping up the razor in bubble wrap, then putting it in the padded envelope.

I think the takeaway for me is that the buyer and seller should have good communications about how the item will be packaged and insured. This helps make sure everyone is protected and no one is surprised or disappointed.

 

[pibeandres]

Do you think the seller should pass along the price of shipping a box if the buyer requests it? Just curious by the way, I have no stake in this (right now).

I mentioned shipping in a box in the Buy/Sell/Trade tutorial and several folks commented that they have had success wrapping up the razor in bubble wrap, then putting it in the padded envelope.

I think the takeaway for me is that the buyer and seller should have good communications about how the item will be packaged and insured. This helps make sure everyone is protected and no one is surprised or disappointed.

 

[GarageBoy]

If there is enough padding, the envelope is fine. Just the razor in the envelope is a no no

 

[drandall]

personally, i tend to use a 3 layer system. the first layer is a sealed plastic bag to keep out moisture. this gets put into a bubble bag and rolled up and sealed. then the whole thing goes into a padded mylar water-resistant mailer. i've never had any problems to date shipping things this way, even internationally.

the only time i use a box is when there is a plastic/styrene case involved or the razor is fragile/valuable.

just my opinion

 

[brz90]

Please! Box and bubble wrap! From sad experience I can confirm that a padded envelope and bubble wrap won't protect a razor from being damaged by the leverage of a heavy object placed on top of it by the oh so careful (not) postal services.
If I win a razor on ebay I now always ask the seller to protect the razor with box and padding.

 

[wtruitt]

personally, i tend to use a 3 layer system. the first layer is a sealed plastic bag to keep out moisture. this gets put into a bubble bag and rolled up and sealed. then the whole thing goes into a padded mylar water-resistant mailer. i've never had any problems to date shipping things this way, even internationally.

the only time i use a box is when there is a plastic/styrene case involved or the razor is fragile/valuable.

just my opinion

+1

 

[wtruitt]

Please! Box and bubble wrap! From sad experience I can confirm that a padded envelope and bubble wrap won't protect a razor from being damaged by the leverage of a heavy object placed on top of it by the oh so careful (not) postal services.
If I win a razor on ebay I now always ask the seller to protect the razor with box and padding.

That is something I didn't think about.. good point! Think I will do a "mythbuster" type experiment tomorrow.. (don't take that wrong.. not doubting you, just curious)
Wayne

 

[brz90]

That is something I didn't think about.. good point! Think I will do a "mythbuster" type experiment tomorrow.. (don't take that wrong.. not doubting you, just curious)
Wayne

No offence - whatever the outcome of your experiment I hope you don't get your own personal 'mythbuster' in the post one day.
All it takes to pretty much ruin a TTO razor is sudden force applied to one corner of the head through being dropped or being dropped on.

 

[Cheezeweggie]

There is an exception. It is perfectly acceptable to ship a Fusion, Quaatro or Mach 3 in any type of envelope.

 

[wtruitt]

No offence - whatever the outcome of your experiment I hope you don't get your own personal 'mythbuster' in the post one day.
All it takes to pretty much ruin a TTO razor is sudden force applied to one corner of the head through being dropped or being dropped on.

Yep.. you convinced me.. I had never thought of that!
Wayne

 

[1969Fatboy]

The razors i have received at least from dr.randall and Erwin have been so damn well wrapped that a fall from a 10 story building wouldnt hurt them.

 

[Sue]

To mail First Class the weight has to be 13 ounces or less. Priority is for over 13 ounces and the price is higher. An option to the box/bag choice is to wrap the razor in bubble, put it in a free Priority Media mail box. Then put the box in a bubble bag for First Class but it has to meet the weight limit or below. It will be well cushioned and hopefully avoid damage.
Sue

 

[Gruder]

I've used a padded envelope and careful wrapping to ship the majority of my razors, domestically and internationally, and have never encountered a problem. Could it happen? Sure. It is less likely to happen if I ship in a box? Probably. I think, though, that given the massive number of razors that are successfully shipped day in and day out by the fine folks at various postal authorities worldwide, we're talking about the difference between a .1% (one per thousand) and a .05% chance at receiving a razor that has been damaged in transit. For most razors, that's not worth the extra three bucks to me. (Those numbers are entirely made-up, of course, though I think I've erred on the high side. If the USPS really damaged one package per thousand, I'm guessing we'd hear a lot more about it.)

That said, I will, of course, be happy to indulge anyone who insists on a box, provided they're willing to assume the extra cost. I see this as similar to choosing whether or not to purchase insurance.

I appreciate your concern, garageboy, but wonder if a brief and polite conversation with your postal carrier wouldn't be a better solution to the problem.

 

[GarageBoy]

I probably have the privilege of having the worst USPS PO I've ever used. Never delivers anything bigger than a letter, shut down their pick up line, so everyone has to wait on an hr long line (regardless of time of day). Surly workers who don't care. If I start complaining, I probably wont see 1/2 my packages. Complaints to the USPS have come back unanswered.

The misaligned razor (packaged in a padded envelope with nothing else in it) I have now is because of packing and rough postal handling

 

[D.Irving79]

i dont use bubble mailers unless i have NO other option, in which case the razor is wrapped in about a mile thickness of bubble wrap so any thoughts of wedging it through a mail slot are discouraged.