Reddit reviews Valuemailers 2.5 Mil Poly Mailers Envelopes Bags, 10x13-inch, 100 Bags, White

I think this is great. I hope to run across one in the future. So I thought about how I would go about this for maximum ease of return.

Supplies:

• Cameras (this style kind of important to my plan)
  
• Plastic Mailer Bags
  
• Film Canisters
  
• Printable Postage Stamps
  
• Cord/twine/string, Sharpie, small drill/pointy object, zip ties, and booze (for yourself and/or helpers)
  
  Work:
  
  Weigh the camera and one plastic mailer with your drug kitchen scale. Use that weight and the farthest US city from you (contiguous US only?) to calculate a maximum shipping cost with the USPS. Enter all that info into Stamps.com and print out the required number of printable stamps (don't forget to select the option for irregular or non-machinable item to include $.22 surcharge). Self address the mailer bags and write instructions on the outside of the film canisters. Poke or drill out small hole in top and bottom of the film canister. Thread string through and tie knot at end of string on bottom. Lay one postage label against inside canister wall and pack mailer bag inside. Close top and knot again to hold lid securely on. Strap a zip tie around camera between bump outs for lens and camera roll and between button and counter. Tie film canister package to camera using the zip tie.

I would not use a box if it's just a beanie you're sending. Use the plastic envelope thingy or...I get shipments from webs.com and they always arrive in some sort of plastic bags. I don't know where you would get such a thing but I bet it is probably cheaper than sending something in a box (I live overseas and have ordered from bernat, Caron, herrschners, WEBS, as well as a couple of UK places, and WEBS has been the cheapest shipping-wise).

I think they are these: http://www.amazon.com/100-10x13-VALUEMAILERS-MAILERS-ENVELOPES/dp/B000HG9I5A

or something similar.

edit: Also my family sends me packages about 2-3 times a year. The first year I lived overseas they sent stuff in boxes but switched to envelopes after that. They say it's cheaper. They always ship USPS.

Before I moved here, my husband was here for 6 months by himself, and I once sent him a package for his birthday via FedEx. Biggest mistake ever. That sucker cost me close to $250 to send. I think it weighed maybe 2 or 3 pounds. Don't ship with FedEX >_>

These are the ones I bought - 10x13. I'm sure you can get anything similar and they'll work fine (read the reviews, if going with a different seller). I've been able to fit up to 3 or 4, depending on the shirt size. More than 2, though, and you're generally above the max USPS first class weight limit.

I bought these (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HG9I5A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) for less than $10 with prime shipping. That's 100 bags! I fit 10 hats in each one when I was shipping for Hats for Sailors, and it cost about $4-6 to go from Pennsylvania to California. One hat should be closer to $2 or $3 depending on how far it's going. If you're worried about it getting wet, stick it in a ziploc before putting it in the bag.

I use these! http://www.amazon.com/100-10x13-VALUEMAILERS-MAILERS-ENVELOPES/dp/B000HG9I5A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381364615&sr=8-1&keywords=polymailers

Also--I use flat padded envelopes and small/medium boxes for other things. You can order them for FREE on USPS

Note you don't even need a bubble mailer. We use these when shipping a shirt: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HG9I5A?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00

Here is what I do, and I ship things for very cheap.

When I get a bundle of free boxes, I will put aside a few to use as backers for first class packages. I divide up the box (usually the prefolded sides are finely sized for it) and cut them out. I will take the DVD, wrap in 2 layers of bubble wrap (not much) and place one of these sheets of cardboard on each side and tape them together. Then they go inside these cheap poly mailers.

I have sold hundreds of DVD sized items and never had one break this way.

I use polymailers (I bought a stack of 100 a few years ago, still tons left - I think they're even cheaper on ebay). I have a kitchen scale that I use to weigh (include packaging), and then I just go through paypal's shipping service and put the weight from the scale plus one oz just in case of rounding error. Delivery confirmation is automatically added on, and then you can just dump it in any blue mailbox on the street.

International is different, though I still use the polymailer, I double up on it because customs is rough! If doing a mix, I'd still do the US ones at home and only go to the post office for international - it will be cheaper that way.

Make sure you only ever send to an authorized address. If you send to an unauthorized address on paypal, then you do not get seller protection and can be scammed. Along those same lines, I would caution sending a large amount of anything internationally if you are doing it through paypal - tracking can sometimes cost up to $30 and if you don't have tracking, you're not protected.

Thanks again. Priority Mail sounds way too expensive -- another 33% of the $15 I'd charge. But $2.56 isn't so bad. So I just put it in an envelope (I have a ton of these), take it to the Post Office and say I want USPS Parcel Select? One thing I found said you can only buy that kind of shipping online.