Tips For Shipping Dolls or Doll Items

Thanks for sharing your tips! Here is another:

- If the doll you are shipping has a face-up, make sure to cover the face up with a plastic face cover (the same that comes on the doll when you purchase it!) If not, you can loosely wrap it with tissue paper and then bubble wrap!

 

- I actually would suggest asking the buyer if they’re okay with signature confirmation. Some people are not available to sign for packages during the day, or they work during post office hours and won’t be able to pick it up there if they miss it, or just have issues with that service. My post office makes dealing with signatures a nightmare- they don’t knock, they just drop off the missed package slip, then they keep “attempting” to deliver it every day so I can’t even pick it up from the post office. Obviously it’s not supposed to work that way, but it happens and I prefer no signatures whenever possible.
- Make sure you protect the hands! Fingers break easily, so make sure those hands are wrapped, preferably in bubble wrap, but other materials are fine too if that’s all you have.
- It’s way less prevalent in shipping now, but never ever ever wrap in newspaper as that can stain.
- ALWAYS get packages insured for the full cost. Be firm about it and make it part of the shipping cost- you do NOT want to be left without monetary recourse if something happens.

 

I've shipped more dolly stuff than dolls but:

-keep the OG doll boxes; It is very tough to find a long box like that available in a post office (if you ever need it on a short notice) and making one yourself will never be as sturdy.

-pad between the legs/arms and body/any other limbs so no resin touches another resin bit (might chip/scratch surface when there's a hard blow on the side of the box for instance). If the hands have curling fingers, put a little ball of something in the palm

-when sending (hard cap) wigs, stuff the cap with a ball of bubble wrap or paper so it doesn't get squished and tangled weird. Stuffing boots/shoes is also useful.

-i use blue painters' tape for bubble wrap - it keeps things together well, comes off easily and allows itself to be reused a few times at least

-when using an envelope to send items, tape the edges. I've had a few that had gotten rustled up in the post and spilled their guts from a ripped side

Edit: remembered one more thing:
-use good quality/brand tape! The cheap stuff becomes undone very easily and is a pain to pack with

 

I’d actually suggest testing your tape! I use cheap packing tape because, while it’s a little annoying to use since it rips easily, the stuff I use is STICKY and gets things so secure. The more expensive name brand tape I tried at one point was nicer to use, but it didn’t stick to the box nearly as well and just peeled off the cardboard when the box flexed at all. Different brands have different strong points, so if you don’t like whatever you got and you plan on shipping more, try another!

 

To add on to this, I try to specifically request no signature confirmation (especially when ordering from abroad) because delivery services in my area have been known to steal items, especially if the package is heavy and they think there's electronics inside.

 

Love a lucky tape find! I agree, if there's time to try out options one can stumble upon great stuff for a good price + it is always case-by-case with different cardboards, too.


Speaking of budget packing materials, I also remembered - save all the bubble wrap from the various things it comes with (electronics etc) and you'll never need to buy it again or worry if you'll have enough to pad a fragile shipment.

 

Agreed on saving bubble wrap! Those larger air pack/pocket things are also amazing if you have the space, as is tissue paper, foam, packing peanuts, etc. Amazon boxes (or other delivery boxes) are also great for many doll items, or dolls themselves depending on the size/if you unstring them. With careful packing, you can often ship dolls bent at the waist/knees/etc to fit boxes that are too short. It’s also easier to store boxes if you cut the tape on both sides and flatten them. I purchase bubble mailers to ship things like clothes & accessories since they’re super convenient, but I’ve never had to purchase boxes or packing materials.

 

I would not recommend writing "Fragile" or using stickers on the box. The reason being I've worked in shipping and seen how some disgruntled employees will handle those packages more roughly, taking out their anger on your packages just because you request to handle it gently. It happens more often than you would think. Without writing "fragile" on the box, I have found that my boxes tend to arrive to the buyer in better condition. If you pack your item well, you will not have to ask the carrier to handle it in a special way, and your package does not become a target to this behavior. You may know your local postal carriers well, but you don't know the ones at the item's destination.

 

A lot of good doll tips have been covered, but here are some for clothing/accessories:

-Be sure the clothing is clean. Wash it if you need to, lint roll it if you have pets. If you don't own a lint roller, wrap your hand in packing tape, sticky side out and pat down the clothing. Nobody wants to receive something that smells bad, is stained or is caked in pet fur and dust. (Side note: always always mention in your listing if your home has pets, cigarette smoke, weed smoke, incense, perfume, candles or anything else that causes strong smells--it may deter some buyers, but for those who don't mind, at least it won't be a surprise.)
-Put the item(s) in a ziplock bag. That way if the package gets wet in transit, the stuff will still be clean and dry. (I've had this save my clothes more than once on rainy days)
-Fold clothing neatly so it doesn't get hopelessly wrinkled.
-Ship as a package, not a letter--the machines that handle letters can mash the envelope in a way that squeezes the items out the end like a tube of toothpaste.
-If you ship in an envelope--put tape over the ends! The envelope glue or extra glue can pop loose, especially if shipping in freezing weather and the contents will most likely fall out. I usually put tape on all sides to be extra careful.
-If your items cannot lay relatively flat (like a piece of clothing), ship in a box to keep it more secure.
-For wigs, stuff them with bubblewrap, paper or a Styrofoam ball to keep their shape. Use a hairnet if you have one, though a ziplock bag can work too unless it's a very elaborate style. Maybe sure the bag is big enough so you're not messily trying to cram it in there.

And for packages, I like to include a little note. Not necessary by any means, and doesn't make shipping safer, but when I get a personal note from the seller, it always makes me smile. So I like to pass on the love.

 

Thank you everyone! I plan to add these to my shipping routine in the future. Super insightful.

 

Echoing this. My father used to work (retired now) in a postal processing and distribution center, on the machines that sort the mail. He knows how expensive my dolls are and he told me how to pack them when I was sending some heads for faceup. 'Fragile' means nothing. Once those boxes are picked up off a belt by a postal worker, it is literally yeeted across a warehouse into a sorting bin. Sometimes that yeet is short and the box hits the floor. Either way, that box is going to bounce at least a few times against a hard surface.

Wrap and pad fragile items (like dolls or their parts) well enough so that when you shake the box, nothing moves. I 'double box' breakable items if I can -- I wrap them well and then place them inside a sturdy inner box inside the shipping box so there's a little more structure around the item(s). I pad around the inner box if there is any negative space as well.