Hey Dapper,
I have had great luck with the USPS. I wrap the bottles in multiple layers of bubble and foam wrap so that the bottle is completely protected inside the box (and cannot rattle around). I never charge any handling fees - but some people do. Luckily, we get lots of packages where I work and I just re-use the packing material that we are discarding. Best of luck . . .
Depending on your volume of selling, sourcing boxes can be as easy buying alot, going to local retail stores and asking for their stuff that is heading to recycling bin. Once in a while, its ok to do. Bring them cookies or something if if you do it once a week. if you are a PITA and are hounding, then go buy them.
I find most of the Ebay boxes to not work very well. The Med flat rate is a nice size but is often an overcharge to what calculated shipping would be.
Anything under 13oz w/packaging can go 1st class. Anything over 1lb, I use calculated.
As far a wrapping, depends on what kind of bottle. I will use 3/16ths bubble wrap, a layer of newpaper over that. A unrolled paper towel tube will be wrapped around that and then usually 3/8 bubble wrap lining box. use paper to fill in gaps. Watch contact points if any and buffer those.
i utulize a lot of grocery packaging- frozen pizza boxes are great for layering in large flat rate. Tea boxes are good for little meds.
Box inside box is a method reserved for more delicate items.
Proper boxes are super important to me. if I am going sell quart milks then i know I need 12 X 8 X 6, which will also fit most 12oz sodas in 2s well. Singles, I like 10 x 6 X 6. Proper boxes equal less packing materials + safer shipping.
Spend an extra few minutes when you package-it is better than refunding due to cutting corners.
I started shipping(live tropical fish!) 20 years ago. Bottles are much easier.
I ship bottles through USPS... First Class mail for small bottles, which costs $2.70 or something, and Priority Mail for larger bottles, which I think costs $5.50 or so.
As for other hobbies, I don't suppose I have any... Does researching the history of bottles count? [] Is listening to music a hobby? Bottles ideally take up so much of my time, I really can't do anything else... Good or bad thing? You decide []
Depending on what shipping method you are using on Ebay listing, you can't add cost of delivery confirmation without a handling fee. If you pay postage online, dc is free. At store, it costs .70 Without a handling fee, you may be paying that. Shipping without DC is something i never do domestically. DC, in my, opinion is part of handling fee/shipping cost .
i fish,squirrel hunt,metal detect,and collect coins(although the fishing,coins,and metal detecting has been put on hold a little since i started collecting[])
Well, I like to go down to the local airport and watch the planes, use my backhoe, lately I've been remodeling the bathroom, and I guess that is about it. -John
I like to metal detect on occasion, go fishing, swimming, camping, backpacking, a little photography, geocaching, going to the local Wally World and stare at gurlies until they feel uncomfortable, play scratch and sniff with my wife and go to garage sales. I also like to play those late night games with the wife. You know the games. Lets see there's Guess what I ate today, Name that breeze, Peg in the hole, among others. I really never got into bottle digging much at all. I just walk around until I find a spot to dig worms and the bottles just get in my way. I think some of them are pretty though and bring them home but I do practice a lot of catch and release for the future of bottle digging. Some day those Ketchup's will be rare and valuable. Oh and I like to sit in my shed for hours wearing a tin foil helmet while talking about digging alien bottle dumps with the Mexicans. You know just all standard normal stuff. Why what do you do for hobbies?