Packing mugs

[ter-emporium]

Hi- anyone have advice for packing mugs? I used to sell tea cups which I had to pack box in a box- but shipping is too high to do this for a mug. Has anyone shipped a mug in an 8" priority cube size box successfully? I have mot had shipping breakage for years and don't want to start, thanks!

[ter-emporium]

* not

[mistwomandancing]

I use the FOMO method for coffee mugs as well as many, many other smaller items that will fit.  Have never had breakage, but I do a darned good job of FOMO!! 

This packaging method allows many items to ship in a First Class bubble mailer if under 15.9999 ounces or inside a Priority Mail bubble mailer if over 16 ounces, which will often allow you to save money on shipping costs..... which allows you a couple of pricing options:  pocket the savings for yourself... -OR- since shipping cost will be a bit lower, you can lower the pricing of your item and make it a better buy for customers, which often means YOURS is the one that sells, while still making as much profit as you would have by shipping in a box at higher cost to the buyer.

[ekmadonna]

Large coffe cans, stuffed all the way around with lots of paper and small bubble wrap. With a little effort the can will fit in a priority padded flat rate bubble mailer. cheapest and safest way. I have not had a single issue in over 100 mug sales using this method.

[partial*eclipse]

Here's a video about the "FOMO Method" for shipping coffee mugs in a padded envelope, put together by Friend of EBay, Jason Smith.  

Jason uses a load of  tape to hold his bubblewrap in place; I prefer to use 2 rubber bands, which are not only easier to install and easier to remove, but also hold the bubblewrap in  place more accurately and leave it undamaged and re-usable..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4PHQ0s_U14

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

Not that I care that much (don't sell breakables) but I was wondering if I was the only person on Ebay who doesn't know what a FOMO method is.

[ter-emporium]

Thanks so much everyone!

[sockmonkeydave]

@ter-emporium

I got a monkey mug sent to me, it was packed in white styrofoam.

You could have run over it with a tank.

small box depending on size.

[a_c_green]

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@the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth wrote:

Not that I care that much (don't sell breakables) but I was wondering if I was the only person on Ebay who doesn't know what a FOMO method is.

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As near as I could glean from the above video and this page here: 

http://cindysorley.com/fomo-shipping/

...they claim it stands for Freely Overcoming Mug Obstacles. I have to say, though, that after watching the gentleman bend, fold, spindle and mutilate a mailer to get it wrapped, snipped and taped around a coffee mug for mailing, I would have already tossed the mug into a suitable box, sealed it up and moved on to the next item for shipping.

His solution is clever in Engineering terms, but seems to take more time and effort than just having a standard box and bubblewrap available. I get extra rigidity in my boxes by gluing the flaps as well as taping; what results has the stuctural rigidity of a brick while still cushioning the contents inside, which is really all we want, right?

[partial*eclipse]

The goal with FOMO is to ship the item in a bubble mailer, either at First Class rates or in a Priority  flat-rate padded envelope which costs $6.50 for the basic online rate.  Postage for shipping a package of 1+ to 2 pounds via regular online Priority would cost as much s $10.28.

 I will take this opportunity to mention that I do NOT endorse his use of a small flat-rate box as the cardboard inner wrapping.  Any old scrap of corrugated cardboard could be used.

[mistwomandancing]

Exactly.  Goal is to ship cheaper, so Priority Flat Rate bubble mailer, etc. 

And, no.  I don't do my FOMO the way he does in the video either.  Ye, Gads!  Who has time to do all of that?  But yes to the layers of bubble encased in a couple layers of cardboard, etc.  I've devised my own method which is fast, efficient, and provides safe travel for the envelope package.

My mail carrier said that all the mail "envelope packages" go on top and don't have 30-pound boxes of Media Mail books being dumped on them.  Hope that's the truth.  lol

I've never had breakage using this FOMO method the way I do it.  Love it!

It lets me provide merchandise at a lower price to the buyer while still making the profit I need for my pocket.  We're both ahead of the game.  He saved a bit of money.  I made the sale.  Ebay got their cut.  Works for me.