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Hey Amerikaners,
maybe this is the wrong forum, but I was wondering if anyone had advice on a cheap way to send a friend an individual model? When you buy a $12.50 blister it seems silly to spend $4.99 on the flat rate shipping box from the USPS, though that is what I would normally do.

Any shipping related discussion in this thread would be great.

Get a nicely padded envelope and a little extra bubble wrap to wrap the model in. It should only cost around two or three bucks at the most depending where it is going. Also if you have a small box for the individual model it should cost around the same if you send First Class. Hope this helps.

United States Postal Service is about as cheap as it gets. Wrap your blister in some padding and then tape some paper around it. Probably cost a couple bucks.

Indeed. Go to your FLGS, and but a 50 or 100 card Card Box. I doubt it will cost a dollar.

Put in blister or whatever, pack with paper towels or other accessible material.

Tape with something HOPEFULLY a bit stronger than scotch tape.

Write appropriate addresses on box.

Go to USPS. Probably won't even cost $1.50 even WITH Delivery Confirmation. And the $0.75 for DC is ALWAYS worth it.

Shouldn't cost a total of more than $3 to do it.

throw it.

put it in a bottle and toss it in the sea.perhaps, it will get there.

Some of those who've offered advice have offered some seriously horrible stuff (I'm excluding the obviously humorous ones).
I'm not going to point finger, because I'm not trying to turn this into a flame-fest.

Based on your post, I'm presuming that you're sending one, single blister pack within the US only. My information below might change, if that information is incorrect.

Go to Walmart and but a bubble or padded envelope.
Use a blue or black ink pen (not a gel pen, sharpie, etc) to write the to & from address on your envelope, then put the blister in & seal it. No need for extra packaging.

Ship via USPS. Just tell the clerk that you want to use the cheapest method available (note that you can't ship via media mail, which would be cheapest, since it's not media). I STRONGLY advise you to pay the extra $ for a Delivery Confirmation #. It's less than a buck and, if you don't have one, you're SOL if the envelope (and $12.99 model) comes up missing.

FWIW, I'm an Administrator at Bartertown. We're a global game trading web site. I've shipped hundreds of packages.

Eric

Vindicator#9 and MagikalMemories both are spot on for the proper, cheapest way to ship. However, if the model is bulky/too wide for their envelope method:

If you had a very delicate but large model that would have a hard time slipping into an envelope (i.e. A Daemon Prince with wings), grabbing the card boxes that Hoard'O Bits and Wizard Games on ebay send with large bit orders is probably the best way to go. Make sure to package with some bubblewrap, and pay extra special attenion to critical points like pinning jobs and glued on joints (extra padding).

Often Parcel Post is the cheapest method from th USPS, followed by First Class. Using Parcel Post is slower, but cheapest. First Class however tends to be close in price but offers reasonable speed.

And as mentioned before, tracking and DC numbers go a long way to cover your rear.

Good point, WarOne.

My advice was based strictly on the presumption that the OP is sending blister packs, per his first post.

Once we start talking about boxed or assembled models, the whole game changes.

Eric

MagickalMemories wrote:Some of those who've offered advice have offered some seriously horrible stuff (I'm excluding the obviously humorous ones).
I'm not going to point finger, because I'm not trying to turn this into a flame-fest.

I think the correct term is Flamewar. But yeah just wrap in bubblewrap and send .

What?
How dare you correct me?

Why, I oughtta...

: )

On topic...
@OP
If you want specific advice on what you're shipping, post it here. We'll be happy to offer advice.

Eric

And there are many, many people on Dakka willing to give you the full frontal in terms of help and advice.

Hmm...shouldn't put that thing there. Kinda sounds exposed in some way...

Why is Warone talking about full frontal?!?! and exposing!?!? Im scared.

Because he senses your fear...

Oh god.......