Pin Packaging

[witchingpixel]

Hello! I wanted to check and see how others packed their pins when trading via shipping. I want to start reaching out here to do trades, but I'm just a little nervous/want to make sure I package everything properly! Thank you so much! 

[sithathoriunet]

Hi!  I wrap my pins in bubble wrap, and then put them inside bubble mailers for shipping.  I know that some people like to put the pins on something sturdy, like cardboard, inside the bubble wrap.

[PincessJazmin]

Great question! Long response but filled with some great info!

 

Pins should be bubble wrapped and then placed in either a bubble mailer or box. 

Since I mail trade often I buy my supplies on Amazon in bulk to get a bigger bang for my buck. 

I usually buy the big roll of bubble wrap and then just cut to size for the pin but recently have been getting more and more pin mail with pins in bubble pouches and I actually love that so I bought some 4 x 6 in pouches which is a great size because it fits most carded pins. Then all I need to do is slip the pin in and add one piece of tape to seal and it's ready to go. Another great tip is when I receive packages I save the bubble wrap if it's still in good condition and use that for future wrapping. 

I have the corner in my room set up with my shipping supplies so that it's all in one place and easy to access when I need to send out pin mail. 

 

Another thing to look into is shipping. You can save money by pre-purchasing your shipping online. Some people use Pirate Ship. I've never used it so can't speak to it but do know many people here use it and have positive experiences. I do all my postage online using USPS. You can go to their website and pre-purchase to get commercial rates. Then you can either print out the shipping label or they email you a QR code that you can take to the post office for them to scan and print off the stickered label. The savings will add up especially if shipping coast to coast, multi-pin trades, and heavier or larger packages. 

 

From my experience, 1-3 average size and weight pins with bubble wrap can fit in the lowest USPS weight category of 4 oz. 

If shipping more pins or heavier pins I use my kitchen scale to weigh my packages once I have everything bubble wrapped to have an accurate weight to input when purchasing the shipping label. 

 

Then as far as communication with people you are trading with, I always like to exchange photos of the pins front & back and disclose any flaws. Once the trade has been agreed upon, I like to let them know around when I will ship out and the tracking # with estimated delivery date. 

 

Last trading step is don't forget to leave feedback once you've received your pin mail and toggle your pins on your owns/trades list. One of my favorite parts is toggling a pin from the crown icon to the heart icon and seeing my collection grow!  Once you hit 25 positive feedbacks in a calendar year, you earn the PinPics Trusted Trader profile badge & pin! To claim just need to send our amazing admins @TheTwins a message letting them know you've hit your 25 trades & your mailing address so you can get your pin!

 

The Trusted Trader and Feedback page are great places to start to find people actively trading on the site. 

 

Hope you find this helpful!

 

Happy Trading! It's so fun!

 

-Jazmin