What are the Best Practices for Shipping Pipe Tobacco?

[beezer]

Greetings Friends,

The continuing COVID crunch has me considering selling off a significant portion of my cellar to help offset financial hardship members of my family are suffering through.

I'm familiar with the forum thread governing the do's/dont's of selling pipe tobacco here, but what would you say are some of the best practices for shipping pipe tobacco? In the coming days/weeks I'll be looking to sell off sealed tins and bulk in jars for some of the more elusive stuff I've squirreled away over the years.

I'm looking for any lessons learned as far as packing and shipping go. Whether its best to use USPS or UPS, etc. etc. I haven't shipped a package in years and never pipe tobacco.

Thanks in advance for any tips/pointers.

 

[BROBS]

Greetings Friends,

The continuing COVID crunch has me considering selling off a significant portion of my cellar to help offset financial hardship members of my family are suffering through.

I'm familiar with the forum thread governing the do's/dont's of selling pipe tobacco here, but what would you say are some of the best practices for shipping pipe tobacco? In the coming days/weeks I'll be looking to sell off sealed tins and bulk in jars for some of the more elusive stuff I've squirreled away over the years.

I'm looking for any lessons learned as far as packing and shipping go. Whether its best to use USPS or UPS, etc. etc. I haven't shipped a package in years and never pipe tobacco.

Thanks in advance for any tips/pointers.

I believe this is in the wrong forum..
but bulk can be sent either in the jar or into a baggie..
tins just wrap up and send in a bubble mailer or box.
I have had best luck with USPS.. UPS will not ship tobacco technically. and Fedex is expensive and slow.
www.paypal.com/shiplabel/create is a cheap, easy way to print postage at home.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Let common sense be your guide, it certainly isn't rocket science.

 

[ben88]

+100 for USPS Priority, bubble wrap and shipping tape. Old newspapers will help to fill space in the box so nothing rattles. You can order free boxes from USPS, they will ship them to your place no charge.

 

[beezer]

Let common sense be your guide, it certainly isn't rocket science.

As many people as I read complaining about dented tins and damaged goods they've received lately from the professionals apparently it is.

 

[beezer]

Thanks for the feedback thus far gents.

Does one need to declare they are shipping tobacco? Guess I can check the USPS website...

 

[BROBS]

Thanks for the feedback thus far gents.

Does one need to declare they are shipping tobacco? Guess I can check the USPS website...

nope. not with USPS. don't tell em shit. haha

you don't even have to tell them you're shipping a rifle.

 

[ben88]

Absolutely, you only declare contents if you ship outside of US. If you have a computer and a printer - you pay online and print out shipping labels instead of filling out everything by hand.
⚖ would come in handy for the bulk.

 

[peregrinus]

+101 US Post Office.
Free boxes delivered to your home.
Shipping labels and payment done on your own computer.
Not necessary to wait in line, just drop the paid, addressed boxes off.
They do not care what you are shipping domestically as long as it doesn’t leak, smell or explode.

Plus... they apparently need the money.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

As many people as I read complaining about dented tins and damaged goods they've received lately from the professionals apparently it is.

And common sense would then dictate to pack them in a way they won't be dented.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I prefer all of my tobacco to be hand delivered by a girls in bikinis.

 

[pantsBoots]

And common sense would then dictate to pack them in a way they won't be dented.

Are you volunteering to be a shipping consultant for SP? It appears they may be looking for one.

 

[BROBS]

+101 US Post Office.
Free boxes delivered to your home.
Shipping labels and payment done on your own computer.
Not necessary to wait in line, just drop the paid, addressed boxes off.
They do not care what you are shipping domestically as long as it doesn’t leak, smell or explode.

Plus... they apparently need the money.

you don't even have to drop them off anywhere.. just put in mailbox or by mailbox and they pick it up.

 

[BROBS]

Are you volunteering to be a shipping consultant for SP? It appears they may be looking for one.

my last order from them, and I don't know if it was in jest, had fragile labels on every side of the box, and every tin was individually wrapped in bubble wrap and then brown paper.

 

[beezer]

Thanks again for the feedback. Much appreciated everyone!

 

[peregrinus]

you don't even have to drop them off anywhere.. just put in mailbox or by mailbox and they pick it up.

This is true and a plus.
Being overly cautious I drop them off at the PO so I can get a receipt from them to prove acceptance of the package.
In my case this is a result of some work I did where I shipped high value packages and was crossing every “t” and dotting every “i”, just in case.

 

[mingc]

my last order from them, and I don't know if it was in jest, had fragile labels on every side of the box, and every tin was individually wrapped in bubble wrap and then brown paper.

You definitely got the special treatment. I've never gotten tins from SP bubble wrapped. Pipes yes, but tins no.

 

[BROBS]

This is true and a plus.
Being overly cautious I drop them off at the PO so I can get a receipt from them to prove acceptance of the package.
In my case this is a result of some work I did where I shipped high value packages and was crossing every “t” and dotting every “i”, just in case.

Also totally depends where you’re at. If I was in an area where I feared someone might steal the package etc I would drop it off as well. I also can just bring them to work and have them picked up in the office.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Are you volunteering to be a shipping consultant for SP? It appears they may be looking for one.

I don't envy the retailers the task of packing. In general, I've found they do pretty well with the nozzle exception of pipes and cigars. Tough task to pack as small and light was they can while still protecting the tins.

 

[canucklehead]

my last order from them, and I don't know if it was in jest, had fragile labels on every side of the box, and every tin was individually wrapped in bubble wrap and then brown paper.

SP has only made a mistake on one order out of the many I've placed with them, I emailed them and they gave me store credit as well as replaced the item (bulk tobacco), and my next order from them was comically overpackaged. Even the bulk baggies were individually wrapped.