I usually trade at least 2 figs at a time, put them in a padded envelope and ship first class.  I just recently finalized a trade with a fellow board member   and was wondering how everyone else ships just 1 fig.  What is good shipping etiquette for 1 fig?

I did one yesterday in a larger envelope wrapped in bubble wrap. I am curious how others do though. Honestly it could be sent in a letter with a stamp because most are under one ounce.

i use poly bag mailers and just wrap the fig up a little bit with bubble wrap.  it's a little cheaper then the padded envelope.  

I was leaning towards a standard small envelope and wrapping the figure (which is already in one of those small "dime bag" containers) in some packing plastic I have.  Would that keep the figure safe?

if it's a more expensive single fig, i put it in an tan padded envelope and fold it like a Z with the fig in the center. tape the folds in-place then place it in a Priority Mail  or UPS envelope. 

 

when i sold a sealed 30th anniv gold / chrome c3p0 to a chap in france, i wrapped it in bubble wrap and put it in a small flat rate priority box. then i put the box in an US Express International larger plastic-like envelope.

I usually trade at least 2 figs at a time, put them in a padded envelope and ship first class.  I just recently finalized a trade with a fellow board member   and was wondering how everyone else ships just 1 fig.  What is good shipping etiquette for 1 fig?

I usually ship two minifigures at a time and I ship them in a bubble envelope with first class as well. (I put them in a smaller padded envelope then put that envelope into a bigger, padded one.) For one figure I would put it in a smaller padded envelope with some extra bubble wrap around it. A letter with a stamp could work if you use some bubble wrap with it. (I'm not sure if the letter would work or not. It might be too heavy with bubble wrap.)

if it's a more expensive single fig, i put it in an tan padded envelope and fold it like a Z with the fig in the center. tape the folds in-place then place it in a Priority Mail, 1st class plain,   or UPS envelope. 

 

when i sold a sealed 30th anniv gold / chrome c3p0 to a chap in france, i wrapped it in bubble wrap and put it in a small flat rate priority box. then i put the box in an US Express International larger plastic-like envelope.

Fig is just a collectable minifig so not expensive.  I assume the fig plus the bubble wrap would make the envelope too heavy so I was planning I going to the post office to get the correct postage anyway. I assume it should be less than the typical $2.07 I pay for first class and a padded envelope.

The difference between First Class and First Class Package is more the dimensions and thickness of the envelope than the weight. 1 to 3 oz First Class Package is one price. Unless your envelope is "flat" enough, it won't be able to go first class envelope rate (i.e, with a stamp).

 

I have been packaging our normal minifigs in two layers of bubble wrap (one plus the padding already in the padded envelopes) plus a packing peanut or three, to make sure the package is "thick" enough (it has to be either 1/2" or 3/4", can't remember, but I go for 3/4" minimum to be safe) that the post office doesn't decide my first class package is really priority mail and try to charge my buyers the difference.

Honestly it could be sent in a letter with a stamp because most are under one ounce.

Never do this! The USPS Sorting machines will rip it right out of the paper envelope. I purchased a blue snaggletooth figure (Star Wars) from ebay years ago and the seller shipped it this way. Needless to say I never got the figure.

Place it in a sandwich baggie and ship it first class in a padded #00 envelope. 2oz or less will cost $1.69..

Never do this! The USPS Sorting machines will rip it right out of the paper envelope. I purchased a blue snaggletooth figure (Star Wars) from ebay years ago and the seller shipped it this way. Needless to say I never got the figure.

Place it in a sandwich baggie and ship it first class in a padded #00 envelope. 2oz or less will cost $1.69..

I think that is what I will end up doing.  Better be safe than sorry.

I get a small box....think Kraft macaroni and cheese size.  Then flip it inside out put the minifig in a small baggie and put some newspaper in it.  It becomes quite sturdy with the paper in it.  I use a generous amount of packing tape.  Costs $2.07.  Was looking for a cheaper way to ship a single minifig, but don't want to worry about the PO destroying it.

Never do this! The USPS Sorting machines will rip it right out of the paper envelope. I purchased a blue snaggletooth figure (Star Wars) from ebay years ago and the seller shipped it this way. Needless to say I never got the figure.

Place it in a sandwich baggie and ship it first class in a padded #00 envelope. 2oz or less will cost $1.69..

 

Never thought about that. Good info.

I use bubble mailers.  In the past when I've received minifigures in letters the mail sorters chew up the envelope and spit out the minifigures since the thickness of the envelope is thrown off.  Needless to say the minifigure did not successfully survive.

Never do this! The USPS Sorting machines will rip it right out of the paper envelope. I purchased a blue snaggletooth figure (Star Wars) from ebay years ago and the seller shipped it this way. Needless to say I never got the figure.

Place it in a sandwich baggie and ship it first class in a padded #00 envelope. 2oz or less will cost $1.69..

That's precisely what I do. I usually use the little plastic bags I get when I order pieces from Bricklink, as well as the padded envelopes.

I would use one of the padded bubble envelopes. They're pretty inexpensive to ship.

I usually ship two minifigures at a time and I ship them in a bubble envelope with first class as well. (I put them in a smaller padded envelope then put that envelope into a bigger, padded one.) For one figure I would put it in a smaller padded envelope with some extra bubble wrap around it. A letter with a stamp could work if you use some bubble wrap with it. (I'm not sure if the letter would work or not. It might be too heavy with bubble wrap.)

Don't quote me on this, but I believe a "letter" cannot be odd or misshaped. I believe USPS considers that an "irregular package" and it's subject to a different type of metering.

 

Now, don't get me wrong, it may go through just fine, because there are three times where I received a minifigure in a regular letter with a stamp, HOWEVER, two of the three times there was problems!!! 

 

One of them the minifig was GONE from the envelope entirely and there was a "minifig sized tear" in the corner where it looks like the minifig was pushed or popped out. I surmise this is because standard letters go through automated sorters that pull the letter along using a system of wheels, and if it's not flat, it will either jam the system or just force it to rip out of the envelope.

 

The second was an Elrond promo polybag. Same thing happened, but to the polybag, so everything was still there, but I had a torn polybag which was not good for a collector. 

 

Now, the third time the item stayed in the envelope, but it was only a pair of legs, and the seller taped it into the center of the envelope. If they hadn't done that, it probably would have popped out too.

 

As for myself, when I ship minifigs I use a small padded envelope and print the shipping through eBay. It's the same price ($1.69) for 1, 2 or 3 ounces so I always just choose 3 ounces to CMA. You can fit close around 20 figs and still be under 3 ounces! As for the envelopes, I bought 500 a while back for about $30 ($.06 a piece), so that part is negligible. I usually charge $2 for shipping, so after eBay's cut, plus the actual $1.69 for shipping, and my envelope it's an even wash.

 

Hope this helps!

-PB

Great info guys...thanks

Glad this was cleared up

I tried to mail a minifig to a friend in oversea using USPS. A card with a sealed series 10 minifig, tapped the envelope all around, so it cannot be ripped easily. The post office staff felt something in the envelope, asked me what was inside. I said a little lego minifig. She had me to fill out a custom form! She was going to have me pay package shipping but decided to go with regular airmail. The envelope arrived safely to another country with the minifig in it.

Where can I buy polybag mailer and smaller padded envelope? Thanks.

 I used a ebayer named Icmailers  for polymailers  They had several sizes and good prices.

I use 6x9 polymailers for the outer envelope.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/300605492452

 

I put the minifig in a small ziplock

http://www.ebay.com/itm/190748659851

 

I just recently figured out a new use for my late 80's/early 90's baseball cards.  Take two baseball cards and fold them to make a "little house" for the minifig.  I tape them together and then tape the minifig inside.  It provides a lot of stability and almost no packing material needed.  I almost feel a little guilty about it.  Sometimes I crumple some paper to put in there too.

Thank you for the info. I bought over 100 series 8 minifig from walmart after x'mas for $1 each. I sorted them and found 3 full sets. Thinking to sell those 3 sets as complete set and the rest individually (?). not sure how to sell them yet. But at least now I will have the mailing supplies for them.

You can add "nonmachinable" for .20 to a first class envelope. This would make shipping 1 figure the cheapest option and "should" keep it safe from being smashed or lost.