shipping

How to pack a book so it arrives safely

The trip to your presser is the riskiest part. A few dollars of packaging protects a much more valuable book.

2 min read

Most shipping damage is preventable, and it almost always starts with a book that can move inside its packaging. The goal is simple: keep the book flat, snug, and rigid.

Start with a fresh bag and backing board so the book can’t shift or rub. Add a second board — or a rigid top loader for a single book — so it can’t flex on the way. Then send it in a rigid mailer built for comics rather than a plain envelope; a stiff, self-sealing mailer keeps the corners safe. Shipping several books? A short comic box with the gap filled so nothing slides beats a stack in a soft envelope.

A few don’ts: don’t tape anything directly to the book, don’t rely on bubble wrap without a rigid layer, and don’t overstuff. When your book arrives, the first thing your presser does is photograph its condition with the camera — so good packing also means the “before” photos start from your book’s true state, not from shipping damage.