# Shipping Furniture



## BiologistAngler (Jan 31, 2019)

I would like to try selling my work using online stores (Etsy, etc.) but I was curious as to how other sellers handle shipping of furniture. It seems like it would be expensive and tricky to package. I've been looking at reinforced boxes to bulk buy online to ship pieces. I was thinking of starting fairly small, like end tables that are 24" tall, about 16" square, then maybe coffee tables. If anyone could share how they package/ship their work and costs of doing so that would help give me an idea. Thanks!


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

your right about expensive,shipping costs have soared in the last couple years.unless your talking about some high end or very unique furniture the costs and time expense may be more than the furniture is worth.hard to compete with the big retailers.good luck.


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## splintergroup (Jan 20, 2015)

Valuation aside, if you can make them to be assembled you can package much more securely and reduce the costs, but that can be a big show stopper as it can easily turn a fine piece of workmanship into an Ikea knockoff.


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## DS (Oct 10, 2011)

Several trucking companies handle blanket wrapped furniture.

It needs to be attached on a pallet and wrapped in "furniture blankets". (Makes one wonder where they got that name?)
After blankets it is wrapped in stretch film plastic. Add a bill of lading and voila' - ready to ship.

Not all carriers handle this, and those that do, prefer full truck loads, but, that is a common method of shipping furniture - blanket wrapped on a pallet.


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## stevejack (Apr 5, 2020)

I got the Sheet kicked out of me on just this. I made a 7 foot tall Whimsical Grandfather clock. I was very light though. One piece. I should have made it in 2 but you live and learn. I got the price I wanted but the shipping from Illinois to Michigan was $900. It was crated by them but still. I had to end up splitting the shipping costs to get it to this lady.

I make nightstands I wish I could make and ship, but shipping almost doubles the price. I have racked my brain over how to make them ASSEMBLY REQUIRED to ship them. I have run over the plans in my head a thousand times, and the one thing I cant get over is the end user. I could make a break down version at additional costs but the person I would be shipping it 2 could never figure out how to put it together.

If the person on the other end was handy enough to put it together they would know enough how to make their own and wouldn't need me. Also making piece that can be broken down and put back together would weaken the piece. Also if you have liek drawers or doors that are all aligned and great wouldn't be so much after they put them together.

People I know that make what are called "NOODLE BOARDS" years ago can't afford to ship them anymore.

SPEAKING of ETSY! ETSY is forcing their shop owners to include FREE SHIPPING. I had to do it and the price I have to ask for is out of site. A 20 pound Lamp I make say 24×24 x 10 boxed Costs almost $80 to ship by USPS!And yes ETSY strongly insists you use USPS to.

It shouldn't cost MORE to ship something than its worth


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## stevejack (Apr 5, 2020)

EXACTLY


> Valuation aside, if you can make them to be assembled you can package much more securely and reduce the costs, but that can be a big show stopper as it can easily turn a fine piece of workmanship into an Ikea knockoff.
> 
> - splintergroup


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

Domino connectors are easy to break down and don't cheapen the piece at all in my opinion-assuming you build it right to begin with.

I'm making a hall table for my son in Texas and plan to use them so he can take it back with him the next time he visits.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Check out http://www.mod-eez.com - they sent me a free sample pack years ago. They might still do that.


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## Aaron312 (Jan 16, 2020)

I have started using www.pirateship.com for UPS and USPS shipping. Savings on USPS is not much, maybe 5 - 10%. But savings on UPS is huge, 40+%. Very easy to use website. You enter the info and the website calculates the best way to ship, you pay for shipping and it prints the label. You just drop it off at UPS or post office.

I dont sell anything, just make stuff for family, and this has been real help.


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

We looked into shipping my daughter some vintage MCM furniture that I restored from TX to NYC last year but it turned out to be way too expensive. We found several companies that would palletize it for you and ship but the more we looked into it, the more horror story reviews we found. None that we found would give you any sort of expected delivery date and some of the reviews said that in some cases it took months to arrive and several never showed up at all. One company that we contacted jacked up the price each time that we called them. They were very vague at first about the cost of palletizing and by the 3rd call they finally told us that palletizing alone would be about $1000 for just a single pallet and we expected it to be two. Insurance was extra and the reviews indicated that it was worthless, even when it never arrived at all, and they would not insure it unless THEY palletized it. This was the one with the best reviews or at least the fewest bad reviews.

In the end, it was much cheaper to rent a cargo van one way from Budget and drive it there ourselves. That included gas, hotels, meals and return flight home. That also meant that we could take a few more and larger things that we weren't going to trust to shippers anyway.


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