How do I mail a laptop ?
Apr 21, 2008 at 1:58 AM Post #2 of 17
I know that DHL (and probably UPS & FedEx) has a special laptop shipping box that is padded.
 
Apr 21, 2008 at 2:00 AM Post #3 of 17
Double-box that laptop, with lots of cushy - not rigid - foam between the two boxes. Make sure the inner box won't get crushed. If breakage is not a problem, shove it in a jet bag.
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Laz
 
Apr 21, 2008 at 3:43 AM Post #5 of 17
Email it
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Apr 21, 2008 at 6:01 AM Post #6 of 17
Don't use the United States Postal Service if you want it to be in working condition when it arrives. A conscientious government employee will break it enroute to its destination.
 
Apr 21, 2008 at 11:42 AM Post #9 of 17
Bubble wrap works well also.

FYI > FedEx "Overnight" service does not include Saturday delivery by default. You have to pay extra for that. UPS next day will show up on a Saturday if you send a package on a Friday with "Next Day Delivery"
 
Apr 21, 2008 at 5:01 PM Post #11 of 17
Put a stamp on it and hand it to your mail carrier
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Small box within a larger box or a single box with 3" or so of packing on all sides of the item. Make sure you pack the box so that nothing important slides. Bubble wrap is nice and light, but butcher paper works just as well (if a bit heavier). You can buy a roll of butcher paper at Costco for $20- cheap, efficient and easy to store.

IME most services have about the same success rate. I have shipped and received thousands of packages via all carriers and I have only had a handful of problems.

In general it seems that air service is better than ground service. The only service I really don't like is Fed Ex Ground, mainly because they have claimed "attempted delivery" several times when they never really made an attempt.

Finally and most importantly- get insurance.
 
Apr 21, 2008 at 5:46 PM Post #12 of 17
My advice is to take it to someone like Mailboxes Etc. and let them pack and ship it. Laptops have a pretty difficult weight to fragility ratio, and just putting them in a box with padding around it isn't as foolproof as it might sound.
 
Apr 21, 2008 at 10:33 PM Post #14 of 17
Sounds like a good time to invest in one of those good carrying cases? Check out Brenthaven's website. I've had their backpack for 4 years now, and it is everything they say it is. An expense, sure, but you can use it over and over.

Or get just a nice padded sleeve, from Brenthaven or others, and use it in combination with other suggested methods (pro packing at Mailboxes, DIY bubblewrap...).

In our experience (a small business shipping 10-20 packages a week, including fragile items like china), FedEx Ground has been the worst - no, not breaking stuff, but misdelivering. Wherever possible, we use USPS, Priority Mail option. DHL is good for special needs stuff, like paintings, but you probably don't need it.

Good luck!
 
Apr 21, 2008 at 10:37 PM Post #15 of 17
Quote:

Originally Posted by kurt6652 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Don't use the United States Postal Service if you want it to be in working condition when it arrives. A conscientious government employee will break it enroute to its destination.


UPS, FedEx and DHL are all worse than USPS in this regard.
 
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