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Buy & Sell Shipping Guide
How do I ship an item to a buyer? Do I need to provide tracking information, or require a signature? How about insurance for the package?
Dave avatar
Written by Dave. Updated over a week ago

Choose a shipping service

Once you’ve confirmed a sale with a buyer, it’s time to prepare the item for shipping (if your buyer is picking up locally, see our guide here). The first step is to select a shipping company:

  • ShareGrid Shipping Labels - We've made it easy to purchase shipping labels from the major carriers directly through ShareGrid: simply select Review Shipping Rates, enter the shipment details, then select from the available shipping options. Because we have access to volume discounts, our shipping rates are often more affordable than purchasing shipping service directly from the carrier.

  • Alternatively, you can choose to purchase shipping outside the site. You can use whichever carrier you prefer, but you must select a shipping service that includes tracking. All of the major carriers offer tracked services, including USPS, FedEx, and UPS. Once you have a tracking number, enter it in the 'Tracking Number' field, and the transaction will progress to the next stage.

  • For items over $250 in value, you must use a shipping service that requires a signature upon delivery. If your item exceeds this value and you purchase a shipping label through the site, we'll automatically show you shipping options which meet this requirement.

Take a look here for more information about the requirements for ShareGrid Buy & Sell Protection.

Insurance

We strongly recommend purchasing shipment insurance. Loss or damage during transit are your responsibility as the person shipping the gear, so please purchase sufficient insurance coverage for the item while it's in transit, and pack it very carefully.

  • For items up to $5000 in value, we offer the option to include coverage from Shippo, along with the purchase of your shipping label. The cost for this additional protection is 1% of the sale price.

  • For items above $5000 in value, you'll need to source shipment insurance outside the site.

Calculate shipping costs

Here’s a list of shipping calculators from the major shipping companies, to help you plan your shipment:

Remember that for items over $250 in value, you must use a shipping service that requires a signature upon delivery, so choose this option when estimating costs. We also strongly recommend purchasing shipment insurance.

Prepare your item for shipping

Once you’ve selected your carrier, you’re ready to pack your item for shipping. For high-value items, we recommend taking your item to one of the carrier's shipping centers. Most of these offer packing services for a reasonable fee, which can help you choose the right box and protection materials, and pack the item securely.

Here are some tips to protect your precious gear on the journey to its new owner:

  1. Select a shipping box of the right size. Choose a box that’s not too big and not too small. Use a sturdy box with enough room for 1-2 inches of packing material on all sides of the item.

  2. Wrap and pack the item carefully. Use generous amounts of bubble wrap, newspaper or other packing materials to protect your item as much as possible. Make sure to fill any extra space in the shipping box with a compressible material (bubble wrap, packing peanuts, packing straw, foam, etc.) so the item does not move around during transit. Aim to immobilize the item in the middle of the box, encased in a protective shell of packing material on all sides.

  3. Print a copy of the packing slip, and place this in the box. You can find the packing slip from the order page on ShareGrid.

  4. Print your shipping label, and attach it to the box. Include your own address as the sender, and include a phone number for both you and the recipient. Make sure all information on the box is clearly legible.

  5. Tape everything. Use more than you think you need: tape the box closed, and tape the seams of the box. Be sure to tape over the address information with clear tape, so this is protected while the box is in transit.

  6. Drop off the package at a carrier location and finalize shipping details. We strongly recommend purchasing insurance for the item while it’s in transit.

  7. Check tracking status. If you're using a ShareGrid Shipping Label, the tracking status will update automatically on ShareGrid once the carrier takes possession of the package. If you purchased shipping outside the site, enter the tracking number on the ShareGrid website. The buyer will be notified once the item has shipped, and they’ll see a clickable link to track their package.

  8. You’re all done! Congratulations on your sale.

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