(you can buy a drum set box set from the guys who produced the video above)
Not a complete tutorial but this covers the basics. Please comment or send in pics and descriptions of packing procedures you don’t see here.
Shipping companies:
Damages. Always buy insurance for the full value that the customer paid. This should be included in the shipping cost you charge the customer. Make sure to tell your customer that if a package arrives damaged they need to keep the box and all packing materials so the shipping company can inspect them. The customer bought the insurance, but collecting the insurance money is the seller’s/shipper;s responsibility. If the customer does not keep all materials, or doesn’t allow the shipping company to inspect it, then it’s the customers’ loss if the shipping company doesn’t pay the claim. Sometimes the shipping company will not take the package after inspection. There may be items in that damaged package that you can use or sell. If the shipping company pays the claim, then the damaged item and packing is yours, though return shipping will be your responsibility. Make sure the customer understands that the damaged item must be returned to you if you request it, after you have either refunded the customer’s money or sent them a replacement item.
Why do I start with damages? Because all shipping companies damage shipments and lose them to a small degree. One is no better than the other in that respect. If you sell and ship with any frequency you will most likely run into having to make a claim. Learn the ins and outs of that.
Over the past thirty years of selling and shipping drums, I have found UPS to be the most reliable and the cheapest when shipping anything bigger than a breadbox. For small stuff, one of USPS’s flat rate boxes is the cheapest and fastest.
UPDATE; 2024: Pirateship.com is a fairly new online service for buying and printing discounted UPS and USPS shipping labels. Their prices beat my UPS.com account every time and the website is easy to use and funny with all the pirate themes and language. Their customer service is excellent. I usually choose the UPS price even if the USPS rate is cheaper because USPS service has been rather “dragging” since Covid. I tape the label to the box then drop it off at the UPS Store, which is a free service.
You can get a business account at UPS.com The discounts for a business account are significant - somewhere between 15 and 20%. You don’t have to have a “business” - just a business name: “Joe’s Mighty Fine Drums” or whatever. You’ll just need a credit or debit card on file with them to pay your bill. The bill comes due after the package is delivered and all charges are computed. You’ll be able to print out a mailing label from the site. You will need a scale and a tape measure to get weight and dimensions. You can guess at weight if you want because UPS will correct it for the bill. UPS will pick up packages but there is a fee. It’s the same fee no matter how many packages. I usually just drop them off at a UPS store and get a receipt.
USPS.com is the site for the post office. While there is no discount, it is very convenient to print a label from the site then let the mailman pick up the package. pickups are free. Payment can be made with cards or paypal on file. Also you will eventually get a call from a customer rep who will give you their direct phone # for any problems you may have. This has been a big help to me, though the reps change every few months so you have to stay on top of who’s who.
Ship with paypal
When you get paid with paypal, you can go to your paypal account, look at that transaction’s page and there will be a link that says “ship” on that page. You can compare UPS and USPS rates, plus all of the fees are discounted . Paypal will automatically email the tracking # to your customer.
Do not!!! take your drums to a “UPS” STORE ” and let them pack and ship them unless you and your customer are aware of the high prices. They are not owned by UPS. They are just pick up points and make their money by doing the packing work you don’t want to do. They charge exorbitant prices. Fedex does own their stores and their packing fees are somewhat better than a UPS Store. Fedex’s packing charge is not bad at $35 a box, but their shipping rates are higher than UPS.
Fedex
I don’t use Fedex much mainly because every time I compare rates they are almost always higher. I have used them at the customers’ request. Their packing charges are less than the “UPS Stores”.
A key to being a trustworthy seller and shipper is good communication with the buyer. Always answer emails within 24 hours and have all tracking numbers at hand in case there is a problem with the shipment,
Packing materials:
The safest way to ship is to use two boxes, put the drum in the smaller box and put the smaller box inside the bigger box with bubble wrap or big plastic bubbles between the two boxes. This is how DW does it.
Pack and ship your own drums unless you are just not able to. Clarify with your customer if nesting or shipping individually is desired. Nest drums inside each other with bubble wrap and use heavy duty packing tape. I use cardboard to line the bigger drum that the smaller drum is nested in. Buy the large bubble type wrap at Home Depot, not the thinner stuff. Boxes can be bought at FedEx, Walmart, Home Depot, U-Haul. Sometimes Guitar Center has drum boxes they will give away. Large bass drum boxes are the hardest to find. Fedex has a good thick 24x24x24 box that will hold a 22” bass drum for any depth. If you have a UPS pickup, you can order free boxes, though most of their boxes are not suitable for drums,
You can find paper companies in most cities that manufacture boxes and will sell you any size box. Even onesies. Uline is a good source for boxes but I think you have to buy in bulk.
Here is a link to a pretty good deal on drum specific boxes that comes with bubble wrap and packing paper. https://www.soundpure.com/p/sound-pure-5pc-drum-set-shipping-box-package-spd9/18204 and their great video on packing is at the top of this page.
The post office gives away all sorts of small and medium size boxes. They are usually in stock at the local post office. I hoard them :-) All the flat rate boxes can be used to make triangular corners to fill in around drums, and to line the inside of drums that will have other drums nested in them. The small flat rate boxes make great spacers. Here are some pics of some of my handiwork with p.o. boxes, bubble wrap, paper, newspaper and plastic grocery bags.
Packing Cymbals - coming soon