How to Ship a Baseball Without Risking Any Damage
How to ship a baseball ball is not difficult if you follow a few rules for its protection. Make sure it is clean and placed in a zip bag. Cover it in packing peanuts and ensure it does not move around the box. Find a courier, and you are ready to go.
Whether you are just trying to sell some of your autographed baseballs or running a business, knowing how to ship a baseball can prevent potential damage and issues with the receiver.
Simply throwing the ball in a small box will not do.
This article will teach you everything you need to know to ensure safe and efficient shipping.
Table of Contents
What You Need to Prepare
How to Pack Baseballs
In this guide, you will learn how to ship baseballs safely and efficiently, like a pro. By following these steps, you can minimize the risk of damage during shipping.
1. Prepare the Baseball Before Shipping it
Some autographed baseballs come in small boxes – especially if you purchased them from a memorabilia store rather than get them signed yourself.
If this is the case, you should also keep it in the original box.
If you got the ball signed yourself, give it a brief wipe before shipping it.
You do not need to use any chemicals to clean it.
If it is a bit dirty – just because you used it in the game, that is fine.
Just remove the dust, as pressing it against the ball during shipping can slightly damage it.
2. Get the Ball Inside a Zip Bag for Protection
A zip bag will prevent the ball from minor issues.
For instance, it can prevent dust from getting inside and rubbing against the ball.
At the same time, if courier employees improperly handle your package and it is rained on, moisture can also affect the ball.
A spillage is just as harmful – it can stain the ball and make it almost worthless.
Take some of the air out and close the bag.
Leaving too much air inside – like in a balloon can break it and make it useless.
3. Put the Ball Inside a Box and Cover it with Packing Peanuts
The idea is to have the ball floating inside the box.
Put a few packing peanuts at the bottom of the box.
Place the ball on top of the peanuts, then add more on the sides and top.
The box needs to be bigger than the ball, but not by too much – otherwise, you waste peanuts.
Close the box and shake it a few times for the packing peanuts to settle.
Open it and fill the gaps again.
Do the same again until there are no more gaps after shaking it.
4. Seal the Box
Seal the box with tape.
Cover all the potential openings, but also go around corners.
Packages can get easily damaged, so it pays off to exaggerate with tape.
You can wrap the whole box in tape or get some foil and wrap it after – up to you.
If you use tape, there should be at least a few layers on each side.
While not fragile, you can still put a fragile sticker on the box or write fragile on it.
It does not mean courier employees may pay more attention to it, but play it safe – you never know.
5. Find a Courier and Get Shipping Labels
You will need to shop around when looking for couriers.
A baseball is relatively small and lightweight, so most of them will be able to ship it for you.
Other than that, you will most likely have to pay for shipping labels and transportation.
Shipping domestically should not be too expensive, but international shipping costs more.
How Much Does it Cost to Ship Baseballs?
Generally speaking, you can ship a baseball domestically for $3 to $10.
Most couriers will charge you per weight – a typical baseball weighs around five pounds.
The box and packing peanuts will also count, but not too much.
There are some limitations regarding the size of the box.
But since your parcel is not too voluminous, it will not count.
Other than that, prices will most likely double up for international shipping – the country you ship to is also relevant when shopping for the best price.
The Cheapest Way to Ship Baseballs
Most couriers out there should be able to send your baseball without hassle.
Some of them go the extra mile and may even come to pick it up – it may add to the price.
Then, there are standard shipping options and express shipping solutions – express is faster but will cost you more.
If the ball is worth a lot of money, you may want to consider insuring it – this is a bit of a guarantee that employees will handle it with more care.
It is also a backup plan if anything wrong happens.
Most people rely on USPS as it’s the cheapest option – it is worth considering it, primarily if you ship internationally.
While costs are low, you will pay for shipping labels too.
You can, however, reduce costs by using shipping software.
Pirate Ship, for instance, requires an account and a scale.
Weigh the parcel yourself and print your shipping labels for free – quite handy if you run a business or rely on couriers.
You will need your scale, though.
Final Thoughts
The bottom line, learning how to ship a baseball is not rocket science.
There are quite a few options, and they are less likely to cost a fortune.
Pirate Ship works with a few different couriers and can print your labels for free – regardless of what courier you choose, it pays off, reducing the cost.
Packaging the baseball correctly is just as important, especially if it has a famous player’s autograph or has been used in a very important game.
The good news is a little attention to potential risks will pay off.
