How to ship a bow- Get its dimensions, bubble wrap the bow for protection, and place it in a well-cushioned shipping box. Close and seal it, label the package and find an appropriate shipping company.
As a bow seller or friend, you may want to ship a bow to someone.
But do you know how to do it accordingly? If not, then keep reading this post.
It has crucial details about how to ship a bow securely and provides extra tips on ensuring the bow reaches its destination in good condition.
Table of Contents
What You Need to Prepare
- The bow you need to ship, whether in its original case or not
- A measuring tool to get the dimensions of your bow or the case
- Bubble wrap to cover parts and edges of the bow
- A shipping box to house the bow during transportation
- Additional cushioning for the shipping box like packing peanuts or crumpled newspapers
- Packaging tape to use for any sealing
- A package label- you can use a printed label or use a heavy black marker for labeling
- The money you will use to pay for shipping fees and other charges
How to Pack Bows
In this guide, you will learn how to ship bows safely and efficiently, like a pro. By following these steps, you can minimize the risk of damage during shipping.
1. Determine the Bow’s Dimensions
Using your measuring tool, determine how long and wide the bow is.
Measuring will help you get an appropriately sized shipping box to fit the bow correctly.
To figure out the length, measure tip to tip and from the grip to the bowstring for the width.
You should add about two inches for the measurements for an extra allowance.
If your bow is in its original case, get the case’s measurements.
2. Get the Shipping Box
Once you are ready with the measurements, get the shipping box that you will use to send the
bow.
This box should be larger than the bow or the cased bow, with about 3-5 inches on all sides.
You can buy a shipping box from a store nearby or local archery, get it from your shipping company, or you can use an old box.
3. Secure Your Bow
Skip to step 4 if the bow is in its case.
If not, wrap your bow around with a couple of layers of bubble wrap.
The bubble wrap secures the bow and keeps it free from friction that may damage it during transportation.
Secure the bubble wrap using packaging tape to ensure it doesn’t come off while the bow is in transit.
4. Box the Bow
Take the shipping box, line it with the packing peanuts or crumpled newspapers, and place your bubble-wrapped bow or cased bow inside.
Since the box will have extra voids or empty spaces, fill them with packing peanuts or crumpled newspapers.
These materials provide the bow with additional protection and prevent movement during transportation.
Once you have filled the spaces, attempt to close the box (don’t seal yet) and then shake it a bit to feel if there is any movement.
If you think the contents are shifting, add more packing peanuts or crumpled newspaper until there is no shifting.
Once you are sure there is no movement, close and seal the shipping box.
To ensure that the shipping box’s seams and flaps are adequately secured, seal using an “H” method as you pass the packaging tape twice each time.
5. Label Your Package
Provide the necessary details for identification- shipper and recipient address.
Cover the details with packaging tape to ensure they do not smear or get lost during shipping.
6. You’re Ready to Go
Now your package is ready for shipping.
You may wait for the post person to pick it up, or you can drop it off at the mailing station.
How Much Does it Cost to Ship Bows?
A bow’s shipping costs will depend on various factors.
These are primarily the weight/size of the package, the shipping destination, and the kind of service to be used.
You should be ready with around $15-$30 and an allowance for more. You may even get a lower shipping cost.
To get a more accurate price, use a shipping rate calculator from the shipping company.
If your bow package is heavy or oversized, like one with an originally cased bow, you will be charged more than a light and small box like one with a bow that is not in its case.
International shipping also costs more than domestic or local shipping due to import taxes and customs charges.
Additionally, if you use the express service of a shipping company and not the standard service, you will pay more.
If you insure your bow, your shipping costs will also increase.
Shipping a bow takes 2-5 working days for domestic and international deliveries.
The Cheapest Way to Ship Bows
If you want to ship a bow cheaply, go for the UPS shipping services.
To further cut the costs, buy the postage and labels via Pirate Ship. Pirate ship is a shipping software that works with UPS to offer customers pre-negotiated discounted rates.
You will need to log in to the Pirate Ship page to create your label, and then from there, you will need to provide details about your package for the rates to be availed.
You will be prompted to choose a service, whether for domestic or international delivery.
These services are sorted according to affordability, and you can also see specific day delivery estimates.
Final Thoughts
Archery professionals and hobbyists may want a bow to be shipped to them.
As the sender, you must be able to get the bow to them safely with no damage. To do that, you must pack the bow accordingly.
If you ever want to ship a bow, use the guide and tips we have provided above for secure shipping.
If you liked or enjoyed this post, we encourage you to share it to benefit those who may need it.
