How to Ship an Umbrella Without Damaging It
How to ship an umbrella is relatively simple if you put it in the proper case and surround it with packing peanuts. Get everything in place to ensure the umbrella does not move inside the box during transportation. Find a good shipping deal, and there should be no problems.
Most people will buy an umbrella from the nearest store or online.
Whether you sell umbrellas or have a unique one for a gift, figuring out how to ship an umbrella is a challenge.
Sure, small umbrellas can be shipped in a tiny box with a bit of bubble wrap. For the larger ones, find a long box, and put the bubble-wrapped umbrella with it. Then fill the void with packing peanuts and close the box.
This guide will tell you everything you need to know about shipping.
You will also learn how to find the best deal to ship your umbrella.
Packaging Material
- Original Cover/Case
- Fabric/Plastic foil (if the original cover is missing)
- Bubble Wrap
- Rubber band/ Velcro
- Packing peanuts
- Long box
- Wrapping paper (optional)
- Packaging tape
How to Pack an Umbrella
In this guide, you will learn how to ship an umbrella without any damage or snapping it. Read and follow the steps, and your umbrella will be safely shipped.
1. Bubble Wrap the Umbrella
First, ensure the umbrella is dry if you send a used umbrella.
Let it dry completely for a day, as it may still trap moisture in its mechanism.
If wrapped, moisture can cause mold.
Generally, umbrellas come with their original tube or cover, unless they are non-branded and cheap umbrellas. If you have the original case, wrap up your umbrella with that.
If you don’t have the original case, wrap it up with a piece of plastic foil or a piece of fabric.
After that, wrap the whole umbrella with bubble wrap. Bubble wrap will protect the umbrella from snapping, especially if mishandled during transportation. While the whole thing is quite fragile, one part, in particular, is more likely to snap – where the handle connects to the umbrella.
Do not focus on this area only. Get the whole umbrella wrapped, but use more wrapping around that part – you will need a few layers of bubble wrap.
Finally, secure the wrap using a rubber band or velcro. You can also use tape for this purpose.
Note: The most fragile part is the canopy of an umbrella. Make sure that less pressure is applied to this area to avoid any damage.
2. Get the Umbrella in a Case or Tube
Now, get a shipping box – ideally, it should be long and narrow. For example, check Davek. They have long boxes available but with a high price range. Try to find something like this at your nearby store.
If you use a square box then you would have to put too much filling in it – just a waste of money.
If you cannot find a long, narrow box, make one for yourself. Grab some cardboard and make a tube – you will need lots of tape to seal it.
3. Add Some Cushioning
Packing peanuts should go all around the wrapped umbrella. Put some bubble wrap at the bottom, put the umbrella in, and add some more peanuts.
Close the box and shake it a bit – let the packing peanuts settle down.
Open the box and fill the void again. Do it until there are no gaps left.
Ideally, packing peanuts should be tightly stacked around it so the umbrella floats in them.
4. Seal the Box
Use some tape to seal the box, especially if you made the box yourself.
You will need more tape layers to ensure it keeps everything together.
Insist around the edges.
Now, you need to wrap the box. Wrapping protects against punctures or damage that could let packing peanuts out. Wrap it a few times.
If it is a gift, you can wrap the whole package with a fancy gift wrap. If you use transparent wrapping, feel free to grab a market and write fragile on the box.
It does not guarantee that courier workers will be more careful with it, but it might work.
Even if the package is thrown around, packing peanuts in it will keep it safe – plus, there is nothing to break in an umbrella, especially when the canopy is secured.
5. Get Shipping Labels and Send Them
Finally, assuming the package is carefully packed, you will need some shipping labels.
Find a courier, get a good deal, and ship the umbrella.
Choose the shipping method first and look through the available options.
How Much Does it Cost to Ship an Umbrella?
Shipping an umbrella will usually cost between $5 and $20.
It depends on the courier you choose – each has different prices and packages.
It will cost more if you ship the box with a premium feature – such as overnight shipping or two-day delivery.
When most couriers charge for weight, the size is worth some consideration.
Luckily, umbrellas are not very bulky, so the weight will most likely be the only consideration in the price. Besides, priority shipping is not needed in the case of umbrellas, unless it’s urgent.
The Cheapest Way to Ship an Umbrella
There are more couriers, but USPS stands out with its relatively cheap rates.
Again, you can spend a bit more if you opt for faster delivery, but standard delivery times are not too bad either – it depends on how far you send the umbrella.
USPS will charge you for shipping labels, but there is a way to go around this extra expense.
You cannot use USPS’s flat rate boxes, but I’m sure they have arrangements for your umbrella.
Pirate Ship allows you to weigh items and print your shipping labels.
You will have to register, though, but you will also need your scale – if you sell umbrellas as a business, you will use the scale later on too, so it is worth the investment.
Printing these labels over Pirate Ship is free so you can save a bit of extra money.
Concluding Words
Ultimately, figuring out how to ship an umbrella is not that difficult.
Packing it is the most complicated part of the process, but this is pretty much it. You just ensure that your package is tight and packed well.
You have more options regarding the couriers, like local services. But using both USPS and Pirate Ship will most likely give you a great deal.
Packing the umbrella based on these steps will keep it safe during transportation, even if you ship it abroad.
