A typical local shipping supply aisle.  
Here you see tape and boxes.



A typical local shipping supply aisle.  
Here you see rolls of Bubble Wrap.

This is the secure mailroom at our Sugarloaf facility.
All shipments land in this room for triage.

Once received, your package will be locked in a 
security closet awaiting processing.


A model package, taped in the H-method 
with our order number clearly visible, near the
shipping label.

Our Recommendations

Safe shipping begins with using the correct supplies to protect your items during shipment. You will likely spend up to $10 to purchase the packaging items on your own, or you may elect to let your local pack-and-ship store pack your items for you as a full-service option.

If you elect to pack your own materials, shipping supplies can be purchased at many of your local retailers:

1. local "super-centers"
   grocery stores
2. pharmacies
3. office supply stores
4. post offices
5. local pack-and-ship businesses

In short, you'll need the following items:

1. a sturdy box (container)
2. packing tape
3. filler/insulating material
4. clear labeling

The Essentials

The Container
We recommend that you use a new, brown cardboard shipping box. Be sure you use a corrugated box designed for shipping. In other words, do not use a recycled box engineered as a food container. Shipping boxes are usually sold individually and come in a variety of sizes. When in doubt, always buy a larger box; you can always add more padding as necessary.

Filler Material
We recommend you pad your shipment with Bubble Wrap. We discourage using peanuts as insulation, unless they are specifically anti-static peanuts made to work with electronic equipment. Remember, analog or digital, your videotape is magnetically charged. Place a double-layer of Bubble Wrap on the bottom of the box. Surround all of your original videos and photos with enough insulating material to prevent items inside the box from shifting. When items shift; they can collide with one another which could cause damage. 
Bubble Wrap is a registered trademark of Sealed Air Corporation.

Packaging Tape
Just as we recommend your box be made specifically for shipping, we also encourage your package be protected by tape made specifically for shipping. Purchase a clear, packaging tape that is at least 2 inches wide. Obtain 3-inch wide tape, if it is available to you.

Before you seal up your package, make sure you either put a duplicate shipping label inside your box or a sheet of paper listing your name, address and phone number. This ensures your package can be identified should the original exterior label become unreadable or become detached.

Use the "H-method" on the bottom and top of your box. In the H-Method, you will place three strips of tape in the shape of an "H". Start by placing a single strip of tape along the middle seam of your box where the flaps join. You should put two additional strips along each side of the box, perpendicular to the center seam, forming the shape of an "H". 

Pre-Shipment Checklist Suggestions

Rewind your videotapes if you have a player available to you. We suggest you place them in write-protect mode, as a best practice, if you do not intend to record over the current material.

Enclose your printed work-order form from our site inside your box.

Write your work order number on the exterior of your box so that it is 
clearly visible, preferably in black, permanent marker.

If your e-mail has spam filtering enabled, create a rule allowing e-mails from our domain, thephotoarchivalco.com, in your trusted list or white-list. We will send you an e-mail when your package is received. If your e-mail rejects our delivery confirmation, due to spam filtering, you may miss this important message.

External Recommendations

FedEx Brochure on How to Pack
UPS Lists Steps on How to Prepare for Shipping
United States Postal Service Guide to Mailing