We talk a lot about making a memorable first impression on your customers with custom shipping boxes. Our simple platform and affordable custom boxes make it a no brainer to choose custom boxes. However, we realize that you don’t always need to use shipping boxes. Sometimes, you’re looking to ship something small, flat and only semi-fragile.
That’s why we’ve brought on USPS bubble mailers to our collection.
We get it, ecommerce shipping can get expensive thanks to a practice called dimensional weight. One way to cut back on high costs is to use bubble mailers if the item you want to ship is light, small and not fragile enough to warrant full packaging in a shipping box. Bubble mailers are not only affordable, but they also take up less space and are easier to pack and ship.
The only downside, of course, is that you won’t be able to achieve the same level of brand awareness as you would by using a custom shipping box. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide how you want to ship your items or products. But to keep things simple, we’re focusing this post on how to ship using a bubble mailer from USPS.
Are Bubble Mailers Packages or Envelopes?
This depends on the thickness of your bubble mailer. Once packed, if your bubble mailer is 3/4 of an inch thick or less, it’s considered an envelope. If your bubble mailer is over 3/4 of an inch thick, it’s considered a package.
Your bubble mailer will most likely be a package.
How Much Does it Cost to Mail a Bubble Mailer?
It depends on if your bubble mailer is considered an envelope or a package. It also depends on how much it weighs. If your bubble mailer is considered an envelope and weighs 1 ounce or less, you can slap a $0.50 postage stamp on your mailer and drop it off at your post office as usual.
If your bubble mailer is considered a package, you’ll choose between USPS First Class, Priority Mail and Media Mail.
Use USPS First Class if your bubble mailer weighs under 16 ounces.
Use USPS Priority Mail if your bubble mailer weighs under 70 pounds (this will most likely be your option as an ecommerce business owner).
Use USPS Media Mail if your bubble mailer weighs under 70 pounds and its contents are books (at least 8 pages), videotapes, DVDs, Blu rays, CDs, Vinyl records, printed music or other sound recordings.
What Can I Ship in a Bubble Mailer?
Sometimes, you have small products or items that don’t require a full shipping box. We recommend using bubble mailers if you have an item or product that is mostly flat, small and doesn’t need a ton of padding or protection.
Examples of products you can ship in a bubble mailer include electronics, jewelry, small books or handcrafted home goods. For extra protection, we recommend wrapping your product in an extra layer of packing paper or bubble wrap.