Specialty Media Mailers
3Purpose-built for single CDs. Rigid corrugated walls prevent jewel-case cracking. Collectors in music categories notice the difference and leave better feedback.
Snug fit for single DVDs, Blu-rays, and video games. Keeps cases from shifting and cracking, which is far superior to a padded envelope for any disc media.
Engineered for 12" LPs, laser discs, and large flat items. Distributes pressure evenly across the record. Uneven pressure is what causes warping in transit.
Corrugated Boxes
21Compact and rigid. Great for cassette tapes, digital cameras, small accessories, and any pocket-sized item that needs a proper box rather than a padded mailer.
Small and rectangular. Good for USB drives, small action figures, chargers, earbuds, and other compact accessories that need rigid protection instead of a padded envelope.
Very shallow and compact. Fits trading cards, collectible patches, small coins, jewelry, and flat fragile items that need rigid protection rather than just a sleeve.
Shallow square for small electronics, 8-tracks, cassettes, multiple CDs, and video game cartridges. Low profile keeps everything snug with minimal void fill.
The cube box. Perfect for mugs, small glassware, electronics, and bulk CD orders. Deep enough for a full layer of bubble wrap on all six sides.
Mid-depth square for compact electronics, small kitchen gadgets, action figures in packaging, and chunky collectibles. More cubic volume than it looks from the outside.
Ultra-flat for comic books, sports cards in top loaders, flat collectibles, and thin magazines. Keeps contents rigid and prevents bending through postal sorting.
Slim and long. Ideal for paperbacks, VHS tapes, and multi-disc sets. Keeps contents rigid through postal sorting machinery, a must for media sellers.
Versatile for shoes (toddler and youth sizes), medium electronics, desktop accessories, and bundled items. The dimensions accommodate a wide range of irregular shapes.
Wide and flat for tablet computers, photo frames, board game expansions, and flat artwork. The 11-inch length accommodates most standard tablets with room for padding.
Versatile mid-size for multiple books, some shoe styles, folded clothing, and smaller collectibles. Ample room for bubble wrap without going oversized.
Wide and flat for large tablets, framed photos, record albums, and oversized books. The 12×9 footprint accommodates items that don't quite fit an 11×9×2.
Wide and flat for large hardcovers, smaller board games, and flat puzzles. Low profile keeps shipping weight down even when the contents are dense.
Deep and roomy for adult shoe sizes, small appliances, stacked books, and bundled clothing. One of the most useful depths for items that don't fit a shallow box.
A hair wider than the 12×10×2, useful for oversized hardcovers or puzzles where that last inch matters. Also fits larger board game expansions neatly.
Counter appliances, gaming consoles, bulky clothing, mid-size electronics. One of the most common sizes stocked by high-volume eBay sellers for good reason.
Bulky items: small appliances, bundled clothing, sports equipment, and anything that doesn't fit a 16×12×8. A good next step up from that standard size.
Catch-all for large items: small appliances, globes, big glassware, anything that resists fitting elsewhere. Keep a few on hand for odd hauls.
Wide and shallow for large flat items: records in bulk, oversized puzzles, poster board, and shallow trays. The square footprint is hard to substitute with other sizes.
For large, heavy, or awkwardly shaped items that won't fit anything smaller. Check carrier dimensional weight — at this size it often matters more than actual weight.
Long and flat for full-size board games, large puzzles, framed prints, and rolled posters. The extra length is what makes it irreplaceable for this category.
Poly Mailers
8The most economical option for clothing and soft, non-fragile items. Always wrap contents with bubble wrap on all sides and corners before sealing.
The smallest standard poly mailer. Fits folded youth t-shirts, small accessories, thin clothing items, and soft goods that don't need rigid protection.
Good for adult t-shirts folded once, small scarves, socks, and similar lightweight clothing. One of the most common sizes for clothing resellers.
Standard adult shirt size. Fits most folded t-shirts, blouses, and lightweight pants. A go-to size for the majority of clothing shipments.
Slightly larger for adult hoodies, jeans, thick sweaters, or when you want extra room for standard shirts. Very common in clothing operations.
For bulkier clothing: thick hoodies, winter jackets, two-piece sets, and other items that resist folding flat. Gives extra room to seal cleanly.
Large enough for most adult outerwear, large hoodies, and folded denim jackets. Also fits bundled clothing lots and multi-piece orders.
Extra-large for coats, blankets, pillows, and other oversized soft goods. At this size, verify the weight stays in First Class Mail range.
Maximum standard size for poly mailers. For very large blankets, curtains, and other bulky soft goods. Check dimensional weight before using.
Bubble Mailers
10Smallest standard bubble mailer. For coins, jewelry, small trading card lots, USB drives, and similar tiny items that need light cushioning.
For single trading card PSA slabs, phone cases, earbuds, small collectibles, and compact items. A very common size for small parts and accessories.
Fits single CDs, slim paperbacks, phone accessories, and most trading card lots with a top loader or rigid sleeve. Reliable all-purpose small mailer.
For single DVDs, Blu-rays, and game cases. Also works for small books, bundled accessories, and 3×5-inch collectibles with padding.
Standard size for video game cartridges and small boxed games, jewelry, sunglasses, and other medium items that need cushioning.
For hardcover books, multiple DVDs, bundles of cartridges, and longer items that don't fit a #2. Good all-purpose mid-range size.
For trade paperbacks, larger bundles of media, small electronics, and boxed sets that need a little extra depth. A versatile utility size.
For larger books, multiple Blu-ray sets, small board games, and electronic accessories. Getting toward the large end where a box may be more appropriate.
For large hardcovers, board game inserts, small electronics like tablets or portable speakers, and oversized flat items.
The largest standard bubble mailer. For substantial hardcovers, small artwork, large accessories, and items near the size limit for padded envelopes.
Packing Materials
5Required for anything static-sensitive: circuit boards, hard drives, RAM sticks, cassettes, and vintage media. Do not use standard bubble wrap on these. One discharge can kill a chip.
A $100–$200 one-time investment. Cushions cost less than a penny each, store flat when deflated, and give buyers a premium unboxing experience. Far better than loose peanuts.
The consumable for your air cushion machine. Available in multiple widths and bubble sizes. Stock up on sale. Cost per cushion is a fraction of pre-inflated alternatives.
Safer than air cushions under heavy loads that can deflate them. Also great for wrapping glassware. Painter’s paper from a hardware store is a cheap bulk alternative; carriers accept it as long as all seams are taped.
Packing Tips
Always Use New Boxes
Reused boxes are often weaker than they appear. One damaged-item return more than pays for a pack of new corrugated boxes. Collectors in music and media categories are especially sensitive to this.
Shipping in the Original Box? Wrap It First
Large boxed items are often safe in their own packaging. Wrap the outside first. For big items, thick painter’s paper (hardware store roll section) is affordable and fully accepted by all major carriers as long as every seam is taped.
Layer Your Protection
Small items: bubble wrap first, then poly bag inside the mailer. Fragile items: bubble wrap on all six sides so nothing touches the box wall directly. Anti-static wrap for anything with a circuit board.
Track Your Supply Levels
Running out of boxes mid-haul costs real time. Strooply’s supplies tracker lets you set custom restock alerts per item so you’re never caught short before a big listing session.