Do SFRBs Cause You Concern? (1 Viewer)

[Tonysquander]

In another thread involving a stolen shipment, a member mentioned he was apprehensive whenever receiving a rack of chips in a plain SFRB. I believe his concerns were the snug fit, lack of ability to further cushion the top, bottom, and ends and the potential for edge chipping, bites, or breaking of chips during shipment as a result.

I have shipped and received a lot of chips in SFRBs. I have never opened the Warneke box inside and found damaged, broken, or chipped chips that arose from the shipping process itself (such as seeing fragments or other indicia of shipping damage to the chips in the Warneke). I cannot recall ever seeing anyone else mentioning it happening to them either, but wanted to crowd source to see if this is a potential issue or whether concerns about it are just concerns about what could happen, as opposed to what does happen.

Happy to hear all thoughts on same.

P.S. 2 votes allowed per person, one per question posed.

 

[btbmason]

I wouldn’t say “zero” concern as I’m generally concerned about pretty much everything, but I’ve never received damaged chips in a SFRB.

Much like others though, I’ve started putting the SFRB inside of a padded mailer and/or another box, but before that was common practice I mailed out Warneke boxes wrapped in bubble wrap in SFRBs with no issues.

 

[doublebooyah85]

Sometimes I go w a solo SFRB but most times I double wrap them in the flat rate bubble mailers.

 

[MatrixExplosion]

My go to is a SFRB taped tightly inside a flat rate bubble mailer.

 

[Jp74]

Haven’t ever received damaged chips but I tend to ship full racks exactly like @btbmason mentioned. Either wrapped in bubble wrap inside a padded envelope or inside a sfrb inside a padded envelope. Overkill maybe but I feel better about it.

 

[ef28]

I am also always concerned when mailing out or receiving chips. I have yet to receive damaged chips in SFRB. When I mail anything out I tightly wrap the chips with a padded mailer, insert the chips inside a SFRB and then input the box inside a padded mailer. Only issue I had was when USPS lost my package while in transit to the buyer. USPS insurance paid out the $100, which did not cover the full amount for the chips.

 

[Tonysquander]

Also wonder if the extra padding, by sticking them in a padded envelope in a padded envelope, is offset by them then not being a uniform size and potentially being tossed around much more because they cannot be stacked neatly.

 

[toothpic]

I always use at least 1-2 bubble mailers over a box to ship chips. It's much more secure, adds some padding, and it's also free to do so no reason not to do it. It prevents the box opening, prevents water damage and protects the package some on top of any padding you put inside. If you use a priority mail box 1096L box you can fit two racks of chips with padding and then double wrap it with bubble mailers. They are free so there's really no reason not to do it. Pricing is very close, off by 40 cents maybe?

https://store.usps.com/store/product/priority-mail-small-box-P_O_1096L

I've had issues before where chips were sent to me only in a SFRB and the edges were not properly taped and the chips fell out of the flaps. The bubble mailer wrapped over would alleviate this particular issue.

 

[Josh Kifer]

Single rack? SFRB.

Double rack? Lil bigger SFRB in a bubble mailer.

 

[Rieguy]

Also wonder if the extra padding, by sticking them in a padded envelope in a padded envelope, is offset by them then not being a uniform size and potentially being tossed around much more because they cannot be stacked neatly.

If you do a SFRB (or a modified one to ship two racks of chips) inside a PFRE, inside a PFRE, and that in another PFRE, then they will lay flat and stack perfectly. I assume any seller shipping this way is already proficient and is not going to let the chips have space to rattle around. I also do one strip of tape over the sealed part around the whole package for good measure (see below).

These have 3-4 extra layers of padding and are waterproof. They're harder to tear open and dig through for a rogue postal worker or random thief. You can get a ton of PFREs for free, delivered free to your door. Hell, you can use them to pad contents inside other boxes like MFRB, which I do all the time. Finally, it is cheaper to ship them than a SFRB.

And yes, I have received damaged chips in a SFRB. And I have received multiple SFRB shipments that have a hole or holes in the box that were lucky to still have the contents in them. I've received damp ones that made it so moisture/water did hit the chips, although it caused no damage. It only takes one time to "have a situation" on your hands. Still never seen one arise with a PFRE, whereas I recall various ones involving a SFRB.

People can ship how they want, but there is simply no way around this being the superior method to ship a rack to two racks of chips.

I'm not going to shit myself or get remotely mad if I get a rack of chips in a SFRB that is packed well, but I sure do feel better as a seller when I've sent them using the above method, and am more content receiving them the same way.

(Edit - Not to make my book too much longer, but it's good to know this way for two racks of chips, as that will save you money when using this option over a MFRB.)

 

[doublebooyah85]

Also wonder if the extra padding, by sticking them in a padded envelope in a padded envelope, is offset by them then not being a uniform size and potentially being tossed around much more because they cannot be stacked neatly.

They toss shit regardless I wouldn’t over think that

 

[FordPickup92]

To be fair I think it all depends on the interior packaging and exterior tape job though. I've received chips shipped like shit loose in the box no padding and chips locked down like fort knox

 

[BPTDirector]

Last transaction I had I gave the buyer choice on shipping.

 

[dizzyChipper]

I rarely ship in a SFRB because putting it in a Padded FRE is so easy and adds some protection / waterproofing at ostensibly the same cost.

For higher value or uncirculated chips I've gone with tightly wrapped chips in bubble => in SFRB => in Padded FRE => in 1096L Box => Padded FRE.

Two stacked SFRB taped together to make one brick also fits in a Padded FRE but it's a tight squeeze IIRC.

--Diz

 

[Machine]

I’m so concerned that I wrote an entire post on a better way that requires slightly more effort and cost $0 more to ship! Please don’t make others have to call C.P.S.!!!

Machines 1 rack shipping guide

 

[cpiaaq]

Never had any damage, but feel it’s not enough protection. So yes I am concerned. Like others I use the PFRE.

 

[Jers28]

I’m obviously quite raw since I just lost a rack of blurple TP to a SFRB, so I’ll just say it like this. Shipping for that particular package was $12.65 and it didn’t make it. I have for the record, had some SFRBs land without issue. I’ve also had some arrive damaged, but the chips managed to be ok, like @Rieguy pointed out. Here’s my argument as to why I personally will never use a SFRB to ship even a single rack of chips. I sent 7 racks of chips just last week and packed the ever loving shit out of those babies. All with free materials from the USPS. The chips could have damn near been dropped from a cargo plane in a monsoon and been ok. My shipping bill…$12.78. 13¢ extra for 6 more racks and complete peace of mind. I also use pirate ship, which cuts shipping by tons fwiw. We order all of our usps supplies and have them delivered for free and I print the labels as needed. Simply pop in the post office, UPS, etc to drop off the package and no lines. Win/win/win. I see no reason to chance it with the SFRB, only.

If it helps, this is a poker site. Play the odds.

 

[kk405]

If you do a SFRB (or a modified one to ship two racks of chips) inside a PFRE, inside a PFRE, and that in another PFRE, then they will lay flat and stack perfectly. I assume any seller shipping this way is already proficient and is not going to let the chips have space to rattle around. I also do one strip of tape over the sealed part around the whole package for good measure (see below).

These have 3-4 extra layers of padding and are waterproof. They're harder to tear open and dig through for a rogue postal worker or random thief. You can get a ton of PFREs for free, delivered free to your door. Hell, you can use them to pad contents inside other boxes like MFRB, which I do all the time. Finally, it is cheaper to ship them than a SFRB.

And yes, I have received damaged chips in a SFRB. And I have received multiple SFRB shipments that have a hole or holes in the box that were lucky to still have the contents in them. I've received damp ones that made it so moisture/water did hit the chips, although it caused no damage. It only takes one time to "have a situation" on your hands. Still never seen one arise with a PFRE, whereas I recall various ones involving a SFRB.

People can ship how they want, but there is simply no way around this being the superior method to ship a rack to two racks of chips.
View attachment 1643796

I'm not going to shit myself or get remotely mad if I get a rack of chips in a SFRB that is packed well, but I sure do feel better as a seller when I've sent them using the above method, and am more content receiving them the same way.

(Edit - Not to make my book too much longer, but it's good to know this way for two racks of chips, as that will save you money when using this option over a MFRB.)

^this. End of thread.

I honestly don’t know why this is such a big deal and controversial, especially for anyone in CONUS. Put chips, up to two racks, in an SFRB, then in a padded flat rate envelope. All the supplies are free from USPS and they deliver them to you for free as well.

If it gives you extra piece of mind, use two padded envelopes, but at the very least use one. Put clear tape on the label as well as the seal, as @Rieguy pointed out.

 

[Tonysquander]

It wasn't meant to be either (big deal or controversial), was just wondering if it is an actual concern/problem versus something that may just be perceived to be a problem when it actually is not a problem at all.

I had never really seen any data suggesting it was an actual problem which is why I wanted to poll people. Seems like @Rieguy has the most issues, but he is always edging into some weird situations, may just be a symptom of how many times he celebrates his birthday publicly or due to his questionable association with @MrCatPants.

 

[toothpic]

I have had issues with chips I received mainly with the flaps opening during shipment because they weren't taped thoroughly. Ever since then I did tape the edges, but once I discovered the padded bubble envelope method I've been doing that and haven't had an issue. Pictures below from a package I received in 2020, no chips included.

 

[MrCatPants]

It wasn't meant to be either (big deal or controversial), was just wondering if it is an actual concern/problem versus something that may just be perceived to be a problem when it actually is not a problem at all.

I had never really seen any data suggesting it was an actual problem which is why I wanted to poll people. Seems like @Rieguy has the most issues, but he is always edging into some weird situations, may just be a symptom of how many times he celebrates his birthday publicly or due to his questionable association with @MrCatPants.

If you only knew about half his problems. Or the other half of his unholy alliance.