Can you ship a wedding dress for me and how much would it cost?

If you're looking to sell your wedding dress on an auction website such as eBay or even direct from a seamstress, then you would need a cost-effective way to ship it to the purchaser. Package delivery prices can be expensive, so we offer a quick and easy solution to find the best ones for you, the Parcel Monkey Global Shipping Marketplace.  We all know how fraught and troubled it can be selling items online, with the worry that that something will go wrong: either the item will arrive damaged or the recipient may say they never received it. However we aim to provide a solution for this by offering fully tracked package delivery services at a great price, with the option to add on protection cover. 

Here are some tips to consider when looking to ship wedding addresses in the US and abroad-

• Make sure the wedding dress is properly packaged.We've read about some people only rolling them up and placing them in a couple of bin bags and then wrap them up with tape, which of course is insufficient. If the bag was to somehow get torn during shipping and the dress may get damaged. It is best to use a suitably sized box, with another box inside of that. Then wrap the dress and place inside the internal box and secure all folds of it, so it does not come undone in transit with the courier. 
• Use a courier where you can track its progress and get a signature at the other end. A signature means that it has been delivered to its intended destination, and you have fulfilled that part of the bargain. We have these services available on our site if you are shipping inside the USA, Parcel Monkey Ground and Express are both fully tracked and signed for, as they are completed by FedEx. Likewise we can offer international courier services who are also tracked in full and signed for if you opt for any of the Express shipping solutions.  
• Think about how fast you would want the package containing the wedding dress to be delivered. Our marketplace outlines the estimated times of delivery as we know this can be a key factor in choosing a suitable service for your item. Unless your customer has paid extra for a quick delivery, then you may wish to avoid the added cost of express delivery, so opt for a more cost effective economic solution. We can offer delivery in the US in 5 working days or less the Domestic Ground shipping service. On the other hand the buyer may want the goods in a hurry so we have the quick overnight delivery service available to.  
• Make sure you've got a realistic weight. Most bathroom scales will be suitable for placing a packaged wedding dress on and still being able see the numbers. The general weight bands for parcels are fairly widely spaced so don't be afraid to add extra packaging. You could even play around adding an extra half kilo or two and see how much the dress costs to send if you do decide to add extra packaging. It is best to overestimate the weight as you will then avoid any additional weight charges that the courier may put against your order. 
• Read the terms and conditions of shipping. Make sure you understand what levels of compensation you have, how long you have to make a claim, what your and your customers responsibilities are and what level of protection cover you can take out. 
• Date of delivery- ensure that if you need the wedding dress to arrive by a certain date that you have selected the appropriate service and booked sufficiently far enough in advance to make it possible. It is never a good idea to leave it late, book it in for delivery as early as you can and keep the recipient up to date by giving them the Parcel Monkey tracking number and they can use our tracking tool to follow the dress until it arrives. Sending a wedding dress to destinations around the world is no problem as we work with premium couriers who can ship globally, so why not book a low cost shipping option with one of our couriers such as Express International? Wedding dresses are, of course, sentimental items and you should, therefore, make sure that you plan ahead with their shipping.

You would normally be expected to take your parcel to a Post Office or Express Mail Collection Box, where you may have to driver and queue where as if you book via Parcel Monkey, you can have the package collected free of charge from your home or work address. You just print the labels attach them securely to the package and wait for the courier to collect it for free from your home or work address, saving fuel and time for yourself. With our services you will benefit from having a courier collect from a business or residential address - at no added cost, even if sending international parcels.