What Are the Best Boxes or Bubble Mailers For Shipping Books?

Published by PangoBooks, Jan. 11, 2024

Choosing the right box or bubble mailer is a crucial and often overlooked part of the online bookselling process. Picture this: you list dozens of books on the Pango app, complete with awesome photos, detailed descriptions, and thoughtful hashtags. Before you know it, people start buying your books and you’re shocked to discover you don’t have the proper supplies to ship them out. 


In this article, you’ll find tips and guidelines on how to avoid this exact scenario and ensure that you have the best packaging to get your books shipped quickly and safely. For more general information about shipping books, see this blog post.  


Bubble mailer or cardboard box: What’s the best way to ship books? 


Bubble mailers and corrugated cardboard boxes are both perfectly acceptable ways to ship books. When deciding between the two, there are some pros and cons to consider.


  • Bubble mailers: Bubble mailers are essentially padded envelopes that are reinforced with plastic bubble wrap. These mailers are a quick and easy way to ship a book and are a great option for standard novels, kids' books, and much more. If you find that you’re left with excess space around your book when using a bubble mailer, try stuffing a bit more packaging material around the edges to ensure the book doesn’t shift around too much in transit. 


  • Cardboard boxes: If shipping multiple books at once or more delicate hardcovers, consider using a cardboard box instead of a mailer. When using a cardboard box, it’s essential to fill any unused space surrounding the book or books with packing material like bubble wrap, bunched-up newspaper, or anything else that will cushion the package’s content.  While boxes might take slightly more effort to assemble and seal up than mailers, they offer the advantage of allowing you more space to thoroughly pad and protect your books. 


In a pinch, you can also use a nonpadded envelope in place of a bubble mailer. If doing so, be sure to surround the book with some extra layer of protection such as bubble wrap or bunched-up paper to avoid potential damage in transit. Empty space in packages is the enemy of safe and reliable shipping!


What size bubble mailer or padded envelope should I use to ship books?

Bubble mailers come in a wide variety of sizes to ship everything from small pieces of jewelry to large pieces of art. When it comes to shipping books, here are some sizes that are useful to have on hand. Note: these sizes are approximate and different mailer manufacturers may offer sizes that differ by an inch or two. Consider these suggestions ballparks. 


  • 8.5x11” - These mailers are the same size as a standard piece of printer paper and are the best ones to have around for bookselling. Mailers in this range will comfortably fit most standard-sized novels and nonfiction books, whether they are hardcover or paperback.


  • 6x10” - Smaller-sized mailers with widths of 6 inches can be used to ship smaller books like mass-market paperbacks. While not as widely useful as the next size up, it might be worth having a few on hand for your bookselling.


  • 9.5x14” - Mailers that are larger than 8.5” x 11” can be useful for things like textbooks. That said, when shipping heavier and more fragile volumes, it is usually best to go with a box. 


Keep in mind that if you use a mailer that’s a bit bigger than the book you are shipping, you can always fold the top further down or even cut the mailer to size. For this reason, it’s more convenient to have larger rather than smaller mailers on hand. 


If you’re listing a lot of books for sale, it’s a good idea to stock up on mailers. Bubble mailers are available with kraft paper or plastic (aka “poly”) exteriors. Functionally, the choice between the two makes little difference and it’s a matter of personal preference as far as how you want to packages to look. For instance, poly mailers can come in a variety of colors, and sending all your packages in bright green packaging could be a good way to bring a little panache to your bookshop!  


Many Pango sellers save and reuse packages they receive to ship their books.

What boxes should I use to ship books?

Shipping boxes are produced in every conceivable size and there is a huge range of boxes you can use to ship your books. If the box can fit your book or books with a little extra space for some reinforcement and padding, then it is safe to use. For example, most hardcover books are in the 6x9” range. A rectangular box that is a bit bigger than that in terms of length and width is a great choice. 


When using a cardboard box, make sure it is free of any holes or structural damage. Try also to avoid any thinner boxes made from non-corregated cardboard, such as commercial product boxes.  


How can I save money on shipping materials? Can I use recycled packaging materials?

Our number one tip for shipping books economically is to recycle packing materials. The boxes and mailers you recycle can come from any sort of online purchase you make, regardless of whether it was originally used to ship books. Many Pango sellers save all the boxes they receive in the mail which gives them an array of materials to use when a book sells. For instance, Amazon sends tons of small items in white bubble mailers. These are a great thing to recycle for your book sales! 


One important note when using recycled materials is to make sure all previously used shipping labels on the exterior of the package are removed or at least crossed out. USPS strongly advises to avoid using packaging with too many graphics or writing (such as branded product boxes). While some amount of markings on the exterior of a box is ok, the key thing is to make sure your new mailing label is clear and unobstructed. 


Do my boxes need to be under a certain size?

When selling on Pango, we automatically provide Media Mail labels to ship your books which include a weight in the top left corner. Media Mail service is based on weight as opposed to volume, so as long as your package is under the stated weight, you will be good to go. Per USPS, packages are required to “measure [no more than] 108 inches in combined length and distance around the thickest part.” It is extremely unlikely that any book package you send will be larger than this limit. If you end up with a massive order that gets close, it’s usually best to ship in multiple packages. Feel free to reach out to our support team at any time for assistance with shipping. We are always happy to provide guidance and updated labels as needed. 


What if I’m shipping via USPS Priority Mail? 

While most book packages ship via Media Mail service, we do offer sellers the ability to ship via Priority Mail for higher-dollar orders. With Priority Mail, you can use USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes that are provided for free by USPS. These can be ordered online or acquired at your local post office. 


Shipping books.

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