Toy sales are on the rise. In 2016 they jumped by 5%, making the toy industry worth over $20 billion a year! And if that weren’t enough, the collectibles market grew by 33%, contributing nearly 10% of total industry worth. Thanks to a resurgence in nostalgia and rebooted movies and TV shows, those numbers will surely only go up.

Funko Pops are one of today’s hottest collectibles—with everything from The Walking Dead to Stranger Things being immortalized in vinyl figures. That’s a lot of valuable collectibles to trade and sell, all in need of proper protection.

With a little help from our friends at Killer Toyz, we’ve put together the supplies and tips you’ll need for shipping Funko Pops.

What You’ll Need

• Corrugated Boxes
• Bubble Cushion
• Packing Tape
• Scotch Tape
• Scissors
• Optional: Packing Peanuts/Packing Paper/Tissue Paper

Dim Weight and Shipping Costs

Always, always remember dim weight. Use a smaller, more form-fitting box for shipping Funko Pops and you’ll save on void fill and packaging costs. It’s best to keep the box height under 8”, otherwise it can affect the dim weight charges you’ll incur.

Balance the need for protection with your shipping costs. The more packaging you use, the more expensive it’ll be. The right box and amount of bubble cushion really will suffice.

Wrapping Up Funko Pops

Find yourself a flat, open space to work on. If you’re shipping Funko Pops and other collectibles quite often, set up a permanent packing and shipping station for yourself. This way, your packing supplies will always be close by.

We suggest starting with a layer (or two) of tissue paper. It’s optional, but it’ll save the box from any possible scratches during packing. Fold up the tissue paper ends like you’re wrapping a present, tape them down (regular tape’s just fine for now) and move onto the bubble.

Speed Tip: Use a dispenser box. The bubble is perforated every 12”, so you can easily tear off what you want without using scissors.

Lay 2 feet of bubble cushion on the table, flat side down (so the bubbles press against the Funko box). Wrap the box in the bubble, then fold ends of the bubble up and tape everything down. It’ll keep things looking nice and tidy, and conserve space when you pack up the shipping box.

Custom Packaging Tip: Want to inject some personality? Check out our Bubble Wrap® IB Expressions dispenser boxes. The red Hearts, clear Hearts and clear Thank You patterns are perfect for shipping.

Finding the Right Box

Don’t use boxes from supermarkets or second-hand stores. They’ve likely been exposed to moisture, bugs or less than hygienic conditions. Always go for new corrugated boxes if you can, or at least boxes that haven’t been compromised.

Once you find the box you like, and especially once you know you’ll be shipping Funko Pops regularly, think about buying in bulk. It’s easier on the wallet (and your stress levels) if you’ve got a nice stack of boxes waiting to go.

Suggested Box Sizes

Funko Pop! Vinyl boxes are roughly 3.5 x 4.5 x 6.25” in size. That said, always confirm the measurements before choosing your shipping box.

Shipping 1 Figure? We suggest 8 x 8 x 8”

Shipping 2 Figures? We suggest 12 x 9 x 6”

Wrapping Up the Shipping Box

Don’t forget to include a thank you card. It’s an easy way to help promote repeat business!

Once your wrapped up Funko Pop! is inside, seal it with quality packing tape. Use a tape dispenser gun and you’ll get a tight seal (that looks really good, too!).

Use a label for writing on, or print one out so everything is clear. If you want to be extra careful, write DO NOT STACK on the shipping box. It’s not a necessity, but every bit helps.

One Last Tip for Shipping Funko Pops

If they’re especially rare, think about using the double box technique. Wrap and pack it like normal, then put that shipping box into a larger one. Fill the void with packing peanuts or packing paper, and you’ll keep the Funko Pop from sliding and bouncing around. Enjoy, and have fun!

Stats Source: NPD.com