Whether you're shipping mirrors to customers domestically or overseas, you'll have to understand the proper precautions to prevent damage during transit. Perhaps you're an Etsy seller looking to sell your mirror creations or selling an antique on eBay; following the right tips and tricks for shipping mirrors is vital for any eCommerce business.

This blog will cover everything you need to know about how to ship a mirror to have a seamless shipping experience.

How Much to Ship a Mirror?

No matter what, the following factors apply for the cost of shipping mirrors:

Courier service
Delivery speed
Weight of package
Shipping distance
Package dimensions

To ensure your package doesn't break during transit, you'll also consider any additional fees, handling, and fragile shipping costs. We'll cover the extra fees major couriers charge in the following section.

Shipping with USPS

Say you're shipping an 18 x 52 x 3 length mirror that weighs 24 pounds. We'll calculate the rates for shipping a full-length mirror from New York to Los Angeles in this section.

Courier Service	Lead Time	Retail Cost
Priority Mail Express	1 business day	$148.25
Priority Mail	1-3 business days	$73.10
Retail Ground	2-8 business days	$60.50

USPS charges $12.15 for special handling, including fragile items like mirrors. You'll want to consider using this service to ensure your package isn't damaged during transit.

Shipping with FedEx

Say you're shipping the same 18 x 52 x 3 length mirror that weighs 24 pounds. This section will calculate the rates for shipping a full-length mirror from NY to LA.

Courier Service	Lead Time	Retail Cost
FedEx First Overnight	Within 1 business day	$394.64
FedEx 2Day	1-2 business days	$246.50
FedEx Express Saver	2-3 business days	$201.70
FedEx Ground	1-5 business days	$87.33

FedEx charges an additional handling fee depending on the chosen courier service. To view the complete list, visit the FedEx page and determine which fee applies to your shipment.

Shipping with UPS

Say you're shipping an 18 x 52 x 3 length mirror that weighs 24 pounds, we'll calculate the rates for shipping a full-length mirror with UPS courier services. Below are the rates for shipping from NY to LA.

Courier Service	Lead Time	Retail Cost
UPS Next Day Air Saver	Next business day	$320.30
UPS 2nd Day Air	1-2 business days	$231.01
UPS 3 Day Select	1-3 business days	$171.57
UPS Ground	1-5 business days	$88.37

UPS also charges $10.85 per package for additional handling. UPS assesses packages that require special handling and will be up to their discretion if your package qualifies for special care.

Shipping with Easyship

Shipping with a platform like Easyship saves eCommerce merchants and users up to 91% off discounted retail shipping rates from couriers like USPS, UPS, FedEx, and 250+ other courier companies.

We'll use the Easyship Shipping Rates Calculator to calculate the shipping of an 18 x 52 length mirror that weighs 24 pounds from NY to LA. Plus, Easyship offers up to $10,000 of shipping insurance for all domestic and international shipments.

Courier Service	Lead Time	Retail Cost
USPS Priority Mail	2-3 business days	$66.19
USPS Parcel Select	3-5 business days	$53.48
UPS Next Day Air Saver	1-2 business days	$126.48
UPS 2nd Day Air	1-2 business days	$87.04

As we can see, Easyship offers the fastest, cheapest, and best available shipping rates for shipping fragile items like mirrors. This way, eCommerce merchants can spend less on express shipping rates to get the best care and customer service for shipping mirrors.

How to Package a Mirror for Shipping

Mirrors are delicate items that require special attention to packaging. This section will give you the step-by-step process of packaging mirrors for safe shipping.

1. Choose the right box

Ultimately, you want to choose a box 2-3 inches bigger than the mirror itself so you can have ample room for bubble wrap or packing paper layers. Make sure there are no empty spaces between the box and the mirror to reduce any movement or potential damage during shipping.

2. Secure your package

The next step is to secure your package with packaging and cushioning materials. For shipping mirrors, the following materials are helpful to prevent damage during transit:

Packing paper
Layers of bubble wrap
Wrap the mirror with packaging tape

Large mirrors need extra protection, so don't be afraid to double-up on packaging materials with bubble wrap. To purchase packaging materials, ULINE offers affordable packaging materials for shippers.

3. Mark your package as fragile

Lastly, make sure you properly label your package as fragile, so courier handlers know that there's a fragile item inside the shipping box.

USPS, FedEx, and UPS offer free shipping labels so you can easily mark your package as fragile.

Related blog: How to Ship a Painting

Tips for Shipping Mirrors

Now that you safely packaged your mirror in the correct box, we'll go over all the tips and tricks merchants and shippers should follow when shipping these fragile items.

Utilize shipping insurance

Shipping insurance protects merchants from lost, stolen or damaged packages. Unfortunately, most major couriers like USPS only offer up to $100 of included shipping insurance, which may not cut it if your mirror is worth hundreds of dollars.

Instead, Easyship offers up to $10,000 of shipping insurance for domestic and international shipments to have the peace of mind you need.

Double-up on cushioning materials

Cushioning materials like bubble wrap and packing paper are your new best friend for packaging mirrors. Just remember that the more layers of bubble wrap, the better.

Require signature upon delivery

Consider signature upon delivery depending on the value of your shipment. For example, if your mirror is worth hundreds of dollars, you may want to require a signature upon delivery to prevent porch piracy. 35.5 million Americans were victims of porch piracy, making it essential for items like high-end mirrors to utilize this service.

Consider express delivery

The last thing you want is your parcel to spend days sitting on a courier truck where it can likely move around during transit. Express courier services often come with premium shipping insurance and tracking, so consider it for your eCommerce business.

Best Way to Ship a Mirror with Easyship

At this point, you should know all the tips and tricks of shipping mirrors, so you ensure your parcels aren't damaged during transit. Also, remember to double-up on cushioning materials and mark your package as fragile so courier handlers know to treat your shipment with extra care.

Mirrors come in all shapes and sizes and often can incur a pricy shipping charge, which is why a platform like Easyship can help you curb steep retail costs. In addition, with Easyship, you gain access to features such as the following:

Easyship Shipping Rates Calculator: Access high-volume discounts from major couriers. Plus, get instant access to delivery lead times from premium shipping couriers
High-Value Shipping Insurance: Easyship offers up to $10,000 shipping insurance for all shipments. This way, customers can have peace of mind when it comes to electronics
Shipping Dashboard: Manage orders and create shipments instantly in the Shipping Dashboard. Plus, keep track of all your delivery lead times in one place

Don't run the risk of damaged packages and unhappy customers; use a trusted shipping platform that ensures your package gets to point A to B with real-time tracking.

Ready to ship? Sign up for a FREE Easyship account and get instant access to high-volume discounts and premium shipping insurance for shipping mirrors