Shipping I've never shipped anything, please help!

The USPS! They sell boxes and packaging materials in store. Here's info on buying insurance: Shipping Insurance and Delivery Services | USPS
And here's a cost calculator: Retail Postage Price Calculator

Obviously FedEx and UPS are also options, but I haven't used them much (and also I no longer live in the US lol)

 

If you go through USPS, standard insurance is covered up to like either 50 or 100 (can't remember atm), and you can pay extra for more expensive items. I do not know how shipping companies work, but if you go into your local post office, they will tack it on if you tell them what your item is worth. How much shipping will cost is going to depend on the size of the box and the weight of the box. In my experience, shipping within the US through USPS for a blank MSD inside its company box is usually around 13-15 dollars, and if the doll is more expensive or heavier, that will raise it a bit higher.

If you choose to use USPS, they have a calculator that gives you an estimate of the shipping cost based on the dimensions of the box and the weight, as well as extras, which will give you a rough idea of how much insurance will cost. In my experience the estimates have been more than what shipping wound up costing, so be careful with your calculations. Tracking is included for free, so there's no need to worry about that.

As an extra tip, USPS does not count resin (in its solid/cured form) as needing a label for hazardous material like you would if you were shipping batteries, but you'll need to tell them the item in there is fragile. For some reason, whether you have a "fragile" item or "toxic" item is not separated into two different questions. No idea why they ask it in this way, but they do.

As for where to get wrapping paper, there's always office supply stores like Office Depot or Staples that sell bubble wrap. I do not know how to help you with boxes, as I have been using leftover moving boxes and cutting them up into the the right shape, though that is a viable option if you happen to buy a pack.

 

Just for reference how big is the doll?

I think if you are in the US you may be able to get boxes free from USPS for priority mail. I don't live in the US but I think you should be able to pick up packing supplies like bubble wrap and tape easily from stores like Staples, bigger supermarkets and some discount stores should have them too. A few times when sending larger dolls I have built boxes myself from smaller ones then I’ve wrapped them in an outer layer of bubblewrap, plastic wrap and packing tape which I have found to be very secure. For smaller items like heads I recycle smaller boxes - I order a lot of makeup online and the shipper boxes they use for those are great!

Also here in the UK at least some stores are quite happy to give their old packing boxes away for free… I worked in a health food store for a time and there were always boxes leftover from deliveries so may be worth checking if anywhere is recycling them.

ETA: I always try to recycle packaging from other items I've bought if it is in usable condition. Especially tissue paper and bubblewrap.

 

So, super important distinction is whether you're shipping in the original box or if you're shipping unstrung.

If you're shipping in the original box: Your best bet, if you want a shipping box around it, will be to buy a box online that fits the dimensions OR buy a box with the right total combined length and width and cut and bend it to fit around the doll box. Make sure hands especially are wrapped well, use a face shield if the doll has a face up (you can make one with packing tape and bubble wrap if you have to, but it's a bit tricky and no guarantee the lashes won't get smashed), make sure the doll is well-padded, tape the box securely, etc. Too much padding and tape are better than too little. Ship through USPS or a courier company - I can't give advice on couriers because there are none in my remote location, but USPS has $100 insurance included for at least Priority and Ground. I will always recommend including insurance unless a buyer has specifically declined it with the understanding that they are taking the risk, not you.

If you're shipping unstrung: I cannot overemphasize how much the Priority Mail flat rate boxes are your friend. You will NOT find a cheaper method for a large doll. I have used a medium box for a 63cm doll including head with face up (aka leaving space for the face shield between other parts) and it filled the box perfectly, and a large box fit an ID75 body with enough extra space I could have fit a head with face up in as well (to be fair, I wrapped the littlest pieces and put them inside the torso for extra protection, which might not be an option with other bodies of that size). This is including copious amounts of bubble wrap, including layers around the inside of the box as additional security. This takes a $100+ shipping cost down to less than $30. You'll need extra packaging if the doll is smaller, but it'll still ultimately save you a ton on shipping. A YoSD shipped unstrung via USPS Ground might be cheaper than a flat rate box, or a small enough doll shipping First Class if you're shipping internationally. Anything else, go flat rate.

Packaging: Fairly small rolls of bubble wrap are about $5 each via USPS; I have no idea what they cost from other places, as like I said I don't have courier companies here. It takes just over a roll and a half for me to wrap an unstrung ID75 body with enough padding I'm comfortable it'll be okay, which means less than $10 for that security. Buy the dang bubble wrap. The doll and the person receiving it are worth that. Charge for your shipping materials if you need to; I personally just price my stuff where I'm comfortable buying shipping materials as part of the listed price if it's one I'll need to buy more than what I have in stock for. If you've got the original box and it has foam padding, but are shipping unstrung, you can cut up the foam to add to particularly delicate parts, like the hand or smaller hollow joints.

When wrapping, face the bubbles on any bubble wrap in towards the resin pieces. This is going to absorb far more impact than if you leave the bubbles facing out, which will likely pop them if pressed firmly, leaving your doll without protection.

Wrapping a strung doll: Minimum wrapping should be the hands. Add extra padding to the palms and underside of the fingers if you need to; a lot of hands are slightly cupped, so they'll be better protected with a little extra bubble wrap or some foam in the hands. If the doll doesn't have a foam protector in the box (like Fairyland and other brands, to keep the doll from shifting around), measure each limb and the torso and wrap bubble wrap around those parts for padding, and use paper or other packaging materials to make sure that doll is NOT MOVING in its box. Newspaper is fine for this, but maybe wrap the doll completely first so that the recipient doesn't have to clean newsprint off their doll.

Wrapping an unstrung doll: Measure a little bit longer than each piece, wrap at least two layers around, and tape the ends so the piece will stay in its protection. Like I mentioned with the ID75, smaller fragile pieces that can fit in larger, more sturdy pieces can be tucked inside AFTER wrapping them (to prevent rattling, breaking, scratching, all sorts of problems). Line the box with foam or bubble wrap and tetris the pieces inside, with extra bubble wrap, foam, or crumpled paper tucked in any gaps. Try to keep smaller or thinner pieces to the center. Make sure the whole box is full enough that you can press on the top when it's closed and it doesn't cave in - this will really help prevent crumpled boxes and potential damage. Enough bubble wrap or paper or foam that you have to compress it a bit to close the box is ideal.

...That was a lot. Questions?