How much does a bubble mailer + 2 dvds + a case weigh?

May 26, 2006 12:22 AM

PostOfficeAvoidanceFilter: Has anyone made a weight calculator (or just recorded weights of commonly mailed objects) such that I can figure out how much a double DVD case, 2 dvds, and a bubble mailer would typically weigh?

I imagine the variance between different 6x9 bubble mailers is relatively small, and the variance between different brands of DVD cases also small. Surely there's a way for me to spend a great deal of time successfully avoiding a trip to the post office.

(No, I unfortunately do not yet own a kitchen scale)

Alternatively, if anyone frequently sells DVDs on ebay and knows how heavy this thing is, that would do in a pinch.

posted by anonymoose to grab bag (10 comments total)

I sell a lot of DVDs on eBay/half.com. Usually the weight of one DVD in a bubble mailer of appropriate size is so light that First Class is actually cheaper than Media Mail.

I have one of these (shows to the tenth of an ounce, ordered from that merchant also) for such purposes and a 6x9 bubbler mailer plus Season 1 of Night Court (single case that holds 2 DVDs) weighs in at 6.2 oz total.
posted by vanoakenfold at 12:31 AM on May 26, 2006

Incidentally, The Prophecy III (1 DVD in standard-size case) plus a 6x9 bubble mailer comes in at 3.2 oz total.
posted by vanoakenfold at 12:33 AM on May 26, 2006

Most single DVD cases and bubble mailers that I have mailed recently are in the 4 ounce range (4.0-4.9 oz), some are in the 3s and ocassionally one with a heavy book will top out in the 5s. I don't know about a 2 DVD case and as you can see, even with 1 DVD there is a moderate amount of natural variability.
posted by Tallguy at 5:19 AM on May 26, 2006

grumblebee asked a similar question last year that might be helpful.
posted by jessamyn at 6:02 AM on May 26, 2006

I just weighed a double case, discs and bubble mailer. Came out to 5.1 ounces so, for postal purposes, six ounces.
posted by Captaintripps at 7:11 AM on May 26, 2006

First class postage is .39 for the first ounce and .24 for each subsequent ounce, so $1.83 should cover anything up to 7 ounces.
posted by faceonmars at 8:53 AM on May 26, 2006

That will mail out via USPS Priority Mail at $4.05 flat, since it's WAY under the weight limit for that price tier (it's under 1 pound).

http://www.usps.com/consumers/domestic.htm#H2
posted by Mikey-San at 1:22 AM on May 27, 2006

If you don't want to do Priority Mail, it's going to be around 9-12 ounces, I believe, which is $2.31-3.03 (first-class, small package).

Bubble mailers classify as packages under this, not "envelopes", for reference.
posted by Mikey-San at 1:26 AM on May 27, 2006

Mikey-San: My office sends out hundreds of CDs and DVDs in bubble mailers every week. They classify as envelopes and are sent out as such.

Obviously if you're sending out a huge bubble mailer it may then be classified as a package, but a two DVD case fits just fine in the 6 x 9 bubble mailer anonymoose describes, whcih is what we use.
posted by Captaintripps at 5:53 AM on May 27, 2006

Yeah, so does mine, and whenever we don't use the postage rates for small packages, the Post complains. It may simply be because they make little or no distinction between envelope and small package, weight-wise, since there's little difference.
posted by Mikey-San at 6:06 PM on May 27, 2006