How To Pack a Bottle
There is no 100% guarantee that a bottle won’t break or leak in transit but we can at least share with you how we pack our bottles to prevent damage to bottles we send out.
We’ve updated our advice on how to safely pack a bottle so now the tips are even more useful.
1
CHECK IT
Before you decide to post a bottle check that your bottle has its original tamper-evident closure, that it is fit for sale and not leaking. We recommend leaving each bottle on its side for 24 hours before packing to see if it is leaking.
Also check that it hasn’t been opened already!
If you’re not entirely sure whether your item is sellable check our tips on how to sell or request a free valuation.
2
BAG IT
Remove the bottle from its box and place it in a plastic bag. This protects other items in the package in the event that your bottle leaks in transit.
3
BOX IT
Return the bottle to its box.
We reccommend photographing each stage for your own records.
4
WRAP IT
Wrap your bottle/box in plenty of bubble wrap. You can reuse bubble wrap so keep any you receive for this purpose.
5
SOFTEN IT
Half-fill a large sturdy box with polystyrene (or similar softening).
Again, this is something that can be reused so keep a stock of any useful packaging that you receive.
6
PACK IT
Place the bottle securely in the center of the box.
If you plan to pack more than one bottle in a single box then use cardboard dividers to separate each of the bottles. Alternatively you can pack the bottles in vacuum packs.
Vacuum packs can also be reused but do take extra care when inserting a bottle into a prefilled pack as it can be a tight fit.
7
SLIP IT
Don’t forget to include your packing slip in the box.
Our packing slips are quick and easy to complete and mean that your bottles can be quickly and accurately assigned to your account when they arrive.
8
CLOSE IT
Add more polystyrene to fill in any remaining gaps.
Then close the box.
9
SEAL IT
Seal the box with strong tape.
10
ADDRESS IT
Each box you send us must have our address clearly printed as follows:
Whisky.Auction Ltd
Elixir House
Whitby Avenue
Park Royal
London
NW10 7SF
UK
11
DOCUMENT IT (INTERNATIONAL SELLERS)
If you’re an international seller you also need to provide a commercial invoice.
But don’t worry, we do this for you automatically when you complete our quick and easy international sellers packing slip
Attach the documents to the outside of the box as instructed, in a sealed envelope, clearly labelled ‘CUSTOMS DOCUMENTS’.
12
SEND IT
Send your parcels with your preferred courier.
If you’re in the UK it’s easy enough to pop one or two bottles in the post but you may prefer to use a courier, particularly for larger parcels.
Did you know we can arrange collection from international and UK sellers?
Contact us to discuss arranging collection from you.
We recommend you photograph your parcel again before you despatch it.
13
SELL IT
Now relax and wait for us to confirm your parcel’s arrival through your account.
While you wait you can research other topics such as how to sell spirits at auction and how to set a reserve price for your bottles.