Shipping Electronics: ESD, Insurance, and Carrier Rules

A friend of mine sold a GTX 4090 graphics card on eBay for $1,800. He wrapped it in a regular plastic bag, put it in a box with some newspaper, and shipped it UPS Ground. The buyer opened the box, installed the card, and got nothing. Dead on arrival. The static from the plastic bag likely killed it before the buyer even touched it.

That's $1,800 gone because of a $0.25 anti-static bag.

Electronics are among the most valuable items people ship regularly, and they're also among the most fragile in ways you can't see. A laptop screen can crack from pressure. A phone battery can be punctured by poor packaging. A motherboard can be destroyed by static electricity without a single visible scratch.

Here's how to ship electronics without turning them into expensive paperweights.

Understanding Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)

ESD is the invisible killer of electronics. You know that little zap you feel when you touch a doorknob after walking on carpet? That's several thousand volts. Most electronic components can be damaged by as little as 100 volts — a discharge so small you'd never feel it.

How ESD Damages Electronics

For context, walking across a carpet can generate 1,500-35,000 volts depending on humidity. Pulling tape off a roll generates 10,000+. Styrofoam peanuts rubbing together? Up to 20,000 volts.

Those styrofoam packing peanuts you were about to use? Yeah, put those back.

ESD-Safe Packaging Materials

*Regular bubble wrap can be used as outer cushioning if the electronic component is already in an anti-static bag.

Packaging by Device Type

Laptops and Tablets

Laptops are flat, fragile, and expensive — a terrible combination for shipping. The screen is the weak point. Any pressure on the lid can crack the LCD panel, and you might not see the crack until you power it on.

Packaging steps:

Power off completely (not sleep mode). Remove any discs from optical drives

If possible, place a piece of foam or folded bubble wrap between the keyboard and screen (close the lid on it). This prevents the keys from pressing against the screen

Place in an anti-static bag or wrap in anti-static bubble wrap

Put in the original box if you have it — laptop manufacturers spend millions designing those inserts

If no original box: surround with 3+ inches of cushioning in a sturdy box. Place the laptop vertically (like a book on a shelf), not flat. This reduces the chance of something heavy being stacked on top and crushing the screen

Fill ALL empty space. Zero movement when shaken

Smartphones

Phones are small, dense, and have glass on at least one side (often both). The good news is they're relatively easy to package well due to their size.

Packaging steps:

Power off completely

Place in anti-static bag

Wrap in 2-3 layers of small bubble wrap

Place in a small rigid box (6x4x3 or similar)

Add void fill so the phone doesn't shift

Place that box in a slightly larger shipping box with cushioning between them (double-box for phones over $500)

Graphics Cards (GPUs)

GPUs are the trickiest common electronic to ship. They're heavy (some weigh 3+ lbs), have exposed circuit boards, delicate fans, and are shaped like a brick with a tumor.

The original box is king. If you have the original box with the foam inserts, use it. GPU manufacturers design packaging specifically to protect during shipping. An original box with a shipping box around it is the gold standard.

No original box? Here's what to do:

Place the GPU in an anti-static bag. Not optional — required

Wrap in anti-static bubble wrap, paying extra attention to the fan area and the PCIe connector

Use a box that's at least 3 inches larger than the GPU on all sides

Line the bottom with 3 inches of anti-static foam or crumpled anti-static material

Place the GPU with the backplate facing up (heavy side down)

Fill remaining space with anti-static material

The card should be completely immobilized

Never ship a GPU in a padded envelope. I shouldn't have to say this, but I've seen it happen. More than once.

Computer Components (RAM, SSDs, CPUs, Motherboards)

Monitors and TVs

Monitors are basically giant fragile screens with some electronics attached. They need special treatment.

Original packaging is almost mandatory for monitors and TVs. The styrofoam inserts molded to the specific model are far better than anything you can improvise. If you don't have the original box:

Place a layer of foam across the screen

Wrap the entire monitor in bubble wrap (3-4 layers)

Build a double-wall cardboard enclosure around it or use a box meant for monitors

Corner protectors are your best friend — cardboard corners taped to each corner of the monitor

Minimum 4 inches of cushioning on all sides

Mark the box "FRAGILE" and "THIS SIDE UP" — it doesn't guarantee gentle handling, but it helps

For monitors over 27 inches, consider a specialty shipping box designed for TVs/monitors. Uline and other packaging suppliers sell them.

Carrier Rules for Electronics

Each carrier has specific rules about shipping electronics, especially those with lithium batteries.

Lithium Battery Regulations

This is the big one. Almost every modern electronic device contains a lithium battery, and lithium batteries are regulated as hazardous materials for shipping.

Carrier-Specific Battery Rules

USPS:

• Devices with installed batteries: allowed via Ground and Air
• Standalone lithium batteries: only via USPS Ground (Parcel Select, Ground Advantage)
• Power banks: ground only, max 300 watt-hours
• Must include "Contains Lithium Battery" marking for standalone batteries

UPS:

• Devices with installed batteries: allowed all services
• Standalone batteries: must follow IATA/DOT regulations
• Batteries must be at 30% charge or less for standalone shipment
• Proper UN3481/UN3091 markings required for standalone batteries

FedEx:

• Similar to UPS rules
• FedEx provides a Lithium Battery Compliance Guide on their website
• Standalone battery shipments may require a shipper's declaration for dangerous goods

Quick Compliance Checklist

For shipping a device with an installed battery (the most common scenario):

• [ ] Device is powered off
• [ ] Battery is below 50% charge (recommended, not always required)
• [ ] Device is protected from accidental activation
• [ ] Device is in inner packaging that prevents movement and short circuits
• [ ] Outer packaging is strong and rigid
• [ ] No visible damage to the device or battery
• [ ] For air shipment: verify specific carrier restrictions

Insurance for Electronics

Electronics are expensive and fragile. Insurance is not optional.

Carrier Declared Value vs. Third-Party

Documentation Requirements

For electronics, carriers often require more documentation than usual:

Serial number — record it before shipping and include in listing/invoice

Photos of the device powered on — proves it worked before shipping

Photos of packaging — proves proper cushioning was used

Original purchase receipt — to prove value/authenticity

Test results — for GPUs or other components, a screenshot of the device working in system info or a benchmark

Without this documentation, your claim will likely be denied. Carriers love denying electronics claims by blaming "insufficient packaging."

Returns and Defective Electronics

If you sell electronics online, you will deal with returns claiming the item is defective. Some of these are legitimate. Some are not. Either way, you need a process:

Have the buyer record a video of the item not working before returning

Require return shipping with the same level of packaging — if they send it back in a grocery bag, any damage is on them

Test the returned item immediately — within 24 hours of receipt

Document everything — photos, test results, communication

Some sellers in the electronics space include a tamper-evident seal on components. If the seal is broken on return, you know the buyer opened/used/potentially damaged the item.

Reducing Costs on Electronics Shipping

Electronics are heavy relative to their value and require good packaging, so shipping costs add up. Here's how to manage them:

• Use actual weight carriers for heavy items — a 7 lb gaming laptop ships cheaper via USPS Priority if the box isn't oversized
• Right-size your boxes — every extra inch costs money on dimensional weight carriers
• Buy anti-static materials in bulk — a roll of 100 anti-static bags costs $15-20, vs $2-3 each at a retail store
• Use commercial rates — platforms like atoship offer rates 20-50% below retail
• Ship ground when possible — overnight shipping for a $200 used phone eats your margin. Ground with insurance is usually the right call

Temperature Considerations

Electronics don't love extreme temperatures. In summer, a package sitting in a metal delivery truck can reach 140°F. In winter, batteries can be damaged by extreme cold.

If you're shipping in January from Minnesota to a buyer in Montana, maybe spring for 2-day instead of ground. Five days in a freezing truck is not ideal for lithium batteries.

Pack it right, bag it in anti-static, insure it, and document everything. Electronics shipping isn't complicated — it just punishes shortcuts harder than almost any other product category.