I have yet to send a book that the wrapper printed out from PBSW  fits around. Is there something I am missing? I also don't feel safe sending a book with a thin piece of paper wrapped around it through the mail, surely that would increase the odds of it getting damaged.

I  end up printing the wrapper than cutting out the address and taping it to a large brown envelope. 

I am going to give up printing the wrapper and just write the address on the envelope. Does anyone have a suggestion for a better way to send the books. I really don't get the point of printing those wrappers, unless you use the printed postage system that PBSW offers.

Thanks, Deb W

I used to use the wrappers, but like you, I'd add additional paper.  Eventually, I found that this was just a pain.  Now, I re-use all the bubble mailers I get from others or buy my own bubble mailers and just tape the mailing label to the bubble mailer.  You can get bubble mailers 2 for $1 at the dollar store!

I select the print on one page wrapper.  Cut it in two. Send the one half with the book and tape the mailing portion on to my wrapped book. I want my books to have a little more wrapping than the computer paper.    Either use a manila envelope, padded mailer if I have them or cut up a brown grocery bag and tape, tape, tape.   

Every Mass Market Paperback I send fits in the wrapper just fine, anything else I use something else to send it in. If you want a label for taping to packages, select option #3, it will give you the label on the top half, the info to include with the book on the bottom, you just cut it in half.

Copy/printer paper is not very strong and does often get ripped by the mean, mangling PO machines. Taping the sides as well as the top and bottom helps. I suggest a stronger paper like heavy brown paper or even better bubble mailers as already suggested. You can buy them in bulk for discounted prices (Sam's, ebay, etc.). Books should not be loose within a large bubble mailer-fold over if necessary to make a tighter fit. Taping all sides of any type packaging is a good idea. The machines can rip any type of paper.

I've sent and received the MMPBs safely and untorn in the PBS wrappers as long as I used both sheets and used a generous amount of packing tape on all corners and edges and ends.  Eventually, you get so many mailers that you can re-use that printing only on the one sheet version is a good plan.  I don't recommend re-using unpadded manila mailers because they are so brittle.  But tightly wrapped PBS  wrappers do work. And using thin plastic on the book before using the wrapper just makes it work better.  If it's a larger book you can tape a third sheet of paper onto the end of the 2nd sheet that prints out and it will then wrap around the book.  I don't recommend ever mailing a large HC in the paper wrapper.

Ruth

I use the printer paper wrapper all the time, on multiple books per month. I even wrap 2 or 3 books together in double sheets of printer paper. (of the over 300 books I've mailed, I would have to say that at least 250 have gone out in the paper.). I have never been told that any has arrived damaged. I also have received more than a hundred books wrapped in the printer paper. None of these has ever been damaged, either.

I use packing tape to close all the seams, and I also put at least one strip both lengthwise and widthwise around the entire book.

The only damaged books or empty wrappers that I have received have been bubble mailers (probably 3 or 4 torn, and one empty) and brown paper wrappers, even taped tightly to the book (another 3 or 4 torn, and one empty). Some of the ones that ripped, also damaged the books.

I also reuse bubble envelopes or manila envelopes for larger books or HCs, but I cut them open and wrap the books like a present, instead of using them as envelopes.

My DH bought a roll of very heavy brown paper at Home Depot, called Contractor's Paper.  It was less than $10/roll and I'm sure I'll be able to use the one roll for hundreds of books.  I've used it for several orders and haven't heard any negative feedback.  I sent out four or five separate orders over the weekend using that paper, so I think when they are marked received, I'll PM the requestor and ask how it held up in the mail.