PACKAGING GUIDELINES
Last updated: 28 Sept 2021
Bottom line
As a professional artist selling on PONS.ai, it is ultimately your responsibility to package your work in a secure way that minimises any damages which may occur while handling your work yourself and/or during shipment to your patron:
a) Fill out a condition report (example here) and make photographic proofs of proper packaging of your work prior to shipment. These will come in handy when in the unfortunate case where you or your patron need to make an insurance claim. In case the patron receives a damaged work and demands a return, and that you fail to provide a condition report to show proof of proper packaging, you as the responsible seller will pay for the return shipping cost.
b) If you are selling an exclusive Appreciating Limited Edition with us, please remember to handwrite 'PONS.ai Original' close to the edition number on the edition (e.g. print).
c) Ensure the outer packaging (e.g. mailing tube, reinforced envelope, cardboard box, wooden crate) is robust against potential pressure from heavy packages or accidental drops in transit. Tape all the sides of your box. Pack to prepare for, and protect your work against, the worst shipment case possible.
d) Minimise damages caused by any excessive moisture, heat, movement and friction with appropriate inner packaging (e.g. acid-free, archival quality glassine or kraft paper, corner protectors, bubble wrap, corrugated fibreboard, foam board, foam peanuts, cellophane bag, etc.). Have at least 5 cm of padding around all sides of the work. Give your patrons the best possible experience by including the work's Certificate of Authenticity, thank you note and/or other information/gifts that you would like to delight your patrons with.
No party will benefit from receiving a damaged or lower-quality work due to poor packaging by the seller. Imagine all the financial, time, and reputational costs associated with repairing/returning/refunding the work just because you failed to take extra care to package your item properly. In case any damages deemed as a result of mispackaging by the seller and the patron requests that a new item to be returned, the seller is obliged to pay for the return shipping fees. So, whenever it comes to packaging protection, it is always ideal to be extra safe.
Pre-packaging
a) Ensure your work is completely dry.
b) Use art handling gloves such as powder-free nitrile gloves, cotton gloves, or work gloves. DO NOT use rubber or latex gloves due to their chemically unstable materials, which might cause damages by reacting with your work. If you have to use your bare hands, avoid leaving fingerprints or other blemishes on your work.
c) Use appropriate outer packaging for your work. For prints and works on paper, you may flat-pack your work or place it in a mailing tube, dependent on its size, value and shipping cost. For small to medium size paintings on canvas, sculptures and framed works, use a protective cardboard box. For large works, consider building a custom wooden crate.
d) Use tape measure to measure the dimensions of your work and leave adequate space for padding with the aforementioned inner packaging.
Packaging
a) Use the aforementioned protective materials and appropriate tape (artist or pressure-sensitive tape) to secure the packaging of your work.
b) Use sufficient layers of protection to secure your work and fill all voids – avoid extra tightness or looseness.
c) Ensure all surfaces are sufficiently protected by the inner and outer packaging materials.
Remember to include a Certificate of Authenticity (our template is here should you need it: link), thank you note, and/or other information/gifts that you would like to delight your patrons with. Give them the best patron experience that they deserve!
Post-packaging
Use a shipping scale to weigh your shipment in kilograms (kg) – this is called ‘actual weight’. Also measure the cubic size (dimensions) of your shipment in centimetres (cm). Remember to round each measurement to the nearest whole cm; and increase any fraction to the next half kg.
Please provide the actual weight and dimensions numbers in the 'Sell' screen. A system will then calculate its ‘dimensional weight’ for you and relay the above information to our 3PL (third-party logistics) provider, EasyPost. The larger of the two weights is the ‘billable weight’ and will be used to calculate the rate by the courier, which will then be paid for by the patron.
Once a patron has purchased your work, we will send you a notification and e-mail confirming with you the courier chosen by the patron; your chosen time and date of the shipment pick-up slot; as well as providing the shipping label to you to print out and put on your package. A delivery person will then come pick up your work, so you can sit back, relax and track your shipment in-app in the 'My Orders' screen, until your masterpiece arrives in your patron's location safe and sound!