It's not over when the sold sign goes up on your listing. It's time to pack and ship the piece so that it gets there in the same condition as when it was sold.

Although packing a box well takes time, it takes less time than filing insurance claims or dealing with the aftermath of broken products.

Two of the most popular shipping picks are:
UPS and USPS
When shipping I don't stick with one service. It depends on how large the box is, how far it's going and how much convenience I want.

If the package is on the small side, USPS usually works out best for me, it's the medium size boxes that can vary greatly in time it takes to arrive at it's destination and cost. If the box has any size at all, UPS is my shipper of choice.

United States Postal Service
PROS

1. You can't beat the post office for free boxes for priority and flat rate mailings, which are great for smaller objects and packages. Order online and the boxes will show up in just a few days.
   Learn more about the FREE eBay branded boxes available through the Post Office.
   
2. Open an account and print your own shipping label for even more savings. After packages are packed and labeled you can just drop it off at the post office or schedule a free pick-up from the mailman.
3. Priority mail usually takes just two - three days to go across country.

CONS

1. Can't track priority mail packages during shipping process.
2. Watch out for oversize boxes that have a hefty premium and the UPS version of oversize is not mine!

United Parcel Service
PROS

1. Larger and heavier boxes usually wind up costing less via UPS and when sending packages to neighboring states I find it often gets there the next day. Quicker than the postal service.

1. Opening an online account with UPS allows you to pay with a credit card or by invoice. Labels can be printed and attached to the box, ready for a scheduled pick-up (extra fee) or hand it to any UPS person that might be delivering to a home or business.
2. Track shipment to see exactly when item was delivered.
3. It can take a week to go across country.

CONS

1. "Catching" a UPS guy to hand package to can sometimes be a difficult and paying for scheduled pick-up adds several bucks to the cost.
2. No recourse (as a buyer) when UPS decides package was not packed well enough to cover breakage.