Tips for Packing Slides

Packing and shipping slides is a simple process with ScanCafe. On this page, we have provided some great tips for packing and shipping your photos to us. Packing and shipping slides to ScanCafe is truly quick and easy.

1) First, remove your slides from circular carousels

Each slide carousel holds about 150 slides. ScanCafe recommends that you take your slides out of their circular carousels because it costs less to ship the slides without the carousels. However, if time is an issue, you can send the slides in the circular carousels, but we have a $9.95 surcharge for each slide carousel.

2) Place the slides into rectangular boxes or stack and wrap them in rubber bands

Old aluminum foil or Saran Wrap boxes make excellent containers for slides.  Also, you can stack the slides and keep them together with two sets of rubber bands.

3) You may want to think about organizing your slides into groups

If your slides are already organized in groups, you can label each group. When we scan the images, we will create individual folders for that slide scanning group. For example, you could label one set of slides as "Swiss Alps" and another set of slides as "Florida 1985". We offer similar grouping options for negative scanning and photo scanning. If your slides are sitting in a portfolio binder, just send the entire binder. Our team will take the slides out of the plastic sleeves and scan them. Once scanned, we will then put the slides back in the sleeves in the order they were received.

4) Place your grouped slides into Ziploc™ bags

If you are wrapping the slides with rubber bands, we recommend you place the groups of slides in Ziploc™ bags. The plastic bags protect the slides from moisture. They also keep the slides organized during transit.

If you are sending your slides in the carousel box, and paying the surcharge, you do not need to place these boxes in Ziploc™ bags.  However, they do make Ziploc™ bags that are large enough for carousel boxes.

5) Place the Ziplocs into a sturdy shipping box

This is an important step - you must ensure that you use boxes designed for shipping.  We occasionally receive orders shipped in garment boxes that come from Macy’s or Nordstrom – these are unacceptable for shipping your precious slides.  We recommend that you use boxes from your local UPS store, Kinko's, or an office products store. In addition, you may be able to get a box from your office shipping department.

6) Print 3 Copies of the ScanCafe UPS shipping label

When you place an order with ScanCafe, our system automatically generates a UPS shipping label for you. We need this shipping label to track your package throughout our scanning process.

You can print the shipping label directly from your computer. Print 3 copies.

• Place one UPS label inside of the box
• Securely tape one UPS label to the outside of the box
• Keep one UPS label copy for your records

7) Drop your box off anywhere UPS picks up such as at a UPS store or your office shipping department

UPS picks up at many locations including most major business office complexes. Once your package has been picked up, you can track your package on the UPS tracking site. Once we have received your packages at our office, you will then be able to track your package throughout the entire scanning process on ScanCafe's site.

As always, if you have any questions at all, please contact us at admin@scancafe.com or at 866-745-0392