How to Pack and Ship Cracked Phone Screens Safely
A shop-tested guide to packing cracked phone screens: padding, stacking, labeling the request ID, choosing a carrier, and adding tracking before you ship.
By ReCellZone team · Updated
Pack each screen so it cannot flex, rub, or take pressure. Use a rigid box with padding on every side, keep screens upright and separated, write your request ID on the box, and add the tracking number to your request.
Why does packing matter for cracked screens?
A cracked screen looks like it has nothing left to lose, but the panel underneath is the part that holds the value. Flexing, pressure, and grinding glass can damage the OLED layer or tear the flex cable, and that can lower the grade on a buyback or make a screen unusable for refurbishing.
Loose glass also creates a hazard for the people who open the box. Good packing protects the screen, the contents of the box, and whoever handles it.
The steps below are the habits we see from shops whose boxes arrive in good shape.
What materials do you need?
You do not need anything exotic. Most of it is already in a repair shop.
- A sturdy corrugated box with no dents, large enough for padding on every side.
- Clear packing tape or screen protector film to hold loose glass in place.
- Anti-static bags or sleeves, or the original screen bags if you have them.
- Bubble wrap, foam sheets, or paper padding.
- Cardboard dividers or thin foam to separate screens.
- A marker and a printed or handwritten label.
How do you prepare each screen?
Start by controlling the glass. Cover the cracked face with clear tape or film so shards stay put. Press the tape on gently; do not press hard on the panel.
Do not peel off the flex cable or fold it tightly. Leave it attached in its natural position, and make sure it is not creased or bent at a sharp angle.
Slide each screen into its own anti-static bag or sleeve. This keeps chips and dust off the panel and stops screens from scratching each other.
Sort by model before you pack. Grouping the same models together makes it quicker to match the box against your request, and it means a quantity mismatch is easy to spot.
How do you stack screens in a box?
Stand screens on their long edge rather than laying them flat in a tall pile. A stack of flat screens puts the weight of every screen on the one at the bottom, and a bump in transit can crack the panel through the bag.
Put a divider between every screen or every small group of screens. Face glass-side to glass-side only when a divider is between them.
Keep the screens snug but not squeezed. If the box rattles when you shake it gently, add padding. If you have to force the lid shut, remove some.
Leave at least an inch or so of padding between the screens and each wall of the box. The edges and corners of the box take the hits in transit, so the screens should not touch them.
Do not mix other items into the same box, such as batteries, tools, or complete phones. Mixed contents make it harder to count and increase the chance of damage.
How do you seal and label the box?
Close the box and seal every seam with tape, using the H-pattern: one strip along the center seam and one along each edge seam. Do the same on the bottom.
Write your request ID on the outside of the box in large, clear numbers. When you submit a request, the site gives you a request number. Writing it on the package is how we match the box to your request when it reaches us.
It also helps to put a slip of paper inside the box with your request ID, your name or shop name, and the model list. If the outer label is damaged or rubbed off, the slip still identifies the package.
Use the ship-to address shown on your request. Check it against the request page rather than copying an address from an old email.
Which carrier should you use, and who pays?
At the moment you ship on your own. Pick any carrier you like, pay for the shipping yourself, and add the carrier and tracking number to your request. We do not currently provide prepaid shipping labels.
Choose a service that gives you tracking and a delivery confirmation. For a box of screens, a tracked ground service is usually enough, but the choice is yours. Think about insurance as well, since a lost box is the biggest risk and carriers set their own limits and claim rules.
Take a photo of the packed box and the shipping label before you hand it over. If something goes wrong in transit, you will have a record.
How do you add tracking to your request?
Open your request in your account and enter the carrier and tracking number. You can add or change them while the request is still waiting for your shipment, before we mark the box as received.
The request form asks for a tracking number when you submit. It lets you and us follow the box, and it speeds things up if the shipment is delayed.
Keep the receipt until you have seen the request move to received and tested.
What should you do if something goes wrong?
If tracking stalls for several days, contact the carrier first, since they can search for a box in their network. Then contact us with your request ID and tracking number so we can watch for it.
If a box arrives damaged, we note it when we receive it. Photos of how you packed the box help us work out what happened.
Our turnaround is counted from when we receive your box, so a box that is delayed in transit starts its clock late.
Ready to send a batch?
Register an account, open a buyback or refurbish request, pack the box using the steps above, and add your tracking number. We will take it from there. For questions about the process, see the FAQ.
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