Whether you’ve sold your current Xbox to upgrade to the new Series S or Series X, or you’ve sold it because it no longer gets played — the next step is to pack it up and ship it to the new owner. We hope you sold on Swappa, but regardless of where you sold your Xbox console, Swappa is here to help you get through the shipping process.
What you need to ship your Xbox
Two important things to consider when shipping an Xbox are the cost, and making sure you pack it well enough to avoid any damage. Here at Swappa, we recommend factoring in the cost of shipping and the shipping materials before you set the price for your Xbox.
You should prepare to ship by gathering the following items:
- Sturdy box: Finding the right box isn’t hard, but you will want to make sure the box is big enough to fit the Xbox, any accessories, and the packing material.
- Bubble-wrap (or other packing material): We suggest bubble-wrap because it is relatively inexpensive, and it protects the item being shipped. The bubble wrap also looks a bit more professional. You could also use packing paper or newspaper as an alternative.
- Packing tape: This is another important, and also relatively inexpensive, item. Packing tape is meant to securely close and seal boxes, and to keep them that way during shipping.
When done properly, gathering the necessary shipping materials may increase the overall shipping cost a little. However, doing everything you can to ensure the Xbox arrives safely means not having to deal with an angry buyer — and not having to file any damage claims with your shipping provider.
What are the Xbox dimensions?
Ideally, the best way to ship your Xbox is to reuse the original retail box and packing materials. If you ship using the original retail box, you’ll just need to find another shipping box that is slightly larger, so you have room for a layer or two of bubble wrap for additional protection. But unfortunately, quite often, the original box gets thrown away, so that isn’t an option for everyone.
The Xbox console will be the bulk of the size and weight of your shipment, so that is a great starting point when finding a shipping box. The dimensions and weights of the various Xbox consoles can be found in the table below:
| Console Dimensions | Console Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| Xbox One (2013) | 3.1” (H) x 13.1” (W) x 10.8” (D) | 7.8 pounds |
| Xbox One S (2016) | 2.5” (H) x 11.6” (W) x 9.0” (D) | 6.4 pounds |
| Xbox One X (2017) | 2.36” (H) x 11.81” (W) x 9.45” (D) | 8.4 pounds |
| Xbox Series X (2020) | 12.2” (H) x 6.3” (W) x 6.3” (D) | 9.8 pounds |
| Xbox Series S (2020) | 10.8” (H) x 2.5” (W) x 5.9” (D) | 4.25 pounds |
You need to make sure your shipping box is big enough to fit the console — and any accessories such as controllers and power cords. Each item should be wrapped in bubble wrap, and you also want to make sure there is enough space for a layer or two of packing material all around.
But keep in mind, this isn’t a case of bigger being better when it comes to a shipping box. Too much extra space means the items can potentially shift around, which could lead to damage. Shipping providers also factor in the size of the box, so the bigger the box, the more you’ll pay to ship.
How much does it cost to ship an Xbox?
The overall cost to ship an Xbox includes the cost of the shipping materials, along with the cost of the actual shipping. You can quickly and easily determine the cost of a sturdy box, packing material, and packing tape.
These three items should be relatively inexpensive, and you may already have a good box and packing material sitting around from a recent delivery you received. Your local post office may also have a packing station with some free supplies, such as packing tape.
Of course, shipping costs can be significant with heavier items such as a game console, so we recommend taking time and factoring in the overall cost (shipping materials and shipping) before you set the selling price of your Xbox.
Cost to ship an Xbox with USPS
Due to the size of the Xbox console and accessories, USPS Flat Rate Priority shipping may not be an option. Even the biggest, the Large Flat Rate Box, which measures 12” x 12” x 5.5”, may not be big enough to fit an Xbox and accessories. Essentially, this means you’ll likely be using your own box, and USPS considers any package with a dimension over 12” to be a “large” package.
Using the bigger (and heavier) Xbox Series X as an example. Shipping an Xbox Series X across the US, from Tampa to San Francisco, in a box that measures 15” (L) x 9” (H) x 15” (W) and weighs 15 pounds, you should expect to pay roughly $56 for USPS Retail Ground shipping.
You should also factor in a little extra for insurance, which is required if you sell your Xbox on Swappa. You can get a quote based on your specific box size, weight, and destination using the USPS Retail Postage Price Calculator.
Cost to ship an Xbox with FedEx
Nearly 90% of Swappa sellers use USPS, however, FedEx is a great option to consider when shipping a bulkier item such as a game console and accessories. FedEx offers regular retail shipping locations, and they also provide FedEx OnSite locations in stores such as Walgreens. Essentially, you shouldn’t have to worry about finding a FedEx location that is close to where you live or work.
If you ship with FedEx, you have two options to consider. You can gather the packing materials and pack everything yourself, or you can head to a FedEx retail store that offers packing services. If FedEx does the packing, that would be an additional cost, but it may give you some peace of mind knowing the item is securely packed.
Similar to USPS, FedEx shipment prices are based on the distance the item needs to travel, the shipping speed, and the size and weight of the package. Using the same Xbox Series X example from above; from Tampa to San Francisco, in a box that measures 15” (L) x 9” (H) x 15” (W) and weighs 15 pounds. If you use FedEx Home Delivery, you can expect to pay around $38, plus a few additional dollars for insurance that covers the total value of the sale.
Cost to ship an Xbox with UPS
UPS is another great option to consider when shipping a game console and accessories. UPS has numerous retail stores across the country, and they also sell packing materials and offer packing services. Buying the packing materials from UPS, or having them pack your console for shipping will add to the overall cost of shipping. But as we mentioned with FedEx, allowing UPS to pack your console could give you some peace of mind.
We’ll be sticking with the same example; shipping an Xbox Series X from Tampa to San Francisco, in a box that measures 15” (L) x 9” (H) x 15” (W) and weighs 15 pounds. If you were to ship using UPS Ground, you can expect to pay roughly $44 (plus a few extra dollars for insurance to cover the full value of the sale). You can get an estimate based on your specific box size, weight, and destination using the UPS button below.
Cheapest way to ship an Xbox
FedEx is the cheapest way to ship an Xbox game console and accessories based on the Xbox Series X example (shipping from Tampa to San Francisco, in a box that measures 15” (L) x 9” (H) x 15” (W) and weighs 15 pounds).
We recommended checking with FedEx and UPS to find your exact shipping cost once you have the console and accessories packed and ready to ship. And while we understand that you likely want to find the cheapest way to ship your Xbox — you should also consider the convenience. If the shipping costs are similar (within a few dollars), it may be better overall to use whichever shipping option is closer and more convenient.
Get the most cash for your used Microsoft Xbox on Swappa
If you’ve already sold your Xbox, we hope this shipping guide helped you get the package safely shipped. However, if you are still in the planning stages, we suggest that you sell your Xbox here in the Swappa marketplace. Swappa is the safest marketplace for used tech, and because the fees are fair — you will get more cash, which can then be used to offset the cost of your new Xbox.
