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Yes, but it costs extra. Major carriers accept suitcases, golf bags, and skis without a box, then add an unpackaged surcharge and treat the item as oversized. A suitcase ships best zipped and wrapped in stretch film; skis ride strapped together with tips protected; golf clubs are safest in a hard travel case. LetterAgent labels are Canada-only Xpresspost with a 5 kg cap, which most luggage exceeds.
| Item | How to prep it | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Suitcase | Empty the outer pockets, zip and lock every compartment, then wrap the whole case in stretch film to protect zippers and handles. | Protruding wheels and handles snag on conveyor belts; film keeps them flush. |
| Skis or snowboard | Strap the pair together, cover the tips and edges, and slide them into a padded ski bag if you have one. | Sharp edges cut other parcels; carriers may refuse unprotected edges. |
| Golf bag | A hard travel case is ideal; a soft bag alone usually ships but counts as oversized. | Club heads snap at the hosel under stacking weight; pad around them. |
| Backpack or duffel | Cinch every strap tight and tuck or tape the loose ends down. | Dangling straps are the number one reason soft bags get rejected or damaged. |
Parcel networks are built for boxes. Conveyor belts, chutes, and automated sorters expect flat surfaces and predictable shapes; a bare suitcase with wheels and a telescoping handle is none of those. The additional-handling surcharge pays for the manual touches your item needs, and the oversized classification reflects the space it wastes in a truck. None of this is negotiable at the counter, so price the surcharge into your plans before you arrive. Boxing the item, when you can, is usually cheaper than paying the unpackaged fee.
The shipping label has to survive the whole trip on a surface that was never designed for one. Slip the label into a clear adhesive pouch and stick it to the largest flat area: the side of the suitcase, the shaft of the ski bag. Never tape a label to a handle, a strap, or a curved edge; that is where labels peel off. Put a second copy of the label, plus a card with the destination address, inside the luggage as backup. If the outer label is lost, the inside card is how the carrier reunites the item with its owner.
Compare the all-in cost. An airline's overweight and oversize bag fees can exceed the price of a ground parcel, and shipped luggage skips the carousel entirely: it goes door to door while you walk off the plane empty-handed. Shipping also dodges the airline's liability limits, which are low for checked bags. The tradeoff is time: give the parcel several extra days over the carrier's estimate, especially around holidays, and never ship the shoes you plan to wear on arrival day.
Ready to ship it? Get a shipping label with LetterAgent: describe it to your AI assistant, approve the exact quoted price, and get your label.
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