Studio Fulfillment, Packaging, & Transit Guidelines

Museum-Grade Packaging Standards

Before any artwork is placed into a transit box, its surfaces and edges must be completely insulated against friction, moisture, and impact.

• The Primary Layer (Surface Protection): Never allow standard plastic bubble wrap or high-tack tape to come into direct contact with the face of an original canvas, panel, or print. Always wrap the entire piece tightly in archival glassine paper or acid-free protective wraps first to preserve varnishes, textures, and delicate paper types.

• Edge & Corner Insulation: The corners of canvas stretchers or frames are the most highly vulnerable points during transit. Every piece must be fitted with rigid, high-density cardboard or foam corner guards before wrapping.

• The Secondary Layer (Shock Absorption): Once the surface and corners are secured, wrap the artwork in at least two dense layers of heavy-duty large-bubble wrap. Secure the bubble wrap to itself with packing tape, ensuring no tape touches the glassine layer beneath.

• The Double-Boxing Framework: All original artworks must be double-boxed. Place the wrapped artwork inside an initial tight-fitting cardboard box or sleeve, then place that box inside a larger, heavy-duty, double-walled shipping container. Fill all empty perimeter space entirely with packing peanuts or crumpled kraft paper so the inner box remains completely immobilized.

Shipping Operations & Logistics

Mercayle Gallery streamlines the fulfillment pipeline by completely handling label procurement and tracking management.

• Prepaid Labels: You do not need to purchase shipping labels out-of-pocket. Once a collector completes their purchase, our logistics department will generate fully prepaid shipping labels through our trusted carrier networks (FedEx, UPS, or DHL) and deliver them directly to your dashboard message thread.

• Carrier Handoff & Timelines: Artists are expected to securely pack the sold artwork and drop it off at an authorized carrier facility (or schedule an on-site studio pickup via your dashboard chat) within 3 to 5 business days of receiving the prepaid labels.

• Tracking Verification: Always ensure the package receives a physical scan upon drop-off so the automated tracking metrics can update the collector's storefront profile immediately.

Insurance Coverage & Damage Claims

Every shipment generated through our dashboard platform is fully insured by the gallery's commercial fine art policy, matching the full structural evaluation value of your artwork.

• Policy Valuation: In the rare event of transit loss or catastrophic handling damage, our policy covers the full 55% artist payout value, ensuring your studio is fully compensated for your labor and materials.

• Voiding Factor (Improper Packaging): Please be aware that structural insurance adjusters will completely void a claim if inspection shows the damage was a direct result of improper or negligent studio packaging (e.g., failing to double-box or allowing bare bubble wrap to melt onto an unvarnished paint surface). Following Section 1 is required to keep your coverage active.

• Claims Filing Protocol: If a package is flagged as damaged by a carrier or arrives compromised at a collector's address, take no action on your own. Immediately alert our operations desk via the Messages tab, and our team will handle the fine art insurance claim processing on your behalf.