Complete Guide to the Shipping Bin in Stardew Valley
The shipping bin is the primary method of selling items in Stardew Valley. Located just outside your farmhouse, it allows you to sell crops, animal products, foraged items, and artisan goods without needing to visit a shop. Understanding how the shipping bin works is essential for maximizing your farmโs income. This guide covers everything you need to know about shipping bin economics, timing, quality bonuses, and optimization strategies.
How the Shipping Bin Works
Basic Mechanics
The shipping bin is a wooden box located near the entrance of your farmhouse. Here is how it functions:
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Outside farmhouse, near the door |
| Access | Click to open, drag items from inventory |
| Capacity | Unlimited (no limit on items or value) |
| Collection | Items are collected at the end of each day |
| Payment | Gold is added to your total at end of day |
Using the Shipping Bin
- Click the Bin: Approach the shipping bin and click on it.
- Place Items: Drag items from your inventory into the bin. You can place one item at a time or multiple items.
- Confirm: Items placed in the bin are committed for sale. You cannot retrieve them once placed.
- End of Day: When you go to sleep, all items in the bin are sold and the gold is added to your total.
Important Notes
- No Retrieval: Once an item is in the shipping bin, it cannot be taken back. Be careful not to accidentally ship valuable items you want to keep.
- Stack Handling: You can place partial stacks in the bin. The bin will sell the exact number you placed.
- Multiple Items: You can place as many different item types as you want in the bin.
Collection Times and Payment
When Items Are Collected
Items in the shipping bin are collected and sold at the end of each day, when you go to sleep:
| Timing | Details |
|---|---|
| Placement | Any time during the day |
| Collection | When you go to sleep (before 2:00 AM) |
| Payment | Gold appears in your total the next morning |
| Report | A summary of items sold and gold earned appears on screen |
The 6:00 PM Deadline
While items are technically collected when you go to sleep, there is a practical reason to place items in the bin before 6:00 PM:
- End-of-Day Report: The game generates a shipping summary when you sleep. Items placed before 6:00 PM are included in the standard report.
- Last-Minute Shipping: Items placed after 6:00 PM are still sold, but the timing is tight.
- Recommendation: Make placing items in the shipping bin part of your evening routine, ideally before 6:00 PM.
Payment Calculation
Payment is calculated based on the base sell price of each item:
- Base Price: The standard sell price of the item.
- Quality Bonus: Additional gold for silver, gold, and iridium quality items.
- Profession Bonus: Certain professions increase the sell price of specific items.
- Total: Base price + quality bonus + profession bonus.
Quality Bonuses
Quality Levels
Items in Stardew Valley can have four quality levels, each affecting the sell price:
| Quality | Visual Indicator | Price Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | No star | 1.0x (base price) |
| Silver | One silver star | 1.25x base price |
| Gold | One gold star | 1.5x base price |
| Iridium | One iridium star | 2.0x base price |
Quality Bonus Examples
| Item | Normal | Silver | Gold | Iridium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starfruit | 750g | 937g | 1,125g | 1,500g |
| Ancient Fruit | 550g | 687g | 825g | 1,100g |
| Blueberry | 50g | 62g | 75g | 100g |
| Pumpkin | 320g | 400g | 480g | 640g |
| Melon | 250g | 312g | 375g | 500g |
| Cauliflower | 175g | 218g | 262g | 350g |
| Tomato | 60g | 75g | 90g | 120g |
| Corn | 50g | 62g | 75g | 100g |
How Quality Is Determined
Quality is determined by several factors:
| Factor | Effect |
|---|---|
| Fertilizer | Basic Fertilizer increases chance of silver/gold quality |
| Quality Fertilizer | Increases chance of higher quality |
| Deluxe Fertilizer | Significantly increases quality chances |
| Hyper Speed-Gro | Speeds growth but does not affect quality |
| Farming Level | Higher farming level increases base quality chance |
| Agriculturist Profession | Does not directly affect quality |
Fertilizer Quality Chances
| Fertilizer | Normal | Silver | Gold | Iridium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | 97% | 2% | 1% | 0% |
| Basic Fertilizer | 66% | 22% | 10% | 2% |
| Quality Fertilizer | 33% | 33% | 22% | 12% |
| Deluxe Fertilizer | 8% | 27% | 35% | 30% |
Profession Bonuses
How Professions Affect Shipping Prices
At skill levels 5 and 10, you choose professions that can increase the sell price of certain items:
Farming Professions
| Level | Profession | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Tiller | +10% sell price for all crops |
| 10 | Artisan | +40% sell price for artisan goods (wine, cheese, etc.) |
| 10 | Agriculturist | Crops grow 10% faster (no price bonus) |
Foraging Professions
| Level | Profession | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Gatherer | Double harvest chance (no price bonus) |
| 10 | Botanist | Foraged items always iridium quality |
Fishing Professions
| Level | Profession | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Fisher | +25% sell price for fish |
| 10 | Angler | +50% sell price for fish |
Mining Professions
| Level | Profession | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Miner | +1 ore per vein |
| 10 | Blacksmith | Bars sell for 25% more (not applied to shipping) |
| 10 | Prospector | Double coal chance (no price bonus) |
Stacking Bonuses
Profession bonuses stack with quality bonuses:
Example: An iridium-quality Starfruit sold by a Tiller:
- Base price: 750g
- Iridium quality: 750g x 2.0 = 1,500g
- Tiller bonus: 1,500g x 1.10 = 1,650g
What to Ship vs. Process
Raw Items vs. Processed Goods
One of the most important economic decisions in Stardew Valley is whether to sell raw items or process them first:
Crops: Raw vs. Keg/Jar
| Crop | Raw Sell Price | Wine (Keg) | Jelly (Jar) | Best Option |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starfruit | 750g | 2,250g | 800g | Wine |
| Ancient Fruit | 550g | 1,650g | 600g | Wine |
| Blueberry | 50g | 150g | 100g | Wine |
| Pumpkin | 320g | 960g | 370g | Wine |
| Cranberry | 75g | 225g | 125g | Wine |
| Rhubarb | 220g | 660g | 270g | Wine |
Rule of Thumb: Almost all crops are worth more when processed into wine (via Keg) or jelly (via Preserves Jar). Wine is generally more profitable than jelly.
Animal Products: Raw vs. Processed
| Product | Raw Sell Price | Processed | Processed Price | Best Option |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cow Milk (regular) | 125g | Cheese (normal) | 230g | Cheese |
| Cow Milk (gold) | 250g | Cheese (gold) | 460g | Cheese |
| Goat Milk | 225g | Goat Cheese | 400g | Goat Cheese |
| Chicken Egg (regular) | 50g | Mayonnaise | 190g | Mayonnaise |
| Duck Egg | 95g | Duck Mayonnaise | 375g | Duck Mayonnaise |
| Sheep Wool | 340g | Cloth | 470g | Cloth |
Rule of Thumb: Always process animal products. The processing multiplier is significant.
Fish: Raw vs. Processed
| Fish | Raw Sell Price | Roe | Roe Value | Best Option |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sturgeon | 200g | Sturgeon Roe | 130g | Raw (or Caviar from Roe) |
| Largemouth Bass | 100g | Bass Roe | 32g | Raw |
| Salmon | 75g | Salmon Roe | 75g | Either |
| Catfish | 200g | Roe | 60g | Raw |
Rule of Thumb: Most fish are worth more raw than as roe. The exception is Sturgeon, where roe can be made into Caviar (worth 200g+).
End-of-Day Routine
Recommended Shipping Bin Routine
Follow this routine each evening for optimal income:
- Collect All Products (3:00 PM): Harvest all crops, collect animal products, gather machine outputs.
- Decide What to Process (3:30 PM): Determine which items to process and which to ship directly.
- Place Items in Shipping Bin (4:00 PM): Put all items you want to sell into the bin.
- Place Processing Items in Machines (4:30 PM): Put items to be processed into Kegs, Jars, etc.
- Final Check (5:30 PM): Walk around the farm to make sure nothing was missed.
- Go to Bed (before 2:00 AM): Sleep to trigger the shipping collection.
Daily Income Tracking
Track your daily shipping income to monitor progress:
| Income Level | Typical Farm Stage |
|---|---|
| 0-1,000g/day | Early game (Spring Year 1) |
| 1,000-5,000g/day | Mid-early game (Summer/Fall Year 1) |
| 5,000-20,000g/day | Mid game (Year 1-2) |
| 20,000-100,000g/day | Late game (Year 2+) |
| 100,000g+/day | End game (optimized farm) |
Advanced Strategies
Seasonal Planning
Plan your shipping strategy around seasonal crop cycles:
- Spring: Focus on early crops like potatoes and cauliflowers. Ship raw early, process later.
- Summer: Plant high-value crops like starfruit (greenhouse) and blueberries. Process into wine.
- Fall: Plant pumpkins and cranberries. Process into wine and jelly.
- Winter: Focus on animal products, artisan goods, and mining.
Quality Maximization
To maximize shipping income through quality:
- Use Deluxe Fertilizer: Invest in Deluxe Fertilizer for high-value crops.
- Choose Tiller Profession: The +10% crop bonus applies to all shipped crops.
- Choose Artisan Profession: The +40% artisan bonus is the most profitable profession in the game.
- Age in Casks: Age wine and cheese in Casks to iridium quality for maximum value.
Bulk Shipping Tips
- Stack Management: Keep items stacked in your inventory for efficient bin placement.
- Priority Shipping: Ship high-value items first in case you run out of time.
- Auto-Grabber: Use Auto-Grabbers in barns and coops to automatically collect animal products.
Frequently Asked Questions
Advanced Shipping Strategies
Seasonal Shipping Optimization
Each season offers different opportunities for maximizing shipping income:
Spring Shipping Strategy
| Crop | Sell Price | Processing | Best Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potato | 80g (normal) | 120g (silver) | Ship silver+ quality |
| Cauliflower | 175g | 262g (silver) | Ship gold+ quality |
| Strawberry | 120g | 180g (silver) | Process into wine (360g) |
| Rhubarb | 220g | 330g (silver) | Process into wine (660g) |
| Kale | 110g | 165g (silver) | Ship raw or pickle |
Spring Tips:
- Focus on potatoes for early income.
- Save strawberries for wine production (Kegs).
- Use rhubarb for high-value wine if you have the greenhouse.
Summer Shipping Strategy
| Crop | Sell Price | Processing | Best Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blueberry | 50g | 75g (silver) | Process into wine (150g) |
| Melon | 250g | 375g (silver) | Process into wine (750g) |
| Starfruit | 750g | 1,125g (silver) | Process into wine (2,250g) |
| Red Cabbage | 260g | 390g (silver) | Ship gold+ quality |
| Hot Pepper | 40g | 60g (silver) | Process into wine (120g) |
Summer Tips:
- Starfruit in the greenhouse is the most profitable summer crop.
- Blueberry wine provides consistent income with multiple harvests.
- Melon is a good mid-season crop for gold income.
Fall Shipping Strategy
| Crop | Sell Price | Processing | Best Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pumpkin | 320g | 480g (silver) | Process into wine (960g) |
| Cranberry | 75g | 112g (silver) | Process into wine (225g) |
| Artichoke | 160g | 240g (silver) | Ship gold+ quality |
| Grape | 80g | 120g (silver) | Process into wine (240g) |
| Eggplant | 60g | 90g (silver) | Process into wine (180g) |
Fall Tips:
- Pumpkin wine is extremely profitable.
- Cranberries provide multiple harvests for consistent wine production.
- Grapes are a reliable wine crop.
Winter Shipping Strategy
| Item | Sell Price | Source | Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animal Products | Varies | Barns and coops | Process into artisan goods |
| Artisan Goods | Varies | Kegs and jars | Ship aged goods from Casks |
| Foraged Items | Varies | Winter foraging | Ship or process |
| Mining Products | Varies | Mines and Skull Cavern | Ship valuable ores and gems |
| Fiber | 5g | Fiber plants | Low value, skip |
| Winter Seeds | Varies | Farming | Grow and ship winter forage |
Winter Tips:
- Focus on processing existing stockpiles into artisan goods.
- Use winter for mining expeditions.
- Process animal products into cheese and mayonnaise.
Shipping Bin and the Perfection System
Shipping Collection Goals
The Perfection system tracks the total number of items shipped:
| Goal | Items Shipped | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| Ship 1 item | 1 | Basic milestone |
| Ship all crops | All crop types | Perfection progress |
| Ship all fish | All fish types | Perfection progress |
| Ship all foraged items | All forageable types | Perfection progress |
| Ship all artisan goods | All artisan types | Perfection progress |
Gold Milestones
Track your total shipping income for long-term goals:
| Milestone | Total Gold Shipped | Typical Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| 100,000g | Early achievement | Year 1 |
| 500,000g | Mid achievement | Year 1-2 |
| 1,000,000g | Major achievement | Year 2 |
| 10,000,000g | End-game achievement | Year 3+ |
| 100,000,000g | Ultimate achievement | Year 5+ |
Shipping Bin Tips and Tricks
Batch Shipping
For efficient end-of-day shipping:
- Sort Items: Organize your inventory by category before shipping.
- High Value First: Ship the most valuable items first in case you run out of time.
- Stack Items: Combine stacks of the same item for faster placement.
- Use Chests: Keep a chest near the shipping bin for easy access to items.
What NOT to Ship
Some items should never be shipped because they are more valuable when used differently:
| Item | Why Not to Ship | Better Use |
|---|---|---|
| Rare Seeds | Grow into Sweet Gem Berries | Plant in Fall |
| Ancient Seeds | Grow into Ancient Fruit | Plant in greenhouse |
| Starfruit | Grow more Starfruit | Save seeds for greenhouse |
| Rabbitโs Foot | Universal loved gift | Give to NPCs |
| Iridium Ore | Make Iridium Bars | Smelt in Furnace |
| Battery Pack | Craft recipes | Save for crafting |
| Galaxy Soul | Enchant weapons | Use at forge |
| Golden Walnut | Ginger Island currency | Spend on island upgrades |
Shipping Bin and Multiplayer
In multiplayer, the shipping bin works slightly differently:
- Shared Bin: All players share the same shipping bin on the farm.
- Individual Income: Each playerโs shipped items are tracked separately for income purposes.
- Collection Tracking: Items shipped by any player count toward the shared collection.
- Communication: Coordinate with other players to avoid accidentally shipping items someone else needs.
End-of-Week Review
Weekly Income Tracking
Review your shipping income weekly to monitor progress:
| Day | Income | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Track | Start of week |
| Tuesday | Track | Note trends |
| Wednesday | Track | Mid-week check |
| Thursday | Track | Adjust strategy |
| Friday | Track | Pre-weekend push |
| Saturday | Track | Weekend income |
| Sunday | Total | Calculate weekly total |
Income Benchmarks
| Week | Target Income | Farm Stage |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1-4 (Spring Y1) | 5,000-20,000g | Getting started |
| Week 5-8 (Summer Y1) | 20,000-50,000g | Growing |
| Week 9-12 (Fall Y1) | 30,000-80,000g | Expanding |
| Week 13-16 (Winter Y1) | 20,000-50,000g | Processing |
| Week 17-28 (Year 2 Spring-Fall) | 100,000-500,000g | Established |
| Week 29+ (Year 2 Winter+) | 200,000-1,000,000g+ | Optimized |
Is there a limit to how much I can ship in one day? No, there is no limit to the number or value of items you can ship in a single day.
Can I get items back from the shipping bin? No, once items are placed in the shipping bin, they cannot be retrieved. Be careful when placing items.
Do shipped items count toward collections and achievements? Yes, shipped items count toward the shipping collection and related achievements.
Does the shipping bin work in winter? Yes, you can ship items in winter. Animal products, artisan goods, foraged items, and mining products can all be shipped.
What is the most profitable item to ship? The most profitable single item to ship is iridium-quality Starfruit Wine aged in a Cask, which sells for 4,600g (with Artisan profession: 6,440g).