How do you ship your items? And how to look more "professional"?

[pocket_tools_sell]

I sell items on Ebay but I'm not a pro business. I ship from home. So my return address shows my home address and my name.

Those who are in the same boat as me, what do you do? Do you ship with the return address showing your home addres and name. Etc?

Thanks !

[femmefan1946]

If you want to get a wandering item back, yes, use your home address.

I use postage stamps and a handwritten label.

My handwriting is neat and clear (Thank you, Mrs. Purdy!) so I don't feel the needfor expensive printed labels.

My return address labels use a form of my eBay ID (F. Emmefan/1946).

When we were using eBay as part of our now closed B&M business, we had printed envelopes, which by the way are a business expense.

Most of my products on my various IDs are paper. So I use  poly envelopes purchased here on eBay.
I understand that US sellers get free boxes and envelopes from USPS. Sounds like a good deal to me.

EBay also has branded stationery of various types. Opinions vary over whether this is good, professional advertising or a dangerous way to get your shipments stolen. On the whole I'm with the former. Compare prices though.

[pantlandia]

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@themidnightnarwhal wrote:

I sell items on Ebay but I'm not a pro business. I ship from home. So my return address shows my home address and my name.

Those who are in the same boat as me, what do you do? Do you ship with the return address showing your home addres and name. Etc?

Thanks !

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I suspect about 90% of eBay sellers ship from their home address. If you don't want it known, get a PO box. I highly doubt anyone who I've sold to even looks at my address, let alone cares that it's my home.

[slippinjimmy]

I am a "pro" but really that's just a holdover from years past, I'm now more of a casual pro.

I ship all orders with my personal name and address as the return information. On the other hand the packing list I include has my business name and address (same address).

I like my packages to look "professional" as well....I make sure the label is straight and the packaging (when sent) is clean and doesn't look like I grabbed it out of the trash and reused it.

[femmefan1946]

clean and doesn't look like I grabbed it out of the trash and reused it.

I know a lot of sellers are proud to use 'reused' packaging, and tout it as being cheaper than buying new, but I have a sneaking feeling that if those sellers added up the time they spend finding, and  cleaning those supplies, they might think again. The minimum wage here in BC is 18cents a minute. Time is money.

That being said, every box that comes into my home is assessed for use as a stiffener. And when election time comes around, I know where the losers' corplast lawn signs have been abandoned.

[myboardid]

I use a PO Box as my return addess.  I use sturdy but often recycled boxes.  Forcertain items that are the right size, I ship in liquor or wine boxes.  As long as the item is packaged safely and arrives in top condition, your buyer really doesn't care.  Spend your time working on getting more sales, not on beautiful external packaging. 

[pocket_tools_sell]

Ok I guess I'll still use my name and home adress for return. Apart from that, everything is nicely done. If item is trhough normal enveloppe it's printed right on while a padded enveloppe I've got labels.

[pocket_tools_sell]

So do you write your name of Ebay name on the label? Anyhow it wouldn't really matter since on Paypal it shows my name. 

[wolf*song]

"I know a lot of sellers are proud to use 'reused' packaging, and tout it as being cheaper than buying new..."

It also cuts back on deforestation.

[wolf*song]

I don't really worry about looking "professional", as the items I sell are meant to be fun.  But there are a few things I do that may or may not be of assistance:

I weather-proof my comics as well as I possibly can.  Sometimes I even use gallon freezer bags, but usually my comics are bagged and boarded, anyway, so I just wrap them in one or two grocery bags or wastebasket liners.

I always include a note in the package, usually sitting on the book, or taped to the holder, or even scribbled on the cardboard pieces I use to protect the books in transit: "If lost or stolen, please forward to (buyer's address)".  Believe it or not, when I was swapping books at a book-swapping site (duh), this came in handy once for someone who sent a book to me that had fallen out of the package, and I've done it since.

And finally, though some disagree with me, I always leave feedback for my buyers.  They allow me to continue hunting the books (way more fun than anything else I do with the cash), and I feel thanks are in order.  As soon as I get paid, they get a review.  

Hope these help, best of luck!

(NOW my chi's back in balance *LOL*)

[siayan]

I aways use eBay postage labels and they have my business name as the return address.  It says Business name/My name. It is my home address and I work out of home since I closed the store. It looks a little more professional but not sure if anyone notices.

I try to always use new boxes, either a priority box or a new plain box. Fortunately, I was able to buy 2 skids of boxes about 2 years ago at $20 a skid and they lasted a while. I just ran out of one size this month. There are only a few sizes that you really need. If I sell a large item I figure in the cost of a new box from Lowes and keep a few of those on hand.

I always use Sams Club bubble wrap. It is cheap enough and convenient when I run out. 

I don't have time to run around looking for boxes and packing material. Priority boxes come in some good sizes that are not the flat rate.  They can be ordered online. 

Note to all: don't get more priority boxes then you think you can use. It's a great outlet for boxes and I would hate to see it end.

[gracieallen01]

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@wolf*song wrote:
"I know a lot of sellers are proud to use 'reused' packaging, and tout it as being cheaper than buying new..."

It also cuts back on deforestation.

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That's funny - but NOT funny 'ha ha'.

Perhaps it cuts back on deforestation for the purpose of 'packing material', but not deforestation for houses or farms or strip malls or parking lots or building materials or golf courses or ......

[retrose1]

I do not want to look 'professional' - I want to look like a small seller selling stuff to people just like me.

The more professional I look, the more the buyers will think that I am a big company - and big companies are easier to scam since they are big enough to absorb losses.

[solarshift7]

Our high volume store uses a lot of Priority USPS packaging.  When taping we make it uniform and professional.  Labels cut uniformly and the return address has our store name-eBay allows you to edit this for the labels in the Addresses selection in the account tab.  When mailing using envelopes we try to fold in a clean, straight/professional way-not something slanted or crumpled.  We always add an extra touch when packaging-for clothing we use tissue paper folded in a certain way.  Some items get a quality clear plastic resealable bag.  Items that may be susseptable to moisture often get double bagged.  Some of our items get a small business sized note with our signatures-the note explains what to do if there are any problems, how to quickly get ahold of us for problems, etc.   We think it's the little things that add up.  Fast shipping is one of the best ways to make a customer happy but a great presentation really helps seal the deal.

[ersatz_sobriquet]

Agree with Retrose. I don't want to look like a huge company that can absorb unfair losses. I am a small seller. I don't even like my listing count to go above 250, I don't want those who would steal to think I can absorb it. 

That said I no longer use newspaper to pack, seems we've been shamed out of doing that. Haven't used it in years. 

My house to yours. What ebay was based on when it began. We're still here.