eBay

mr_lincoln · ‎10-19-2017

Okay kids, gather 'round. Did you ever need a quick box for shipping but the only ones you had were printed on the outside, cans of soup, cereal or other? If you've never "reversed" a box here is how you do it and it takes little time ... (btw, the box used in this example was a freebie and was NOT ours!) I will explain the process first and you can follow the pics afterwards ...

Inside every RSC box is at least one Glue joint in the corner ... cut the tap on the box so you can lay the box flat with the Glue joint facing up. With a sharp knife (for those of you who have been trained on that tool) insert it in the glue joint and with a slight sawing motion work your way across the box.

Once the joint is separated simply flip the box over and reverse it by turning it inside out so now the Glue joint is on the outside of the box and the unprinted brown box is outward.

Using glue run a bead of glue down where the glue joint was and press the joint flap down and use a piece of tape to hold it in place. The tape will let you actually set the box up immediately if you want or you can wait a minute or two for the glue to set. Hot glue works too with less drying time.

Regards,
Mr. Lincoln - Community Mentor

castlemagicmemories · ‎10-19-2017

@mr_lincoln

You are a saint!

You called us kids....

Thank you, bless you!

dtexley3 · ‎10-19-2017

@southern*sweet*tea wrote:
@partial*eclipse wrote:
Why bother? I re-use Amazon boxes all the time and nobody has evern complained or even commented about it. Sometimes I stick a Priority sticker or tape over the Amazon ID.
True...until you get that ONE buyer who gets their knickers in a twist over getting an Ebay item in an Amazon box

So far I usually get humorous comments because I reseal the box with eBay tape. So far none of the boxes has caught fire or disintegrated.

Member of the Grumpy Old Man crew

chrysylys · ‎10-20-2017

@dtexley3 wrote:
So far none of the boxes has caught fire

Funny you should mention that. One of my main uses for old boxes is kindling in the wood stove. Go figure.

Forget keeping up with the Joneses. Be the Finklegrubers!
OK kids, time to get the Dodge loaded up again. I hear 'Poppy's By the Tree' calling. This trip might be a long one too.

evry1nositswindy · ‎10-20-2017

Thanks for your tip. Here's mine: When I reuse a poly bag that is covered in shipping stickers, names, etc I turn the bag inside out instead of trying to remove or cover over everything.

evry1nositswindy • seller since 2013
Volunteer Community Mentor

lintbrush* · ‎10-20-2017

@mr_lincoln wrote:

Because some of us happen to like working with knives and glue ... others with lesser skills work with stickers (ha-ha just a joke P-E!) ... and for me there is the added benefit of the shear joy of using a competitor's "free" box to ship my item in! Makes me feel like I'm winning again ...

Pun intended?

I have turned boxes inside out in my time, but stopped many years time ago. Way too time consuming. Amazon, QVC, Wayfair - almost no boxes are off limits and need to get flipped inside out. I don't even have no problem shipping in a Dunkin Donuts K-Cup box if that's the one that fits best.

clee1325 · ‎10-20-2017

i turn boxes inside out if there is any wording that cant be removed or covered except i don't use glue i use tape! lol

nawlinsron2 · ‎10-20-2017

C'mon, man....
There's an endless supply of FREE Priority Mail boxes from USPS delivered to YOUR DOOR that you can wrap with butcher wrap...if you're shipping otherwise.

mistwomandancing · ‎10-20-2017

nawlinsron2 wrote:
C'mon, man....
There's an endless supply of FREE Priority Mail boxes from USPS delivered to YOUR DOOR that you can wrap with butcher wrap...if you're shipping otherwise.

And eBay attracts those kinds of sellers as well as the honest ones. As a buyer, you can judge the type you're dealing with. If they'll cheat the USPS, they'll likely do whatever is necessary to cheat you as well, should a little problem arise. It's that old, "If they show you what they are.. believe them."

bubbleman2010 · ‎10-20-2017

Easy and fast way is just pick up a bottle of black shoe polish and blackout what you don't want to be seen on the outside of the box....

kensgiftshop · ‎10-20-2017

I do that , especially if I need an odd size box. It takes a couple minutes, but it makes the boxes look better.

Have a great day.

mr_lincoln · ‎10-20-2017

@mistwomandancing

@mistwomandancing wrote:
@nawlinsron2 wrote:
C'mon, man....
There's an endless supply of FREE Priority Mail boxes from USPS delivered to YOUR DOOR that you can wrap with butcher wrap...if you're shipping otherwise.
And eBay attracts those kinds of sellers as well as the honest ones. As a buyer, you can judge the type you're dealing with. If they'll cheat the USPS, they'll likely do whatever is necessary to cheat you as well, should a little problem arise. It's that old, "If they show you what they are.. believe them."

This brings up a valid point, our Post Office is getting more savvy about people shipping brown paper wrapped USPS boxes at a lower rate then what the box is priced for on Flat Rate.

Regards,
Mr. Lincoln - Community Mentor

lookng2015 · ‎10-20-2017

My boxes only go forward

"If a product doesn't sell, raise the price" - Reese Palley
"If it sold FAST, it was priced too low" - also Reese Palley

mr_lincoln · ‎10-20-2017

@lookng2015

@lookng2015 wrote:
My boxes only go forward

You're one of the fortunate few ...

Regards,
Mr. Lincoln - Community Mentor

mistwomandancing · ‎10-20-2017

mr_lincoln wrote:
@mistwomandancing
mistwomandancing wrote:
nawlinsron2 wrote:
C'mon, man....
There's an endless supply of FREE Priority Mail boxes from USPS delivered to YOUR DOOR that you can wrap with butcher wrap...if you're shipping otherwise.
And eBay attracts those kinds of sellers as well as the honest ones. As a buyer, you can judge the type you're dealing with. If they'll cheat the USPS, they'll likely do whatever is necessary to cheat you as well, should a little problem arise. It's that old, "If they show you what they are.. believe them."
This brings up a valid point, our Post Office is getting more savvy about people shipping brown paper wrapped USPS boxes at a lower rate then what the box is priced for on Flat Rate.

Our PO has said they now consider ANY boxes with outer paper wrapping to be very suspect. He didn't, however, go on to say what they may do to discover whether it's Priority packaging, being disguised to be shipped at a less costly postal rate. I suppose maybe a little tear *could occur* in the paper wrapping. lol lol

With the ease of turning any cardboard box and the even easier method of not bothering at all.. of simply blacking out exterior printing on the box, very few patrons are taking the time to wrap their shipping boxes in paper. That now becomes a Big Red Flag.

tellmemama · ‎10-20-2017

@nawlinsron2 wrote:
C'mon, man....
There's an endless supply of FREE Priority Mail boxes from USPS delivered to YOUR DOOR that you can wrap with butcher wrap...if you're shipping otherwise.

Yeah, and that's all gumdrops and daffodils until the buyer gets hit with the postage due on delivery. You won't be able to talk your way out of that neg. Sure, some of these "creative" shippers have their packages slip through. But most postal clerks along the line recognize the shapes of their own boxes. And the butcher paper is basically screaming "this is probably a priority box" which puts a bullseye on the package to be inspected. If I can't find a suitable plain box, I would upgrade the shipping to priority rather than steal from the PO.

I'm funny that way.

Joe