TAKE SOME PRIDE IN WHAT YOU DO!!

[outdatedrecreated]

I just wanted to share some thoughts for small and casual sellers: TAKE SOME PRIDE IN WHAT YOU DO! Look, I understand that proper packing materials are expensive. The costs can be burdensome at times. But seriously, before you ship off an item you sold, ask yourself if you'd like to open the package filled wish all of your TRASH that you used in place of bubble wrap or other forms of void fill. Just this week alone, I've received packages full of grocery sacks, empty boxes, shredded paper (loose), and disposable styrofoam plates and trays (yep, the ones sold for food)!

When I first started on here, I couldn't afford to buy new packing material, but I also could not fathom putting my name on anything like that. I looked for local ads for people giving away boxes and bubble wrap and it wasn't hard to get. I would literally tape pieces of bubble wrap together. I saved all the boxes I received from things I purchased online, every one of my family and friends got a call from me asking them to save it all and I'd come pick it up. Now that my business has grown, I can buy new packing materials in bulk.

Once a week I take all the old bubble wrap, packing peanuts, and boxes and list them for free on craigslist. They are almost always claimed in a matter of minutes. If you really think that buyers don't care about the packaging as long as they get their item, you are wrong. Imagine paying someone your hard earned money for an item, and having to get your vacuum out after opening it because it was shipped using shredded paper! With everything in business, it's the little things that set you apart from competition that have the biggest impact on your success, SO DO THEM! 

[lightlily_arts]

I don't know how some people can list items without knowing what the shipping weight is going to be.  When I list something I pack it all up so that I have the shipping weight and packages dimensions so I can accurately determine the shipping charge.  I've seen many posters whom didn't do that ahead of time and were short on their shipping expense.  Plus it makes it efficient when all I have to do is print out the label and get it out.

[yuzuha]

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@magicjohnsonsvariety wrote:

Exactly...not all boxes are created equal. 

Amazon boxes don't hold up very well, but I found that Chewy boxes are very strong and can be reused multiple times.

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The one we used was a Barnes & Noble box, which makes sense because anything that is most likely going to be holding books needs to be sturdy. But I've received boxes from some other companies that got pretty mashed on just the very first trip.

[kathieskorner]

My favorites are Omaha Steak boxes - they are unusual sizes not easily purchased and perfect for things like spiral bound cookbooks.  With the pandemic I've ordered a more lot from Omaha than I usually do.  Their smaller styrofoam containers are lightweight and come in handy for larger fragile items.

Most Amazon boxes are limited to one use and  go in the recycling bin, and their fulfillment centers do a really sloppy job of packing - no bubblewrap - just a couple of air pillows.    Chewy.com and Staples boxes can often be re-used, but they don't do much better than Amazon when it comes to packing.    All things considered experienced small sellers generally do a better job when it comes to packing.  Perhaps the OP should critique  Amazon instead of eBay.

[lightlily_arts]

Actually I disagree with that assertion as it's patently not true.  There are multiple factors that affect ECT.  (Edge crush test).  Granted  the original protective qualities diminish over time, but that also can be said  even when you store new boxes for long periods of time.  Are the boxes truly new or are they recycled material.   If you reuse a box, make sure it is rigid and in excellent condition with no punctures, tears, rips, or corner damage, and that all flaps are intact.  

You also have to choose a box appropriate for the contents being shipped.  Meaning the wall thickness.  I buy cappuccino that's shipped to me in the  Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate box.  It's rather heavy  6 lbs.and twice already delivered with contents damaged because the cardboard box wall is too thin and was ripped on top. My DH is an engineer and has explained  materials management and degradability concepts to me.   It's important to make helpful environmental decisions for our planet, and  yes, we do recycle and compost.

[magicjohnsonsvariety]

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@lightlily_arts wrote:

I don't know how some people can list items without knowing what the shipping weight is going to be.  When I list something I pack it all up so that I have the shipping weight and packages dimensions so I can accurately determine the shipping charge.  I've seen many posters whom didn't do that ahead of time and were short on their shipping expense.  Plus it makes it efficient when all I have to do is print out the label and get it out.

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Wow...I thought I was the only one left who pre packed everything....and yes, when it sells it makes life so much easier.

[moo*cow*corner]

Yanno, if packing materials are clean and fully functional....how would one determine that they have been used before?

I buy egg flats in bulk right here on ebay. Pulp drink carriers are available too. Same with formed fruit (apples, oranges) trays. I use all of these at times. I'd bet that styro meat trays or whatever are just as easy to find unused. I also cut up styro insulation sheeting when I need it. Some new (Home Depot) and some used when I can scrounge it. 

I've gotten messages about styro peanuts. I even have a sad face left in my FB about them. Guess what? My peanuts aren't styro, and haven't been for ages. They are 100% bio-degradable cornstarch. Eco-friendly and I like them better than styro anyway.

Many times, the ones who want to gripe about boxes and packing materials are the same ones who don't want to pay any handling fees. Actual postage only. What's up with that?

Good grief people, really? This whole thing is just silly.

[vintagecraze50]

Yep, I am reminded of a poster on here who told us that a RETURN she had had moldy pieces of bread “sandwiched” inside porcelain cups she sent to the buyer. It goes both  ways. Buyers don’t send back moldy bread as packaging material.

[lightlily_arts]

The commentary is pure conjecture not based on any reliable facts "If your margins are THAT THIN you can't afford to buy proper and new materials, it's no wonder your sales probably suck. While some of the people here may not care what the packaging looks like, I can tell you there are more that do, then don't. "  Based on a  anecdotal factually biased report at best with a statistically poor derivative population sample.

Unless a seller has significant number of negative feedback complaints from buyers about their shipping practices it's unlikely that their sales would be impacted by their usage of recycled materials.  

[vintagecraze50]

Once had a 500 dollar ring sent to me taped to the inside of a cracker jacks box.  What are these people thinking?

[vintagecraze50]

I really worry about Ebay’s Reputation and my own ability to attract more decent buyers here when someone does this to their customer. It perpetuates the MYTH that this place is a garbage dump with cheap prices. 

[moo*cow*corner]

The poster with the moldy bread return was me. I got a laugh out of it and the buyer got their refund. A discussion about packing materials is a bit different than actually getting rotten food returned in some bowls, right?

[inhawaii]

I am so picky about packaging.

I recently purchased #0 padded envelopes from ebay shipping supplies. It's got a nice color "ebay" logo on it.   The trouble is, if i center the shipping label on the ebay logo side, it covers up some of the ebay logo.  I have to affix the label off-center  (which looks ugly) in order not to cover the ebay logo.  I've even tried affixing the label on the flap side, but it just doesn't look right either.

Is anyone else experiencing this "problem"?   LOL

[outdatedrecreated]

This right here is the exact point I was making. I don't care if I sell one item a month, or 1000 item's a month, I'm going to do it right and take pride in that. Why this is such a hard concept for so many is baffling to me. 

[moo*cow*corner]

The thing is, your definition of "right" may not be the same as someone else's. Many of us ALSO take pride in using our available resources wisely and being mindful of total overhead costs at the same time. These concepts are not mutually exclusive. The concept of re-using and/or recycling fits here too. Many of us (especially on these boards) quite happily do all of the above.

You can do what you feel is best for your business, and maybe still find enough grace to leave the rest of us who may have different business models alone. That's not a hard concept either. The market ultimately decides who wins anyway, right?

Too bad we can't demand that buyers properly repackage returns...I'm glad to have a return packaged with "trash"  (or moldy bread for that matter) if my merchandise arrives back to me safely so that I can clean it if necessary and relist it.

[farmalljr]

There is this much about it. Some people take pride in what they do, others are poor reflections of what they are trying to be. 

A good seller, a good business person, is going to do things a certain way. This is why they become successful.  They care and they are driven to be good at what they do. They have already accounted for the costs of shipping material. They realize the importance or presentation. The realize the importance of happy customers. 

Then there are those who either don't know what they are doing or those that purposely do things a certain way, because they are clueless. They have no business sense, and act like they are more important than the very people they are trying to convince, to buy their stuff. These are the same people who see no problems using garbage to pack a box. These same people can't understand why a buyer is so bend about an item arriving in poor condition, or why they are upset over the trash in the box. They also are most likely the people that scream "SCAMMER" whenever a return is opened. Probably the same people as well, that think no returns is a valid thing..... 

eBay may allow any yahoo to start selling here, but at some point, hopefully, they will realize that without standards, some of these sellers are a poor reflection on eBay as a whole. Amazon has standards for shipping if you are sending FBM, for a REASON. eBay and Amazon both will tell you, these are THEIR customers. While I do not think eBay is or should become Amazon, there are standards that should be instituted at a point a platform is so big. Amazon does this for uniformity. It would be nothing but a benefit to buyers here, if there were standards. Others here can pretend it's a non issue or that few packages are ever poorly packed or garbage is used, but it happens more often then they care to let on. Perhaps even often by the very same people defending using "garbage" type fillers. 

Either way, it's on eBay in the end to fix it. All it takes is making a standard and penalties for those who skirt them.