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 imagine if it's something that you have multiples of and ship regularly you wouldn't have to prepackage. But if they are one of a kind and/or  large you need to know as you could be off anywhere by ounces to a pound or more.

[southern*sweet*tea]

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@magicjohnsonsvariety wrote:

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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.

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No, y'all aren't the only ones 😁

Anything that's out of the ordinary (in other words, anything that's not a book or flat paper) gets packaged completely and weighed.  Label the box, set it on the shelf, when it sells it's ready to go.

[penguins_dont_fly]

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@outdatedrecreated wrote:
It sure beats <snip> stryrofoam plates

@penguins_dont_fly  wrote:

I sell glass and china.  I use styrofoam plates (new, bought for that purpose) ... what is the problem with foam plates?

@outdatedrecreated wrote:

I'm talking about disposable plates, the kind for food. What are you talking about?

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Yes, the kind for food -- the ones shown in my response regarding my shipping process in Post #38 of this thread  ... what else would I be talking about?

They cost less than a penny a piece at Dollar General.

[skatefool]

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@farmalljr wrote:

*snip*

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. 

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Amazon standards ... like a 2 pound paperback book in a padded mailer without cardboard protection? 

What exactly are you trying to emulate?

[penguins_dont_fly]

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@skatefool wrote:

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@farmalljr wrote:<snip>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. 

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Amazon standards ... like a 2 pound paperback book in a padded mailer without cardboard protection? 

What exactly are you trying to emulate?

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Or the Amazon standards that ship two  1-Gallon jugs of a liquid product in a huge flimsy box with two air pillows?

(my last order of a product that I order regularly was actually dripping from the soggy, sagging box when it arrived ... It's amazing that the box just didn't disintegrate ... one of the gallons was completely empty)

[ra_201044]

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. 

Yeah, THAT will work out well ........... 🙄

[magicjohnsonsvariety]

Exactly...you and I both sell a wide assortment of different sized products. 

I pre box not only to obtain the weight, but to also ensure I have the right size box at the time of sale. I keep a large inventory of boxes but you know luck would have it to be out of just the one size you need.  

[fern*wood]

You probably better stay away from the pinned thread on the shipping board of packing tips posted by an ebay community manager.

Hint:  Toilet paper rolls made an appearance. 

[buy-best-store]

Thank You

[skydog*cobain]

I know this post is old, yet I have to comment .  

People like you, are the reason that our world is a giant  trash heap. 

Using materials aside from Bubble is called recycling ♻️. 

[studiodeflores]

I agree with skydog*cobain.  As long as the "trash" being used to pack the item is clean, such as newspaper and the like, and the item is packed properly so that it arrives safely, what is the problem?  It's not just about saving money when sellers use non-new materials to pack, and some buyers even appreciate it.

[simply-the-best-for-you]

ZOMBIE thread from 2021.  

[the-hook-and-the-loop]

Ain't it funny how 75% of the feedback should be directed to the shipping service?

[kh-vince]

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thank you for understanding.