eBay

inhawaii · ‎05-07-2020

There is a item i sell, it's a small plastic item. I've sold about 100 of them so far. I recently had a customer let me know his item arrived broken/damaged. He sent me pictures. I believe him.

I package them all exactly the same way. The item gets wrapped in newspaper to provide some cushioning. Then shipped in a padded envelope.

So far only 1 out of 100 has been reported damaged. That's a 1% damage rate. I'm trying to decide if i should start packing/shipping them in a box instead of a padded envelope. Of course my cost would go up a bit. Or is a 1% damage rate acceptable?

Buster Voodoo - Rodrigo Y Gabriela

plymouthsales4165 · ‎05-08-2020

op, the 1% rate is very high in my world. I might get 3 broken items a year but I over pack. I really do not care about the broken item, I care about the Neg that can come with it. The damage that a Ned can do is much more of a cost issue to me than a broken item. Because I over pack, in the rare case of a broken item I can usually avoid the Neg. Usually I get a comment like "despite your excellent packing the item got broken, they must have run it over with a truck". If you read feedback that others get you see "poorly packed" and such often. Depending on the size of the item boxes are cheap and usually add little to shipping costs

inhawaii · ‎05-08-2020

@plymouthsales4165 wrote:
op, the 1% rate is very high in my world. I might get 3 broken items a year but I over pack. I really do not care about the broken item, I care about the Neg that can come with it. The damage that a Ned can do is much more of a cost issue to me than a broken item. Because I over pack, in the rare case of a broken item I can usually avoid the Neg. Usually I get a comment like "despite your excellent packing the item got broken, they must have run it over with a truck". If you read feedback that others get you see "poorly packed" and such often. Depending on the size of the item boxes are cheap and usually add little to shipping costs

I'm a packaging junkie myself. I've been accused of over-packing many times.

On this most recent damaged part complaint, i not only refunded the buyer in full, but i also sent him a brand new unbroken part free of charge. I hope this will make up for the inconvenience. I'm not sure how many other sellers would do this?

Buster Voodoo - Rodrigo Y Gabriela

bigdeals.etc · ‎05-08-2020

I didn’t really read the replies but I’m guessing the consensus is generally 1% loss is really good.

But to be thorough it depends on your item price vs cost to upscale your entire packaging operation. If the dollar amount of that 1% loss (remember to include shipping loss or the item) is higher than your increased cost for the upscale packing/shipping of 100 units... then it might be smarter to go with upscale shipping.

But for me personally it would have to be SIGNIFICANTLY higher. Because if it’s only 1 dollar more, I would just keep the old shipping method because I don’t want to waste time learning a new method and re-training any staff just to save 1 dollar. Time is also money.

cynthealee2 · ‎05-08-2020

@inhawaii

They got furniture stores in Hawaii right?

Ask any of them what they do with the foam that comes wrapped around the stuff... you might try wrapping the item in that, then putting it in the bubble mailer.

OR

That thin foam stuff, then cardboard sandwich, the bubble mailer or Mylar bag.

Cardboard (to be worth it) needs to be the thicker stuff, but your local grocery stores or Walmart will usually let you have all you want if you catch em while they are stocking. The boxes 3 gallon water jugs come in are great! (3 one gallon jugs to a box)

As for me, I make cardboard sandwiches, then if it looks like it might not work I'll wrap bubble wrap around that. I take a full sheet of bubble wrap and cut it in half then use the half sheet around the cardboard sandwich and throw it in a Mylar bag.

So far the only thing that has BROKEN has been the stuff I put in boxes... 1 in 6-700 cards or comics have a rough day and get bent... I just refund (can't send a replacement as it's usually the only card or comic I have that gets bent).

I hate photobucket right now... PS Answers given years ago may or may not be current now, please check with current posters to the boards to see if the information is still relevant.

yuzuha · ‎05-08-2020

How lightweight is the item in question? If it's very light, shipping it in a box versus a padded mailer won't increase the price much if at all. I used to ship my keychains in bubble mailers, for example, until I realized that putting them in a box wouldn't change the postage cost because they weigh so little that they're still going to be under 4 oz even in a small box.

cynthealee2 · ‎05-08-2020

@yuzuha wrote:
How lightweight is the item in question? If it's very light, shipping it in a box versus a padded mailer won't increase the price much if at all. I used to ship my keychains in bubble mailers, for example, until I realized that putting them in a box wouldn't change the postage cost because they weigh so little that they're still going to be under 4 oz even in a small box.

It's getting those shipping boxes to Hawaii that's the issue. It's gonna cost the OP more in shipping of those boxes to HIM to start with that may very well make it cost prohibitive.

I hate photobucket right now... PS Answers given years ago may or may not be current now, please check with current posters to the boards to see if the information is still relevant.

dtexley3 · ‎05-08-2020

See if you have a company that installs window replacements in your area. Go and ask if they have any foam sheeting that they will give you. They should have bags of it. It will give you better protection for the cost of a little gas to drive and pick up a bag now and then.

Member of the Grumpy Old Man crew

yuzuha · ‎05-09-2020

@cynthealee2 wrote:
It's getting those shipping boxes to Hawaii that's the issue. It's gonna cost the OP more in shipping of those boxes to HIM to start with that may very well make it cost prohibitive.

Unless my memory is wrong, OP works retail? That should be a great source for plenty of small boxes. That's where I get 90% of the small boxes that I use-- from unpacking shipment at work.

cynthealee2 · ‎05-09-2020

@yuzuha wrote:
@cynthealee2 wrote:
It's getting those shipping boxes to Hawaii that's the issue. It's gonna cost the OP more in shipping of those boxes to HIM to start with that may very well make it cost prohibitive.
Unless my memory is wrong, OP works retail? That should be a great source for plenty of small boxes. That's where I get 90% of the small boxes that I use-- from unpacking shipment at work.

Dunno... I was just going on this post in this thread: (#23)

@inhawaii wrote:

Living in Hawaii can have disadvantages. Noobody will ship me cardboard boxes, well, they will but for outrageous prices. Uline wants $200-something to ship me 50 small boxes to me. Ebay shipping supplies is the only place i've found that will ship me cardboard boxes for free.

I hate photobucket right now... PS Answers given years ago may or may not be current now, please check with current posters to the boards to see if the information is still relevant.