Packing items for shipping

[sin-n-dex]

I got into a bit of a debate with another seller (in my city) about packaging items for shipping.

I sell coins, tokens and sometimes mint sets. One of my strategies is to put all mint sets and largish items in a clean ziplock bag (which is actually done when I get the item, not when I ship, to keep the dust off the item).

The seller I was arguing with was telling me that costs money, and just throw the items into a bubble mailer and send it.

I'm thinking for the 4 cents I spent on the bag, it has value in making my eBay store look somewhat professional because items are neatly packed.

Thoughts on packing for shipping?

C.

[18704d]

Shipping is for You, not your buyer (within reason)

It's to ensure You fulfill your obligations under seller performance policy.

Ship as you see fit, and of course, make sure it's obvious in your descriptions.

Lynn

[coffeebean832]

Use the plastic bag, always. Just today I received an item in a poly mailer that had a couple of tears in it and had mud on it, too. Fortunately the seller put the item in a plastic bag which was the only barrier to keep it clean- free of dirt and rain.

[upgradedendmills]

Great investment even if it were 10X the cost.  Undoubtedly leads to repeat sales. It seems lately that a lot of sellers are focused on saving pennies due to overall slow sales. I think the opposite approach will provide large dividends.

[kathieskorner]

I use clean ziplock bags or plastic newspaper bags for most everything I ship in bubble mailers from books to t-shirts and fabric - protection against weather,  holes in the mailers, and odors like tobacco smoke encountered on their journey.   

The grocery store has ziplock bags - buy one, get one free - about once a month - which cuts the cost in half.  

The cost of one return or damaged item can cover a lot of ziplock bags.  

[nmemoryof]

Well, I tend to be pretty OCD about it.  So I'm on your side, for what that's worth.  The longer I do this, the less cheap I am about shipping and packaging.  It is part of the customer service and probably the part you have the most control over.  A little bit of extra money likely results in much better feedback.  So dollar for dollar, your way is better.  Regardless, it's the RIGHT thing to do.  You can't put a dollar amount on that.

[kensgiftshop]

I've started storing and shipping my items in zip lock bags.

It helps keeping the items clean before shipping and if the package gets damaged or wet it'll help protect the items.

[a_c_green]

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@sin-n-dex wrote:

Thoughts on packing for shipping?

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Absolutely use ZipLok bags. You can even find custom large sizes on-line, beyond those available in any store. 

My items are all stored in ZipLok bags as soon as they come into my possession and are made ready for sale. In case of multiple items that need to stay together but without touching each other, note that the Snack size fits inside the Sandwich size, and the Sandwich size fits inside the Quart size.

The bags keep basement humidity, critters or whatever from reaching the items while stored. After sale, I put the packing slip in the bag with the item for backup documentation in case the outside label is damaged, and then into its padded mailer or box.

The outside label is taped around all four edges, including the tracking number and bottom half of the barcode (thus sidestepping the whole debate over whether to tape or not tape over the barcode ), and another strip over the printed address and return address. Padded mailers get a backup strip of tape across the flap, and boxes get a bit of Elmer's Glue on the inner flaps in addition to the usual H pattern of tape across the flap seams.

If my packages get caught in the rain, they will remain legible, and if landing in water, they will float.

[rixstuff]

I sell used vintage jewelry and put it in a pretty gift box AND a bubble mailer. I buy these in bulk to get them super cheap but it not only looks nice but also protects the items from damage.  You just feel better using the zip bags.  No harm so go ahead.

[indiefeels1]

I'm not sure how desirable it is to appear to be a 'professional' seller. I'm not a seller but as a buyer my mentality is that the better deals are going to be found from amateur sellers, the ones that are downsizing their homes. My thinking being that professional sellers are going to set a market price point. They've done their research and know the true value of items. People that find stuff lying around the house and think to put it up for sale aren't always going to have all the knowledge necessary to price is right.

Whenever I'm going through Ebay listings for something I want, I gravitate towards the ones that don't appear to have been written by someone who has written thousands of item titles.

[upgradedendmills]

Great theory, probably works well, and I am sure a lot of buyers do this. However, depending on the item you are purchasing, the lowest price isn't always the best deal.  An experienced, concerned seller like the OP can save a lot of irritation and aggravation most of the time. When you see a seller that does professional looking listings and has been doing this awhile with good reviews you are usually going to get a total happy experience and not just an item.

[lintbrush*]

Presentation means a lot.

I enjoy getting a nicely packed item.   I pack for safety and presentation.  There isn't much glamour because of the layers of bubble wrap most of my items need, but it's always neat.

I do not enjoy getting one that looks slapdash and as if the seller doesn't care.  I will not buy from that seller again.

I use Ziplocs too.  I also have a stash of small craft bags in varying sizes for even smaller items.  They would be perfect for coins.  I use them for eBay and yard sales (when selling jewelry or something equally as small).

Last jewelry set I sent got tissue, a craft zip bag, jewelry box and a pretty bow with some (recycled) fabric ribbon.

[futurespast1113]

As a buyer I like your strategy. When I receive items that are nicely and neatly packed in clean packing materials, it makes me feel like the seller cared and it also makes the item seem nicer in my eyes. So many times I receive the antiques that I buy here thrown in a box or envelope with no protection around it. Even a cheap piece of tissue paper makes me feel like the seller spent a little more time and effort to make sure my item is kept clean and tidy. A nice presentation goes a long way in my book.

Most of the items I receive are packed with used garbage. One of my pet peeves is when I receive fragile and expensive antiques padded in used plastic grocery store bags instead of bubble wrap or foam padding. I understand that for a lot of sellers cost is a factor, but you can get bubble wrap or packing peanuts for free from many retail stores that are willing to give them away at no cost.

If I am buying something expensive, collectible, rare or fragile and the shipping costs were very low, I offer my seller more money to pack my breakables with quality materials like packing peanuts and bubble wrap because most sellers do not bother to pack things well and I receive a lot of broken items from ebay sellers. I have a feeling that a lot of sellers are too afraid to add a few dollars onto the shipping costs because buyers might complain. For me that is the farthest from the truth and I am willing to pay more to have my rare or valuable antiques packed the right way.

So many times I get my items padded in beat up old grocery store bags and it looks like the seller dumped their garbage can into the box to use as padding. When I see my item packed in old beat up newspapers and plastic grocery bags, it makes the item I just bought look cheap to me. When my sellers go the extra mile to place my items nicely in a ziploc bag to protect it from dust, dirt or water damage I feel appreciative and feel more positive feelings about the item I purchased and my seller. 

If I were you, keep doing what you are doing because it makes you look like you care.

[futurespast1113]

The grocery store has ziplock bags - buy one, get one free - about once a month - which cuts the cost in half.  

My local dollar store sells boxes of ziploc style bags for a buck. Everytime I go there I stock up on them.

[lja440]

I'm with you 100%.

I'm not only a eBayer but also a mail carrier. We load and deliver in all kinds of weather. I have left my mail tub to drain through the canvas on the dock several times as it has gathered up to an inch of rain in the time it took me to load the mail in the Jeep. 

I sell a lot of books. Not only do    I wrap each in a layer of cling wrap , I also line the box with a cheep garbage bag. A couple years ago I had a customer kept from her home by flooding. The package was on her covered porch delivered before a storm came and blew rain in soaking the box so much that when she got back to her house she was unable to pick it up. She was ecstatic that though the box was nothing but pulp the books in 2 layers of plastic were totally dry and safe.