Packaging and shipping tips... share yours
yspsales
Posts: 2,550 ✭✭✭✭✭
The Ebay envelope thread got me thinking...
I still use pen to envelope and stamps for many smaller PWE shipments.
On padded envelopes, I use alot of tape.
Wasteful.
Always on my mind to research and improve but it gets shelved as six more items need shipped, my cat needs food, and my wife has a list of honey doos.
Those of you with self adhesive labels, using ship station or some other tracking method, along with a dozen other efficiency tricks... please share!
My one go to item is the self sealed, corrugated "safe t flip" . Works for alot of small items and easily fits into the envelope. Might be more than one brand name, but fairly cheap in bulk.
BST: KindaNewish (3/21/21), WQuarterFreddie (3/30/21), Meltdown (4/6/21), DBSTrader2 (5/5/21) AKA- unclemonkey on Blow Out
Comments
I have kind of a "soft" line I draw. Coins that are raw that go to bidders with 100% feedback go in a letter envelope I mark non machinable with a forever stamp and a non machinable stamp. I never charge shipping and it costs like .66 (I think).
Slabs go into half a 10" x 6" padded manila envelope (now 5" x 6"). They come 2 to a package at the dollar store. Cut in half they cost a quarter each. I've been using E-Bay first class with tracking. These cost about $3 which I pass on to buyers. The new E-Bay shipping envelops may change what I'm doing if it saves someone some money.
Excellent Thread idea-I need a tutorial too. Better yet-Tips for shipping and packaging under the new ebay envelope guidelines.
Packaging and shipping tip -
Package it like your sending it to yourself
Wisdom has been chasing you but, you've always been faster
I usually go to PayPal shipping to buy and print postage (priority mail). Usually cheaper than Usps click and ship. (Does not require a sales to have happened through PayPal either.)
For eBay sales, nothing cheaper than using their platform if mailing a package.
He who knows he has enough is rich.
For the past several years I have used 1st class no tracking for coins, postcards, paper ephemera, and etc. under $20.00 and apply appropriate postage. You can buy forever stamps on eBay for 42 cents plus or minus by the roll and 20 centers on eBay or the post office. eBay standard envelope is only 51 cents and does seem to provide some sort of tracking, still not sure how that works, either via the qr-code or the bar code over the address but it does look like it gets tracked. For 51 cents with tracking vs 42 cents (discount stamps) without tracking I'll be using the eBay label until something changes my mind. For the few that I have used so far it looks like the 51 cents gets charged to your managed payments balance once the envelope is marked as delivered.
I use a #6 envelope, about 4 1/2 by 6 1/2. You can buy a box of 50 at Walmart for less than $6.00, probably cheaper in bulk on eBay or Amazon. You van print the label on the "Avery" two per sheet label stock and cut to fit or print directly on the envelope once you figure out how to feed it properly.
For "non-machinable", like a large diameter thick coin I'm not sure how the eBay label will work but will try it when the opportunity arises. What I've done in the past is cut a file folder to fit the envelope so it looks like a greeting card. I open the "card", place a 2X2 in the center and fix it (with tape) to the card with another piece of the file folder slightly larger than the 2X2, apply 75 cents (1 ounce) or 95 cents (2 ounces) and place it in my mailbox. Even with a 2X2, 3 layers of file folder, the packing slip and the envelope it still passes the letter thickness test and I've had no problems. I've actually shipped as many as 4 dimes in 2X2s in the same envelope with no problems.
it's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide
Just used Ebay envelope PDF.
Worked like a charm.
Will hand deliver on Monday and see if it registers in the system.
Picked up some Avery labels to try as well.
BST: KindaNewish (3/21/21), WQuarterFreddie (3/30/21), Meltdown (4/6/21), DBSTrader2 (5/5/21) AKA- unclemonkey on Blow Out
I package slab(s) first in corrugated safety mailers (#10) then in a small Priority Mail Box. I then tape the complete box with 'glass reinforced' tape and then the postal clerk will put it in a Priority Mail Express envelope and seal it.
Mizzou said: "Package it like your sending it to yourself"