Packaging help

[AndreasP]

Hi, I have recently started selling more larger sized items on eBay and normally I would package them in a box that I had previously received however my two problems now are that 1 - I've almost ran out of suitable boxes and 2 - As this certain stealth account is growing I'd like everything to be as professional as possible so I think it'd be a good idea to invest in some cardboard boxes I can use to send off my items.

If I'm after padded envelopes or bubble wrap I would normally buy them through ebay or amazon as their prices are very reasonable however I am yet to find a good source for some cardboard boxes that I can use. I was just wondering if anybody from the UK that uses this forum would be able to point me in the right direction with this.

Thank You

[phaz0rz]

I stopped buying supplies on Ebay a long time ago once I found out many ebay sellers are dropshipping from factories, and I can just as easily go to the factory's website and cut out the middleman.

Here's a UK box manufacturer. Buying from the source = best prices!
THE BOX FACTORY | Corrugated Packaging Specialists | Warwickshire

On a side note, are you not able to get free boxes from shipping companies in UK?

[arktech]

I get boxes from sainsburys. they have an area were you can help your self usually ex wine boxes. I re use free A4 and A5 leaflets that are only printed on one side for labels. yes im a cheapskate

[phaz0rz]

^^nothing wrong with that. I've salvaged truck loads of bubble wrap from body shops a few times.

[AndreasP]

Thank you very much for the help, I'll have a look around the supermarkets near me, hopefully I can get some free ones because that sounds good haha.

[Play]

Am all for recycling etc.

But if your looking for a professional long term solution, consider googling things like removal storage boxes etc.

I often purchase them for sending bulky items.

[AndreasP]

Originally Posted by arktech

I get boxes from sainsburys. they have an area were you can help your self usually ex wine boxes. I re use free A4 and A5 leaflets that are only printed on one side for labels. yes im a cheapskate

Arktech you're a star! Just popped into Sainsburys and the boxes do the job perfectly, thank you!

[Haidukken]

I've got a good deal with couple of smaller companies new me- I get rid of their "crap" and in return I get myself free packing material.
The boxes they use are perfect for my items and one of the window companies gives me all of their tubular bubble wrap- Meant for bottles of alcohol, but I can pack all sorts of stuff with it.

Lovely partnerships, recycling and everything... But if I couldn't source it all locally, I would most likely hit the boxfactory up. I also use tinyboxcompany(or something) for my fancy Etsy items, because they make quality products and logo printing is super nice quality and very cheap.

[arktech]

I buy clear parcel tape from wilko's. only a pound a roll.same price as the brown stuff. but the clear can also be used for labelling

[Play]

Originally Posted by arktech

I buy clear parcel tape from wilko's. only a pound a roll.same price as the brown stuff. but the clear can also be used for labelling

Using cellotape to attach labels to parcels. I will never forget those times.

In my honest opinion, I know people say keep startup costs down, but I think a label writer is as important as anything else in the ebay business. If things dont go to plan, you could sell it off and recoup most of its value.

But in return, you will save a lot of time and effort (and cellotape) using a label writer.

I use a Labelwriter 4XL, and can print pretty much any size label. Cost me nearly £200, but worth every penny.

[arktech]

Crumbs my three epson printers were free off free cycle, i have re fillable cartridges with cheap ink and i re use A4 and A5 paper on give away places that are only printed on one side

[arktech]

Originally Posted by Play

Using cellotape to attach labels to parcels. I will never forget those times.

In my honest opinion, I know people say keep startup costs down, but I think a label writer is as important as anything else in the ebay business. If things dont go to plan, you could sell it off and recoup most of its value.

But in return, you will save a lot of time and effort (and cellotape) using a label writer.

I use a Labelwriter 4XL, and can print pretty much any size label. Cost me nearly £200, but worth every penny.

The clear tape i use from wilkos is exactly the same size and price as brown parcel tape.


I thinks it is stronger

[arktech]

Originally Posted by Play

Using cellotape to attach labels to parcels. I will never forget those times.

In my honest opinion, I know people say keep startup costs down, but I think a label writer is as important as anything else in the ebay business. If things dont go to plan, you could sell it off and recoup most of its value.

But in return, you will save a lot of time and effort (and cellotape) using a label writer.

I use a Labelwriter 4XL, and can print pretty much any size label. Cost me nearly £200, but worth every penny.

The clear tape i use from wilkos (not sellotape lOL) is exactly the same size and price as brown parcel tape.


I thinks it is stronger

[richie2065]

Try the Poundshop they are do a 2 pack of the wide 2 inch sellotape and as luck would have it.. they cost a pound for 2.

Originally Posted by arktech

I buy clear parcel tape from wilko's. only a pound a roll.same price as the brown stuff. but the clear can also be used for labelling

[Haidukken]

Originally Posted by Play

Using cellotape to attach labels to parcels. I will never forget those times.

In my honest opinion, I know people say keep startup costs down, but I think a label writer is as important as anything else in the ebay business. If things dont go to plan, you could sell it off and recoup most of its value.

But in return, you will save a lot of time and effort (and cellotape) using a label writer.

I use a Labelwriter 4XL, and can print pretty much any size label. Cost me nearly £200, but worth every penny.

True, but then again some people think even £55 for PP lifting documents is too much!

I've just lately thought about investing into a label printer but because my current method is so simple, I've just gotten used to it and can't be bothered changing it... I should, I know I should. But still, its not that difficult to have a word template and just quickly copy address and sold item from Paypal to word document. Print it out and cut it with scissors and because of the template size, large cellotape covers the shipping label perfectly and I only have to spend 7 strips to cover a UPS shipping label size piece of paper.

Each to their own, but I generally agree with you- Investing into items that save you TIME are sometimes overlooked because people are chasing cents/pennies.
People look at the price of things, calculate how much labels costs and so on, but people hardly ever think about the time they spend doing something.

I remember one of the first weekend on eBay I had, I sold 13 items and it took me just over an hour to pack everything and then 40 minutes to write out all the addresses and cellotape them to parcels.
THIRTEEN items, almost 2 hours gone. Thats proper bad business.


People: Invest into time, thats the most important thing you have.

[arktech]

Originally Posted by Haidukken

I sold 13 items and it took me just over an hour to pack everything and then 40 minutes to write out all the addresses and cellotape them to parcels.
THIRTEEN items, almost 2 hours gone. Thats proper bad business.

I use paypal postage and print their label with the accurate address and done quickly.

I prefer to pack and iten and print the paypal label keeping another pdf copy. Completing packing and labelling each package before moving to the next parcel . Too much room for me to make a cock-up if I was to pack all and then print labels.

[Play]

Originally Posted by Haidukken

True, but then again some people think even £55 for PP lifting documents is too much!

I've just lately thought about investing into a label printer but because my current method is so simple, I've just gotten used to it and can't be bothered changing it... I should, I know I should. But still, its not that difficult to have a word template and just quickly copy address and sold item from Paypal to word document. Print it out and cut it with scissors and because of the template size, large cellotape covers the shipping label perfectly and I only have to spend 7 strips to cover a UPS shipping label size piece of paper.

Each to their own, but I generally agree with you- Investing into items that save you TIME are sometimes overlooked because people are chasing cents/pennies.
People look at the price of things, calculate how much labels costs and so on, but people hardly ever think about the time they spend doing something.

I remember one of the first weekend on eBay I had, I sold 13 items and it took me just over an hour to pack everything and then 40 minutes to write out all the addresses and cellotape them to parcels.
THIRTEEN items, almost 2 hours gone. Thats proper bad business.


People: Invest into time, thats the most important thing you have.

See one thing I forgot to mention was, to invest or not to invest in a labelprinter comes down to how many orders you process. 13 orders, I wouldn't both too much.

But since I started, I am now sending out 18,000+ packages each year (on average), I couldn't possibly write out addresses.

P.S. Still to this day I manage every aspect of my business on my own, only so that I can identify what procedures need modifications and refinements, so that when I finally start hiring people, they will have the most proficient procedure in place.

[arktech]

Originally Posted by Play

now sending out 18,000+ packages each year (on average), I couldn't possibly write out addresses. .

wow i do nothing like that amount

mine must be a bucket and sponge operation in contrast