Successful Packing Techniques
by Maeve
eBay Staff Member

One of the best parts of eBay is sharing successes with others. Experienced members have a lot of strategies based on what has worked for them over the years. Newer members may bring creative tips to the table because of their work in similar fields.

This month we asked folks on the Packaging & Shipping Discussion Board to talk about the best ways to prepare items for shipping. Ensuring that your customer receives the item they purchased in good shape is worth the extra effort and helps to build your reputation on eBay.

Well, for breakables I use egg cartons to cushion all sides of the box and sometimes depending on how large the item is, I double box. Lots of bubble wrap and peanuts, sometimes I use newspaper but only when I've run out of peanuts because newspaper adds more weight than peanuts. hulagirlmele

One point to address is that with materials, it is not "one size fits all". The occasional seller may be willing to hunt for boxes and packing materials, while the full time seller may have too large of a demand as well as not enough time to search. Peanuts may be good as a filler for large items, but fragile items I would want wrapped in bubble wrap before filling the box with peanuts…. Voids can allow the packing box to be crushed and allow movement and shifting of the contents. bjw1923

I pack my items the way I want to receive them if I were the buyer. When necessary I use bubble wrap (usually double layered) and peanuts or shredded paper, making sure there is no movement in the box when I am done. On occasion I have double boxed but not much….I mostly sell collectible toys and always remember that the box is part of the value of the item so I make certain to keep the box in the as advertised condition. packing*diva

For non-fragile items like clothing, I place a sheet of cardboard or other stiffener in back of the neatly folded item (so it doesn't get all scrunched in the journey), then wrap in white tissue if I am using a box, or thin bubble wrap or even plastic wrap if I am using an envelope. Then I place it with my packing invoice into a box or a Tyvek (a type of padded mailing envelope), bubble, or waterproof envelope (I never use plain envelopes, because the item could get wet.) Usually I use boxes on clothing, but if an item is small and could easily travel in an envelope, I do so to get a better rate….For fragile items, the packing is much more complex. However, it doesn't have to take a long time if you gather all your materials first and do all your packages "assembly line" fashion. little_irish_poster

Sometimes I have to take an item to a professional packer as I do not have all of the supplies I need for a particular item. Then I have to buy all of the materials and, if he charges labor, I have to pay that myself. Of course, the buyer always has to pay for special services. ozzie3

I use large amounts of microfoam and 1" thick styrofoam panels. (The styrofoam can be found in 4'x8' sheets in the insulation department of Home Depot, etc; I use microfoam instead of bubblewrap in part because I can get it free.) I rarely use peanuts, even for most fragile items and never use newspaper. retromoderne

I'm not a high volume seller so my packing materials are almost always recycled. I save sturdy boxes when I receive them and I have a big trashcan that I use to save peanuts. I also save un-popped bubblewrap and foam whenever possible. If the item is fragile and needs more bubble- or foam-wrap, I pay for it. There is no sense in scrimping on packing materials for fragile items. 6_good_numbers

The biggest piece of advice I'd give is to pay attention to items you receive through the mail, either from eBay sellers or from other online and mail order sellers. Pay attention to what you like and what seems well-packed and copy those techniques. Packing for shipping is quite different than packing for a move in a moving van. This is a common mistake that occasional sellers of pottery and glass make, often with bad results. Items should withstand being kicked down a flight of stairs, being tossed in a truck, falling off the conveyor belt on their way into an airplane, extreme of hot and cold and either be waterproof or contain items that won't be damaged if they get wet. Also, in my opinion, just because "it's only eBay," -- the world's largest garage sale -- this should not be an excuse for using garage sale quality packing materials and sloppy packing techniques. 7roots

Just make sure that you let sellers know that envelopes and bubble mailers offer no crushing resistance and are only good for mainly non-breakable items. ibiddedtowin

I don't try for the extremes in packaging. I just make use of whatever suitable materials I can get free, buy the rest, try to save the customer money and still present a professional, adequate packing job. As a seller, I streamline, standardize and scrounge to keep costs low and quality high. duchess-at-speakeasy

It's important to pack well while at the same time keeping it affordable for the buyer. Clean, used materials are plentiful and free for the asking in many communities at gift shops, furniture stores, dollar stores, and the like. If you must buy new, buy in bulk... buying individual materials retail can be extremely expensive and should be avoided whenever possible !!! Lastly, be aware that there is often an incredible markup on supplies and services at packing & mailing stores... use them only when absolutely necessary. lqqkmanobids

I pack it with pride as if I were the one receiving it. I've received clothing in envelopes and wasn't too thrilled to see that. One accidental slash of an utility knife by a USPS worker and that clothing would be trashed. My understanding is they pack up all packages onto skids and wrap the skids for moving our packages across the country. They have to unwrap the skid at the destinations. Yep and they use utility knives to do that. tallulah034

It takes about 30-45 minutes for me to pack a fragile or delicate item. For this reason, when I sell those items, I don't list them for 99 cents. I start the bidding high enough to make it worth the time involved in caring for a fragile item. casadejunque

Shipping on time will help customer satisfaction as well. No one should list an item without first considering how to ship it. As soon as you item receives a bid, that is the time to pack, not a week later. i_ship_faster_than_you

A special thanks to these members, and to all those who share their experiences daily with other members on the Packaging & Shipping Discussion Board. To get to the discussion boards, click Community from the navigation bar at the top of most eBay pages, then click Discussion from the Talk square.