by Saurabh Pal

Created on: September 08, 2009

These days doing business on ebay has become very popular. The common man as well as the professional businessman have taken to it in a big way. The key aim is to get repeat business and increase the credibility of the seller. One of the ways to increase credibility is to ensure goods are delivered in the right condition. If products do not reach in proper way then people will not like to deal with the seller again on ebay.

Here are some tips to ensure packing goods for shipment. Remember the key is to balance between proper packaging and keeping the weight within a price range. The first question to ask is what are you shipping. You pack books in one way and glass items or pictures in another way. So here are item specific tips for some of the popular items being sold on ebay -

Common tips for all items -

It is strongly recommended to purchase insurance and to definitely get a delivery confirmation. With an insurance you are protected against loss or damage and with the latter you have proof of shipping and delivery.

Do remember to cover the address with transparent tape to prevent damage. Also put the address inside the box as a measure of precaution.

As far as possible use a printout of the address to ensure it is clear, legible and prominent.

Here are some item specific tips -

For Books -

Use bubble mailers to pack books. This will ensure proper protection while not unduely increasing its weght. Use regular USPS to ship these items which will safely go through the processing machines.

For Fragile Items like glass -

Fragile items require a lot of packaging to ensure they reach their destination safely. Remember when you shop at the local store, they wrap glass items in newspaper. So do the same when you pack for shipping. Then put a second layer of cushion around the item. Finally, put the item in a larger than the item. Choose a box that is lined with bubble wrap and filled with pieces of thermocol also called peanuts. The main aim should be to ensure that the item does not have space to rock inside the box. This should ensure that items are securely delivered.

For Perishables and Food Items -

Food items and perishables like cookies, bakery items etc. are best pack in old style canister items. It is recommended to use a fast service like overnight or express to ensure items reach the buyer fresh. If you are shipping flowers then ensure there is a moist wrapping to preserve the freshness. But if it remains wet for too long then it can rot easily.

For Clothes -

It is easy to ship clothes as one does not have to fear its breaking. However, remember you need to pack them securely to ensure they do not get soiled or crumpled. The best option is to get a large size box with some extra space. It is advisable to wrap the item in a tissue paper and put another wrap around it.

For Pictures -

Another popular item to get shipped is pictures. The crucial thing to remember is that you they do not bend. While you do not need a bubble wrap but you do need to print a message saying there are pictures inside and it should not be bent. If there are several items then you can use the bubble wrap to pack them.

For Toys -

This is another common category being shipped. The rule of thumb is to use adequate packing and wraps to ensure they do not break during shipping. Some sturdy items can be shipped using skeleton wraps which ensures that the items do not move around during shipment.

Remember the seller and buyers are miles away. There is no way for the buyer to check out the condition of the goods before making a deal. Business is being conducted on mutual trust. So continue to make deals on ebay and deliver goods in the right condition and become a winner!

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