by James Kanata

Created on: July 29, 2010

With competition on eBay getting stronger all the time, sellers are always looking for simple and effective ways to boost their sales and establish a good reputation. One of the fundamental keys to strong positive feedback is not just the item sold or the service given, but also the way the item is packaged. First impressions are often everything, and a poorly packaged item not only risks damage but also suggests a certain lack of courtesy on the part of the seller. A well packed item might be the difference between a smooth, easy transaction and having to deal with the hassle of an unhappy buyer.

With eBay being so popular, there has been an explosion in the amount of ready made packing materials available. Ready made boxes, bubble wrap, air pockets and lined packing envelopes are all readily available from online retailers, stationary stores or even supermarkets. These items have the advantage of making the whole business of properly packing an item much simpler. Unfortunately, they can be rather expensive. Even when bulk buying, packaging for a small item may well run up to nearly £1 per item. For those selling high ticket items, this is a drop in the ocean and the benefit outweighs the cost. Yet for the majority of sellers working on smaller margins the question is how to minimize the cost of materials while still providing sturdy packaging. Fortunately there are a lot of ways that this can be done.

Firstly, the collection of suitable materials is paramount. For fragile or bulky items, it is important to start collecting and storing any boxes that seem suitable. They don't necessarily need to be corrugated cardboard either, so for some items even cardboard food packaging is useful. Consider the type and size of box you may require. After all, there's no benefit in being awash with lots of unsuitable boxes! For pictures or paintings, longer, thinner and rigid boxes are best. For consumer electronics, rigidity is less important than internal packaging. Its quite possible to collect enough boxes at no cost at all. If you find yourself with a shortage, local supermarkets sometimes will give away empty cardboard packaging if you ask nicely.

Other items worth collecting are materials for internal packaging. A lot of goods now come with bubble wrap or Styrofoam which is certainly worth keeping. Items bought from Amazon or similar sometimes also come with plastic air pockets, and these are very useful for light electronics. Newspaper is also a valuable resource.

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