Did you know that there are many different shipping tools available to you as reseller? And some of them are even free?? When it comes to shipping items as a reseller, there are many different methods and supplies that you can use to ship your items. Each reseller has their own preferences when it comes to shipping. No method is better than another; They are just different. Today, I thought that I would share with you some of the items that I use along with other options that are available to you.
When it comes to shipping, my number one priority is to make sure that my items are delivered to my buyers unharmed. As much as I would love to have pretty packages all of the time, that just isn’t realistic. This is especially true when I am shipping an item that has potential to be damaged along its’ shipping route. I would rather an item be safe than pretty. Additionally, when it comes to packaging supplies, I like to consider both environmental and financial impacts.
Shipping Supplies that I Use
My shipping method and supplies have changed over the years. Many of these changes were due to cost and also shipping mistakes that I have made that have resulted in returns. Below I am going to share the links for the items that I am currently using in my business when it comes to shipping. These are items that I use day-to-day and help my business to run smoothly. To see what items I like to have on hand, check out the top photo.
My Favorite Reselling Shipping Items:
Why I Prefer These Shipping Supplies
Different Size USPS Boxes- First and foremost, all priority mail boxes are available for free through USPS. Who doesn’t love free shipping supplies. These boxes are great for my orders on various platforms such as Poshmark, Mercari, Kidizen, and Tradesy. There are times, however, when you cannot use these boxes. When I am paying for shipping on Mercari, unless the item is being sent out by priority mail, I am unable to use USPS boxes. Instead, I will head on over to Walmart and pick up their boxes which are extremely inexpensive compared to other retailers.
Kitchen Scale and Measuring Tape- I have a kitchen scale and measuring tape on hand for when I am shipping out orders on Mercari. I offer my buyers free shipping and use PirateShip to create shipping labels. When using PirateShip, you need to measure both the size of your package and the weight. In order to make this process easier, I always have a scale and measuring tape on hand.
Different Size Poly Mailers- When it comes to sending out items, I prefer to use poly mailers over boxes when I can. USPS does offer a priority mail mailer for free which I will also use. In general, poly mailers are lightweight cost-effective, and weatherproof which makes them a great option for shipping. I have a few different sizes that I like to keep on hand in order to minimize waste and ensure that my item fits appropriately.
*Note: If you choose to send out your items in poly mailers, please note that it may not be the most eco-friendly option. There are a few things that you can do to minimize its’ impact on the environment. A few of these options include: (1) using the correct size mailer to limit excess waste, (2) recycling poly mailers by either reusing them or dropping them off at a recycling facility that accepts plastic bags, and (3) purchasing poly mailers made of biodegradable materials.
Scissors- When printing out shipping labels, I use my computer printer and print out my labels on computer paper. As a result, I need to cut them out in order to remove the excess paper and add them to the package.
Shipping Tape Dispenser- For the longest time, I did not use a tape dispenser. Now that I have one, I have no clue why I waited so long to get one. I like to use shipping tape in order to assemble and secure shipping boxes and also to seal the back of poly mailers. Over the years, I have had packages arrive damaged due to elements beyond my control. I find that any extra level of protection is worth doing, especially if it is something as simple as an extra piece of tape.
Shipping Label Envelopes- This is a new item that I recently added to my shipping process. Previously, I was securing shipping labels with packaging tape. Although it did secure the label, I was using a lot of tape to do so. I, instead decided to try out shipping label envelopes that I found on Amazon recently and I really like use them so far.
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