Bananas - Your Source of eBay Packing Materials!

This is the most boring stage of the process and subsequently where some eBay sellers let themselves down. If the buyer receives thier purchase poorly packed and broken then they are not going to be happy and will want a refund and more importantly never buy off you again which will have negated all the hard work that you put into the previous stages of your professional auction listing.

Packing is not difficult but if you get carried away then it will impact greatly on your profit, all items fall into two categories:

Envelope Packages - always use padded envelopes as these will protect your items properly

and

Box Packages - always use a sturdy box and ideally wrap the item in bubble wrap

As I mentioned packaging costs can impact on your profit, however, if you carefully work out what is required when you are calculating the shipping charge then this cost is covered by the customer as they pay the shipping charge. This doesn't mean use the first supplier of packaging that you can find as the shipping charge will have an effect on the listing and the customers perception of you, the customer assumes that the shipping charge relates only to the postage cost and not to the packaging costs so when they see that they paid more than the actual cost of postage they assume that you are ripping them off and this will ruin anyone's professional image.

There are numerous suppliers of packaging available, with some very good suppliers available on eBay itself. However there are other alternatives, your items do not have to go out in box's that are plain or covered in your logo (if you have one). Customers will not mind as long as thier item arrives in one piece.

My advice would be to become a recycler, when you visit the store keep a look out for boxes that you can use to pack your items and also for packaging materials to secure the item with within the box. The stores are more than willing to let you take these(always ask first) as they only throw them away or recycle them themselves.

I am going to let you in on a big secret, there is a great source of FREE BUBBLE WRAP that anyone can get access to. All it takes is one word :

BANANA'S

Banana's are the single biggest selling fruit in superstores and every box of them comes packed with a sheet of bubble wrap within to protect the delicate fruit. All you do is ask your local produce department manager in your local store to save it for you and hey presto instant FREE packaging. Do not worry about the banana smell tainting the bubble wrap as the bananas are removed from the packaging before they are ripe (the stage they start to smell) as the stores like to ensure a customer life of the product and as such sell them just as they are ripening. Trust me, try it and see.

When you are packing the item, always put a thank you note in to ensure that the customer knows you are grateful for thier purchase and this will also raise your image within their mind. Always use a good strong tape on the box and ensure all flaps are taped down and that no one can gain entry to the box without cutting the tape. When you are putting the customers address on the box I would recommend that you type it out on the PC, firstly it looks more professional and also not everyone can read your writing and this will only cause delays in the mail.

It is also advisable to always get proof of postage from the mail or better still send it recorded, this acts in two ways... it provides a means of tracking the delivery so that you know the customer received it (helps against fraudulent 'not received' claims) and it also provides a insurance cover against loss and damage. The relative costs are minor compared to the piece of mind it gives you and the customer.

The next stage is to develop this after sales one stage further.. please read want money for nothing?

Visit ebay information central to use the FREE resources to develop your online business.

Treasury Yield Is 3 Basis Points From One-Week High Before Debt Auctions Bloomberg Treasury yields were three basis points from the most in a week on speculation investors will demand higher rates at $72 billion of note and bond sales that begin tomorrow, following a stronger-than-expected jobs report. The difference between rates on ... and more »

Bloomberg

Vadim's Ferrari 250 GT Sells for $5. BusinessWeek The silver 250 California GT LWB, dating from 1959, was among 80 cars offered by the Paris auction house Artcurial. The event was timed to coincide with Retromobile, France's biggest commercial show devoted to classic vehicles, at the Porte de ... Vadim's Ferrari 250 GT Sells for $5.8 Million in Paris AuctionBloomberg all 4 news articles »

Ivory Coast's Cocoa Auctions Put Futures Market on Edge Wall Street Journal Last week, Ivory Coast, the source of more than one-third of the world's supply, launched a series of auctions to sell a portion of its 2012-13 crop, part of the eight-month-old government's plan to overhaul the industry and ensure a floor price for ... and more »

The Guardian

Tom Brady Game Jersey Sells for Thousands at Super Bowl Auction Patch.com The 2011 game jersey was purchased at The Super Bowl XLVI Live Auction in Indianapolis on Saturday, tripling the item's presale estimated value, Hunt Auctions reports. Brady wore the jersey during the Oct. 16 game against the Dallas Cowboys. Tom Brady Jersey Auctions For $46KWRTV Indianapolis Tom Brady Jersey Sells For $46K At Auction Before Super BowlHuffington Post Super Bowl 2012 Buzz:Indianapolis Star WLKY Louisville all 531 news articles »

Treasury Auctions Set for This Week New York Times The Treasury's schedule of financing this week includes Monday's regular weekly auction of new three- and six-month bills and an auction of four-week bills on Tuesday. At the close of the New York cash market on Friday, the rate on the outstanding ...

CAPS auction brings record haul Salina.com By CHRIS HUNTER As the bids poured in from the crowd on a Bud Light speaker at the 23rd Annual Celebrity Benefit Auction for Child Advocacy & Parenting Services, Dr. Merle "Boo" Hodges was hoping to get a crack at the speaker if it stayed lower than ... and more »

Hindustan Times

IPL auction: Jadeja takes the cake with a cherry on top Hindustan Times IPL Chairman Rajeev Shukla (L) with owner of Mumbai Indians Nita Ambani and Kolkata Knight Riders owner Shah Rukh Khan at a press conference after auction of the players for IPL-5, in Bangalore. Like the past Indian Premier League auctions, ... 10 big facts about the IPL 5 auctionNDTV IPL 5 auction held; 800+ crore spent: Tournament from April 4isikkim Older players take a backseat at the 5th IPL auctionBusiness Today Times of India -TruthDive -Deepika all 379 news articles »

Atlanta Shakespeare Company Auctions ROMEO & JULIET Table Broadway World ASC is holding an e-bay auction for a front-and-center table for two for their special Valentine's performance of Romeo and Juliet. The auction will be for the performance on Tuesday February 14, 2012. The winner of the auction will also receive two ... and more »

Hindustan Times

Sahara pullout dulls IPL auction proceedings Times of India BANGALORE: A series of phone calls, e-mail exchanges and personal interactions on the eve of the Indian Premier League (IPL) player auctions took a nasty turn at 2 am on Saturday morning. That was the moment Sahara Pune Warriors became convinced BCCI ... Double blow for BCCI: Sahara ends sponsorship, quits IPLBusiness Standard Franchises perturbed by Sahara pulloutESPNcricinfo.com Shock before IPL auctions, Sahara dumps Pune, Team IndiaHindustan Times TruthDive -Bangalore Mirror all 470 news articles »

Spectrum Dinosaurs at the FCC Wall Street Journal AT&T Randall Stephenson (left) and FCC's Julius Genachowski agree on need for broadband spectrum auctions—but not on much more. Mr. Stephenson added, "Growth cannot continue without more spectrum being cleared and brought to market. and more »