Polybags - general discussion

[ISO8T0]

Now we know where those elves sets are going. They are helping the raven sweat shop. ;-)

[Jackson]

 

Sold 942 polybags and 400 mixels the last 60 days so it does seem to help with buyer confidence on buying them.

 

 

 

Were a lot of those sales to repeat buyers?

[legodelorean]

Yes the box does add weight and cost.  I stated it costs more above.  I disagree it is overkill when it brings back repeat customers and also can bring a higher sale price to the item.

 

Sold 942 polybags and 400 mixels the last 60 days so it does seem to help with buyer confidence on buying them.

 

Didn't say there was a right or wrong way, just the way I do it.

 

As a buyer myself I've seen the quality that polybags are sent to me and if you don't think that leaves an impression in your buyers head than you might want to order some and see what they look like when they get to you and figure if that is something you would want to receive.  They don't look they way you sent them most of the time.  

 

With little margins on most polys I'd rather ship it right the first time and not have to resend a $10 polybag and wipe out a few sales profit in the process.

 

I know 90%+ probably ship them in mailers and will continue to do so.  Was just throwing some reasons in there why it can help.

Good post.

[justafrog]

I make sure my margins are high enough that I can afford to use boxes or bubble mailers.  I order in bulk from U-line. Proper packaging is a cost of business.  I have recieved and returned crushed items in polybags and have had the seller respond "I've shipped dozens like this and never had a problem."  What is a person thinking when they put a fragile box in a poly mailer...that they are making an extra buck or two...that the USPS is responsible to take good care of a poorly packaged item.  If  I sell something that is boxed...I ship it in a box...with padding.  I am past the point of being "greedy" by compromising quality shipping.  If i cannot afford to ship it properly...I don't sell it.

 

 

I didn't see anyone suggest shipping a boxed item in a bubble mailer. We're talking about polybags and minifigures. And it's not dozens of experiences in my case, it's upwards of 700 packages last year (minifigures and parts packed in a similar manner, in poly mailers). Not to mention the many thousands of packages shipped by other BrickLink and eBay sellers in the same way -- poly bags for safely shipping UNBOXED Lego is a normal, accepted, safe practice.

 

Yes, proper packaging is a cost of doing business. The concept that only a box can properly protect a minifig or a polybag or most types of loose LEGO parts is and has been proven incorrect by a lot of sellers. If a box is a seller's preference, that's fine. But to say that it's safer than a mailer is simply wrong. Zero damaged is zero damaged, any way you want to do the math.

[jay4e]

I wouldn't want to just drop them in a padded mailer, but the following method works very well for us - over 400 figures shipped last year, no damage. We use a similar method for most of our parts shipments, another several hundred shipments last year, no damage.

 

1. We use plastic/poly bubble mailers, not paper bubble mailers. The USPS has a far better track record shredding paper mailers and losing their contents, poly is much harder for them.

 

2. We use a single sheet (12" by 12") of 3/8 bubble wrap to protect the fig from everything up to nuclear war (or the USPS) AND to add a lot of thickness to the mailer so it won't begin to fit through the machined mail-slot and will instead be treated by the machines as a package. We roll the fig up (it's in its own small zip lock 4 mil bag) in the sheet of bubble wrap, and then fold over the ends of the long roll in both directions, like a "z" shape, and run a length of tape around the whole thing. We end up with about a 3 inch thick densely padded fist-sized impenetrable block, which then goes in the bubble mailer. It can be thrown, punched, submerged, sat on, and have heavy boxes stacked on it, all without detriment.

 

 

interesting, im wondering if a small tyvek envelope would work even better.  the poly bubble mailers are stronger than paper, but not as strong as the tyvek.  Not sure you can find the tyvek in bulk that small though.

 

i have not had any issues selling mixels in a padded poly (#0 if memory servers).  but will say the mixel bags them selves are much stronger than regular poly bags.

[Phi1316]

Hi all,

 

So I just got into investing and have a few minifigures I want to try and part out from the sets in hopes of making some good sells.  How does everyone go about parting these out and repacking them?  Do you guys just use ziplock bags or what?  I tried some searches and couldn't yield what I was looking for.

 

Thanks for any help!

 

-phi1316

[holleman67]

Hi all,

So I just got into investing and have a few minifigures I want to try and part out from the sets in hopes of making some good sells. How does everyone go about parting these out and repacking them? Do you guys just use ziplock bags or what? I tried some searches and couldn't yield what I was looking for.

Thanks for any help!

-phi1316

Bead bags for the figures and any associated items that go with them.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00AFRWKRO/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1423418139&sr=8-1&keywords=bead+bags&pi=AC_SY200_QL40&dpPl=1&dpID=314CiYTS76L&ref=plSrch

Then place them in a bubble mailer for shipping.

I believe this was covered at some point in the thread. Read back from the start. This thread has some good knowledge that will help you from making the mistakes we already have made.

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[Phi1316]

Bead bags for the figures and any associated items that go with them.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00AFRWKRO/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1423418139&sr=8-1&keywords=bead+bags&pi=AC_SY200_QL40&dpPl=1&dpID=314CiYTS76L&ref=plSrch

Then place them in a bubble mailer for shipping.

I believe this was covered at some point in the thread. Read back from the start. This thread has some good knowledge that will help you from making the mistakes we already have made.

Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Brickpicker mobile app

 

Thanks for your help!  I'll read back through the post.

[Yinchuan]

Hi, I typically do my due dilligence prior to asking an already covered topic, but am rushed on this one and your help is much appreciated...

Recently I finished an auction for some lego minifigures and mailed them out in a 000 sized bubble mailer. I don't believe I saw the option for tracking available...I still got a positive feedback but one comment pointed this out to me.

I feel that I want to track every item I send, but can these be added on at the automated kiosks other than choosing priority mail which massively increases the cost of shipping?

I want to list more of these really soon, but don't want to risk negative feedback.

[Robb]

What is "massively". What are you paying now? For what? And what will priority cost? It should be $1.93 in my experience.

[justapilgrim]

Under 13oz first class package is your friend

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[Yinchuan]

Under 13oz first class package is your friend

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Brickpicker mobile app

So from the kiosk rather than envelope I would choose mail a package instead of a large envelope?

[Yinchuan]

What is "massively". What are you paying now? For what? And what will priority cost? It should be $1.93 in my experience.

This would include tracking?

[wsuskee]

What is "massively". What are you paying now? For what? And what will priority cost? It should be $1.93 in my experience.

That price is for first class package rate.  Priority would be more like $4 and up.  They dont offer tracking on first class letter rate but first class package is just fine.  It should be no more than $2 to ship with tracking.

[wsuskee]

yes $1.93 with tracking.  Either large envelope or package should allow tracking just letters they dont add tracking.

Edited February 9, 2015 by wsuskee

[Yinchuan]

Okay, I will give it a go. I ordered my weigh scale today and plan to start printing up my postage from home instead, but in the meantime I would like to avoid post office lines and just uss the kiosk of possible. The other issue is those tracking stickers are so damn big!

[lazuli16]

Maybe I'm missing something (I am assuming you are talking about a auction on eBay), but can't you print the label through eBay and skip the post office?  My wife sells on eBay and she always prints the labels at home and drops them off at the post office.

[marcandre]

Ebay gives a discount too. I shipped a few 4 oz bubble envelopes today, $2.09 each with tracking. Ebay sends the tracking number right to the buyer so it's easy. 

 

You need to buy a shipping scale before selling a single lego. 

[Yinchuan]

Ebay gives a discount too. I shipped a few 4 oz bubble envelopes today, $2.09 each with tracking. Ebay sends the tracking number right to the buyer so it's easy.

You need to buy a shipping scale before selling a single lego.

Scale has been ordered????. It's the ink in the printer that is holding up the show!

Any idea the template of the label paper?

[Yinchuan]

Scale has been ordered. the ink in the printer that is holding up the show!

Any idea the template of the label paper?

[Yinchuan]

I went to USPS and it looks like $2.32 for base shipping plus $1.05 for tracking. That seems higher than what I am hearing here.

[marcandre]

Scale has been ordered????. It's the ink in the printer that is holding up the show!

Any idea the template of the label paper?

 

I just use plain paper and tape over it with clear shipping tape. 

[holleman67]

I went to USPS and it looks like $2.32 for base shipping plus $1.05 for tracking. That seems higher than what I am hearing here.

Most people are basing their costs Off of shipping the package with online postage. Minifigures in #000 envelope should be 3oz or under abd $1.93 with tracking when done online through eBay or PayPal shipping.

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[Yinchuan]

Good stuff. Thank you to all. I am going to try ebay print on plain paper with next sale and see how it goes.

[justapilgrim]

With small things like minifigures you should have been doing this all along.

Next you will realize you need to order bulk bubble mailers

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