New seller seeking advice on posting small items the most effectively

[siorsehouse]

Hi everyone, this has probably been done to death so apologies - my searches didn't come up with exactly what I was after.

I make handmade jewellery items with all proceeds (exc postage) going to a dog rescue group I foster for. I have been selling through FB and figure I should expand into Ebay.

I recently posted some flat timber bunny earrings in a normal envelope to minimise costs. They were wrapped in bubble wrap all around. Every single pair was busted in half upon arrival. Is this because 'letters' go through a different kind of sorting machine? Could the pressure from the rollers have broken them? They seemed sturdy enough but it has been a learning experience for me for my expansion into ebay.

So I started looking at the AP site and their most recent post charges book. It seems to me that I should be able to bubble wrap and post my earrings in say their smallest mailing box, padded bags or tough bags/boxes, as long as I stay under the sizing and weight limit for large letters, and be able to post the items for $1.20 post charge.

To you experienced small item sellers would that be correct? Or as soon as you stick something in a box does it come under the parcel costs regardless of size for low weight items? But will I have the same issues with the letter machine potentially causing damage or do large letters go through a different mechanical processing system?

I'd love to ask AP staff about this but at the two post offices closest to me the staff always seem super busy and not overly interested in discussing products and postage solutions.

Thanks for any advice!

[oldworldlady]

All I can think of is CD mailers?

[fred_fred_2004]

I use a lot of 16mm boxes from ebpackaging (sp) they go as a letter and give much better protection than bubble wrap

[go-tazz]

Bubble wrap isn't solid so stuff can bend,(hence the damage).

You need something like thick cardboard as a thin box or have something like a solid dvd/cd  cover.

You can sometimes get the covers cheaply from op shops.

[digital*ghost]

From the information posted by an AP rep on these boards, large letters aren't generally put through the sorting machine unless they are in normal paper envelopes (I'm only guessing, but they have said only documents should be posted in paper envelopes). 

I use padded bags to post most jewellery, and have no issues with breakages, but in saying that there's not a lot to break on my stuff, if anything. I do sometimes use the CD mailers as suggested above, for things with more fragile components, making sure that that they are securely wrapped and with enough padding so that they can not move around inside. 

[patchoo78]

Fred.. I find the stuff in your store really intriguing 🙂

[fred_fred_2004]

Fred.. I find the stuff in your store really intriguing 🙂

Yes I spend a lot of time soldering 🙂

[***super_nova***]

If you try to get a postage quote for small packet under 2cm thick, you will be re-directed to "large letters", there is no way to get the quote in parcels.  Therefore I think it is safe to assume that "large letters" are not just for documents.

I have sent many items as letters, if they can at all be damaged I attach them to piece of cardboard with bubble wrap cover, or even put them between 2 layers of cardboard.  If that might make it too thick, I would try CD mailer.

[patchoo78]

If you try to get a postage quote for small packet under 2cm thick, you will be re-directed to "large letters", there is no way to get the quote in parcels.  Therefore I think it is safe to assume that "large letters" are not just for documents.

You are right, large letters are not just for documents, you can send a CD as a large letter. DG was talking about Letters in regular paper envelopes going through the sorting machine. Regular letters sent in paper envelopes are only supposed to contain documents as these do go through the sorter

[siorsehouse]

Thank you everyone for the advice.:-) I see cardboard AND bubble wrap will become my new best friends! I think the cd mail boxes could be my best option. Most of my stuff will fit in those. I obviously don't want one off, handmade items arriving broken or bent but given their weight I don't want myself or my customers paying more than we have to for postage.