packaging, posting cosmetics?

[licoricebabyandfabmama]

Hey guys,   I have a few brand new concealers I want to throw up on ebay,    the concealers themselves are  the size of a felt tip pen about 10mm in width,  but the boxes they come in take the dimensions to about 25mm.  So of course i could post them cheaply with stamps or put them in a sachel and the buyer would have to pay around 6.60 or something in postage.        Is it common practice to just take some things out of the box to ship them.   Im sure if the buyer knew they were paying 6 bux in postage otherwise they wouldnt care if it came out of the box;  however I dont want to send something without its box for fear that  it now is no longer a brand new item,  and of course buyers who dont understand about postage rates may wonder about the box.      I havent bought cosmetics online for a while now so i cant remember how they came packaged.

Any ideas?

[digital*ghost]

If it's a stick concealer, it should be quite obvious at a glance whether it has been used before or not so I wouldn't have too many qualms about listing them without the packaging. If they're liquid it makes it a bit harder.

If they're actual boxes, not blister packs or anything, I would compromise and remove the concealer, flatten the box, and ship together that way, with a very big, clear note at the top of the listing explaining why. That way anyone wanted to have the box (eg if ingredients, batch number or other important info is on it), will still physically get one.

[the-kazbar]

I have been listing like this 310419936307 for many different products over the years and have never had anyone question it

[the3coopers]

Kazbar, that listing is completely broken for me - the listing description never loads.

[the3coopers]

the concealers themselves are  the size of a felt tip pen about 10mm in width,  but the boxes they come in take the dimensions to about 25mm.  

...

Any ideas?

The obvious solution is to supply the concealer AND the box, but pack them separately, by removing the concealer and flattening the box.

That's the way that I do things to get under the 20mm limit.

BTW - a trick to sending something like a pen. Get some polystyrene (white) foam the same thickness as the item (eg: 10mm). Cut a rectangle of the foam, then cut a slot in the rectangle that is large enough for the item.

Now sandwich the foam between 2 sheets of cardboard, and tape it all up into a little "packet".

=======================

| foam |  ITEM IN HERE  | foam |

=======================

Now flatten the original box, and put it in a large plastic bag, folded over. Tape the bag closed then tape the bag alongside the little foam packet you just made.

[i-once-was-bump]

If the concealers are clearly marked with the brand and colour I personally wouldn't need the box as a buyer, however if it is one of the brands that get copied then the box should go with the item just so you can prove to the buyer they are genuine.

I never read the ingredients on the box or the product but if they are only on the box then you would have to send the box with the item.

Also depending on the brand maybe you should scan the box or photocopy it so that if anything comes up in the future you will have some proof of what you sold and sent.

I'm not sure but I think the brand that has all the fakes is MAC or a similar name.

[kayedonproducts]

Kazbar, that listing is completely broken for me - the listing description never loads.

Works for me.

I remove a lot of items from packaging if it can be posted cheaper.  Many of my items can be sent as large letters.  I could get away with some (not on this ID) at 60c but I never do after one item arrived DOA a few years ago after being eaten by Aust Post machine.

One of my daughters visited a Mail Centre when doing a Secretarial Course and told us about all the items that were on the conveyer belt after being caught in the machine.

Like the idea re polystyrene - thanks!!!

[animecat2]

I'd be cautious with not sending the box if that is how the item is displayed in the listing  to avoid a claim for an items not as described.

Could you collapse the box and send it with the items ?

Just be very carefull how you send cosmetic as letter rate items .

The AP sorting machines used may very well chew up the packaging