Packaging

[UK2004]

Does anyone know of a guide by book or online guide to packaging, with my new business I need to send things of different sizes and jiffy bags are fine for most things but will need boxes, confused about whether to use polystyrene crisps, or bublewrap inside, wandered if anyone ever done a guide about most effective forms of packaging to protect goods inside. Anyone experienced with sending stuff out and wants to help would be grateful!

[Nigelsl]

Try www.dssmith-packaging.com who are the experts, but only supply B2B and qtys could be an issue or Macfarlane (can't remember their website address) but also sell all types of packaging but in smaller amounts.

Sometimes clever packaging can eliminate the need for 'stuffing' the box with those annoying polystyrene crisps and reduce the cost.

Nigel

[UK2004]

I'm buying in quantities of 500 jiffy bags and boxes, shoudl that be enough?

[Nigelsl]

Should be, give them a try, they are a friendly bunch.

[UK2004]

Just checked the site is it mostly product packaging and stuff, I'm looking for tips about things like sending speakers ina box and making sure they arrive undamaged.

[clairemackaness]

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/In-a-Jiffy_W0QQssPageNameZstrkQ3amefsQ3amesstQQtZkm

Might be of use to you, I buy my jiffy bags and postal sacks from him and he is a fantastic eBay seller. If you contact him he can do larger numbers.

Afraid I cant help on the guidance side though

[UK2004]

Thanks for the link Claire, he doesn't seem to have the size I use unfortunately, I've got Jiffy Airkraft bags 500 of them but need original jiffy paddeds as well and more boxes, I used a place called www.1north.co.uk but viking direct seeem cheaper, I'm going to order more form them but dunno whether to use chips or bubble wrap or that padded air bag stuff thats also doing the rounds, is stressing me out don't want customers getting damaged packaging some of these products have nice packaging im quite impressed with it!

[clairemackaness]

You could always order a similar product from a company that offers a return if your not happy with it. That way you could see how they package it! Just a suggestion.

Glen has many more sizes available, just send him an e-mail (question to seller)

[UK2004]

Hehe crumbs that's crafty but good idea, I will have to do that, it's very good idea, can see how good their labelling is too then and how prompt their service is.

Thanks for that, that's officially best advice I've had on this forum, im impressed.

[i'm_not_a_farmer!]

Hi UK2004

Funnily enough I was looking for exactly the same thing today and found this link quite useful

http://www.royalmail.com:80/portal/rm/content1?mediaId=400251&catId=400044

I know its the royal mail but they seem to have covered most bases

John

[UK2004]

Good man thanks for that link, I think once following the guidelines I'll have to experiment with different things, will order from some competitors see how they approach packaging.

[Whistle Ink]

http://www.city-link.co.uk/packaging/advice.php

Theres some advice here too. With sending speakers I'm guessing it would have to packed compactly - no room for too much movement maybe bubble wrap and those blown up bag things?

:D

[boro97]

www.bluebags.co.uk

[SillyJokes]

www.aid-pack.co.uk

if you use a lot of royal mail special delviery they provide the special delivery bags, ditto couriers like city link.

They don't provide boxes and fill though.

I'm in love with air filled bags but you have to be doing a lot of parcels to make it work out. Flopak is quite expensive and the corn puff ones even more so.

You have to try and use a fill which is cost effective but not so heavy that it puts cost on your postage charges. Bubble wrap is dear.

My favourite is to try an recycle every last polystyrene chip an inflated bag that comes into the warehouse from suppliers. This is good for the environment too.

[UK2004]

Have emailed aid pack see what they advise.

Who do you use for sending heavy stuff, we have some heavy produts that will be over 5kg in weight so probably going to use City Link so far they have been very disorganised in ringing em to dset up the account.

[Robert]

Another vote for aid-pack here.

I use scrunched up brown paper to pack out boxes. I really try to make the boxes as small as possible though, even down to cutting them smaller if necessary.

[UK2004]

Hi Nigel,

What products are you sending?