Sending cushions and such

[Esk247]

I'm having a bit of a think about what to do when sending our cushions out to customers.

At the moment, the cushions include the cover (ofcourse) and the inner padding. The problem is, with the inner padding in we have to box them up and the boxes are coming in at around 70cm wide and 50cm high HUGE! with a delivery cost of £7.50 for nationwide delivery and the cost of the boxes is around 50p each with delivery for those on top too.

So i have a few options now. Cut out sending the inner bits and just send the cushion covers flat in a smaller box (like a pizza box size) or send the whole cushion in a bag instead of a box.

But do you think that would look really naff if you got a box through the post that had the covers in and you had to buy your own inner padding?

or would it look even worse if i sent the cushions to you in a big bag?

I want them to be gift boxed effectively, all nicely packaged and personalised. but the sheer cost of doing so is becoming prohibitive.

 

[roydmoorian]

I wonder if there is a cost effective vacuum packaging that you could use to reduce the bulk. Something similar to these - https://www.spacebag.co.uk/

 

[Lee Jones Jnr]

Some of our products come vacuum packed, that would be a good solution if the cost was within budget.

 

[roydmoorian]

In fact simply putting a cushion in a plastic bag and squashing it down so that you can heat seal the open end may suffice.

 

[deniser]

I wouldn't buy a cushion without the inside.

I wouldn't expect a cushion to be nicely packaged either; after all, I have already bought it, I am not giving it as a gift, the packaging will go straight into the recycling bin and if the cushion is nice, the absence of fancy packaging will not put me off from buying another one.

Nor is a cushion fragile; I would just stick it in a big plastic postal bag which will keep the postage costs down too to the customer's and your advantage. The size of it doesn't matter if postage is on weight?

 

[oldeagleeye]

I wouldn't leave the filling out of a luxury cushion Larry. It is a job to get big fillers and they are damned expensive.

The 'space bag solution however would prove ideal and much cheaper postage.

Try these people. Just 99p each.

http://www.theshoelounge.co.uk/Item...t 60x40cm p&caTitle=Travel vacuum Storage Bag

BTW. If you do order ask who they use for postage I think it is £4.95 Only £6.45 for anywhere in Europe.

Rob

 

[papverpoppies]

Give people the option, the inner or not - with appropriate postal costs.

The box packaging is a waste of money - I bought a duvet and other items online and they never came in a box.

High p/p puts people off.

Poppy xx

 

[Esk247]

I'll trial the vacuum packaging then.

I'll have to check that it works ok with the materials as some of the cushions use silk or velvet pattern work on the outside and i don't want it all coming loose when the package is opened.

I didn't want to send them without inner padding because then you have to turn them inside out to put the padding inside yourself, which is a bit naff if you've just spent £30 on a cushion.

May have to look at adding a £5 delivery charge on, at the moment, i include free delivery but the costs are soaring. We used to be able to deliver nationwide for around £5.50 but at £7.25 on the last box it is beginning to be a pain in the backside.

 

[deniser]

May have to look at adding a £5 delivery charge on, at the moment, i include free delivery but the costs are soaring. We used to be able to deliver nationwide for around £5.50 but at £7.25 on the last box it is beginning to be a pain in the backside.

Why can't you just send it Royal Mail 1st class recorded? I can't imagine it costing more than £3-4 to send a cushion.

Or use My Hermes at about £3 per parcel up to 5 kilos?

 

[Esk247]

Myhermes is a good shout actually. £5.25 incl VAT. Many thank yous.

I'll try them, i was using DHL or ParcelForce before.

Royal Mail website is crap, i can never find anything on that flippin thing, it just keeps showing me colourful pictures of people opening boxes.

 

[paulears]

it's not crap - 10 secs on google
http://sg.royalmail.com/portal/rm/P...r=pricingcalc&campaignid=pricefinder_redirect

 

[Esk247]

it's not crap - 10 secs on google
http://sg.royalmail.com/portal/rm/P...r=pricingcalc&campaignid=pricefinder_redirect

but that only gives prices for letters and small packets. not large boxes.

in fact, if our boxes were 10cm larger they wouldn't be taken by most parcel companies apparently as they have some sort of maximum volume thing for the parcel hubs.

 

[The Panda]

Why dont you offer both options and explain what they will get for their postage costs.
Cushion and filling in a box at X amount.
or
Cushion in a vac bag and no filling at X amount.

 

[Esk247]

Why dont you offer both options and explain what they will get for their postage costs.
Cushion and filling in a box at X amount.
or
Cushion in a vac bag and no filling at X amount.

In the essence of all things webby i'm trying to keep it nice and simple, single click ordering kind of thing with few options so people don't get confused.

I am going to have to add on additional postage costs now though, i was able to include free postage before but if the prices keep going up then i cant do that.

We have an added problem in that people can also order other products that we make from other websites (drop shipping/wholesale) and so any changes i make need to be really quick and simple for our B2B clients too.

It's a learning curve selling direct from the internet.

 

[papverpoppies]

In the essence of all things webby i'm trying to keep it nice and simple, single click ordering kind of thing with few options so people don't get confused.

I am going to have to add on additional postage costs now though, i was able to include free postage before but if the prices keep going up then i cant do that.

We have an added problem in that people can also order other products that we make from other websites (drop shipping/wholesale) and so any changes i make need to be really quick and simple for our B2B clients too.

It's a learning curve selling direct from the internet.

Many sites offer you a variation on postage though; depending on how long you are prepared to wait.

Can you not make the postage costs inclusive in the price, that way people will have NO idea how much the pp would have cost them.

If I am buying online, and the item included p/p I do not really question the total cost. If I get to the checkout; and it then tells me I need to pay xx amount for post I will sometimes cancel (I think most people have a hang up about postal costs)!

The clever trick is to not mention it, if possible.
Free p/p always make us feel we are getting a bargain.

Poppy xx

 

[Allan123]

FedEx Packalopes would be best. We use them to send Cornet/Clarinet/Flute/French Horn/Guitar padded Bags etc etc..

Depending on your weekly volume/bargaining with your rep our rates about £3.50+VAT.