| Auction supplies are clearly an expense and major | | | | good business :-)* The post office recommends |
| consideration for an eBay auction business. Of | | | | popcorn (without butter and salt, of course - is |
| course, the most critical supply is the item you | | | | that to keep us from eating it?) I like popcorn for |
| are selling, but mailing supplies are necessary for | | | | packing, but you might not want to use it to go |
| every auction and their cost and supply must be | | | | on safari because little critters might like it, too.* |
| figured into your overhead. If they are not, you | | | | Cut up cardboard can be very effective as |
| might get a nasty surprise when you sit down to | | | | packing material, but it is mighty tough to chop |
| figure out your eBay profits at the end of the | | | | up.* Padded envelopes are a popular choice, |
| week.The most basic supply is, of course, a box. | | | | because they are so simple - just insert the |
| Obviously packing begins with a box - but not just | | | | whatever and mail. But, of course, they aren't |
| any old box. A shipping-type box is necessary | | | | cheap. Whenever you receive anything in one of |
| because if you use a shoe box or some other | | | | these envelopes, save them! (Are you thinking |
| flimsy box, you can be certain your package will | | | | about all the envelopes you've thrown away?)* |
| be a disaster! Your customer will be quite peeved | | | | Bubble wrap is the preferred favorite. It cushions |
| when her item arrives in pieces!You will become a | | | | objects so well (and it's such fun to pop the |
| box-fanatic, like the rest of us. When you swoop | | | | bubbles!) Of course, it costs more than the the |
| into a store or home, with joy in your voice, the | | | | other materials, so always look for bargains on |
| proprietor will foolishly assume that it is the | | | | this valuable product and save every scrap you |
| merchandise you are exclaiming over! We're just | | | | get.And (big surprise) the best place to get bubble |
| like the kids on Christmas day - dump the toy on | | | | wrap, as well as other supplies, is on eBay. Today, |
| the floor and play with the box! In other words, | | | | for instance, I find 700 feet of 12" wrap for |
| drooling over boxes is an occupational hazard.Be | | | | $34.50.By contrast, only 25 feet of 12 bubble |
| aware that lots of merchants have boxes that | | | | wrap at Staples is $4.98 That means that 700 |
| you can have for free. You might become a | | | | feet at Staples would cost $139.44. Whew ... quite |
| scavenger at stores like WalMart, Linens & Things | | | | a saving.Other necessary auction supplies include |
| or Bed, Bath and Beyond. They have hundreds of | | | | mailing tape, regular tape, scissors, labels and an |
| boxes every week, and will often give them | | | | easily legible marker.I wrap everything in plastic |
| away to anyone who wants them.If you are | | | | bags, just for safety's sake, so you might want |
| shipping really fragile items, two boxes are safest. | | | | some of those handy, too. One of my packages |
| The outer box should be a couple of inches larger | | | | arrived damp and with the corner shredded |
| than the inner one, to allow extra padding.Padding | | | | (wonder where that box had been?) But, since I |
| for your packages: do you always need padding? | | | | had wrapped the books and tapes in plastic, they |
| Well ... yes and no. I have sent a few tough books | | | | were unharmed and the buyer was so |
| without padding. But sending grandma's dishes | | | | appreciative.Another precaution you might |
| unprotected is a recipe for disaster!What kind of | | | | consider is to include an extra label inside the |
| padding do you use?* Newspaper is my padding | | | | package, just in case. You don't want your |
| of choice, because it is cheap and readily available. | | | | inventory sitting around one of those dead mail |
| However, be careful because the ink can rub off | | | | offices.Auction supplies are like everything else in |
| on some objects and detract from their beauty. | | | | our eBay business that raises overhead: we must |
| Wrap these kinds of items in plastic. Some auction | | | | use wisdom and judgment so we can keep those |
| users buy shredders and use the strips of paper | | | | expenses at bare minimum.Sydney Johnston, the |
| as packaging.* I hate those plastic peanuts, | | | | AUCTION QUEEN, was one of the original sellers |
| personally, but lots of people swear by them. | | | | on eBay and has been selling on eBay since the |
| They are an environmental disaster and the static | | | | winter of 1996. She is the originator and teacher |
| electricity is terrible. Electronics manufacturers say | | | | of the famous Auction Genius Course, a powerful |
| to never pack computer and other kinds of | | | | 16 hour multi media seminar on the Internet that |
| equipment with peanuts, just because of the | | | | teaches her students how to sell on ebay. |
| electric problem. Electrocuting your customers isn't | | | | |