When I sell one of my ceramic pieces, it's usually on my Etsy site, so it's most often just one item at a time. I also sell and ship to galleries, but I won't cover that topic unless requested.
Shipping Supplies:
Padding Materials:
In my packing/shipping room, I have all my products listed on Etsy on shelves. And I keep a reasonable number of various boxes in the room, along with padding (mostly bubble wrap) and packing peanuts. Living in Washington State, I am required to use only cornstarch "peanuts," which I really don't like for many reasons, but I do understand that they're very low impact on the environment. But when I can get them, I take the regular styro peanuts given to me from stores in my vicinity and mix with the cornstarch ones.
Boxes, bubble wrap, and peanuts orders:
A huge expense!! Unfortunately, I almost never use used boxes, but I know many people do. Sometimes, when it's possible, I use unmarked boxes that I receive purchases in, including the boxes my raw clay is packaged in (I actually think customers like these boxes. Maybe a part of the mystique of being a clay artist?
Box Sizes:
It's really, really important to have an adequate supply of all packing materials at all times, depending on your sales volume. And you never want to have too many boxes, too; I can tell you that! Just the right amount.
Almost all my pieces are different in size, but I have figured out the minimum number of box sizes that I have to keep on hand. If you're lucky enough to live near a shipping supply business, it's worth it to drive to their warehouse to pick up your order. I'm not so lucky, and sometimes my shipping prices are higher than the boxes I buy. (I use ULine, whether I like it or not) But for some of my smaller boxes (10x8x6, 8x7x6), I even buy them on Amazon, which saves me a ton in shipping costs. These can be used only for my smallest pieces, though, and they definitely aren't as strong as the ones I get from the commercial shipping supplier.
The bubblewrap I use is around 1" in diameter and 1/2" high, mostly medium weight, but I usually buy one roll of heavier weight as well. Never buy the light weight for ceramics, in my opinion.
I covered the peanuts I use up above already.
Packing Tape:
I do buy this on Amazon usually in 12-roll packages. I have multiple tape dispensers, all from ULine, I think, that I've had for many years, so they're worth the cost, I guess.
Also, when I can get my hands on it, I like to use styro sheets of various sizes and thicknesses. I have often gotten these from galleries or shops who give me their packing materials from stock that they receive. And I use that stiff, kind of crumpled-up brown paper that often comes in Amazon packages. It's sometimes a good filler so that I can save a bit on the peanuts. But I never, ever use it alone.
Business Cards: I think they're necessary, and I put one into each package, with a short personalized thank-you note on the back. I just make my own on Corel and my printer, using a good quality photo paper.
I think that's about it on actual shipping supplies.
In the next post I'll talk about how I actually package my pieces (and I almost never, ever have a broken piece, by the way, "knock on wood!")
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