Post and Packaging

[Chris152]

I just sold a bowl on Folksy, my first! I need to post it to an address in the UK. It's 38cm x 4.5cm. I'm thinking to cut a 40cm square of 6mm ply to place the rim onto, then to tightly wrap with bubble wrap + packing tape, then brown paper.

Is that a good idea, or is there a better way?

And does anyone know off the top of their head who's best to use for delivery (cost and reliability)?

Any advice appreciated. Thanks

Chris

 

[Steve Maskery]

Congratulations on your sale!
But
P&P is not FREE, whatever listings say, it's built into the price. So you should know what those costs are before you decide sell at any given price.
If you are selling for several hundred pounds the P&P is trivial. But if the P&P is, say, 50% of the price of the sale, then it is a different matter.
The low-cost couriers are people like Hermes. They have a mixed reputation. When it works it is great, when it doesn't...
FWIW I've recently bought a tub of adhesive online and 6 days later it is still "in transit", not even out for delivery. UPS. Not very happy.

 

[CHJ]

The Ply is going to up the freight costs considerably, a slab of polystyrene would be more practical.
I always put in carboard box with bubble wrap/styrene beans packing.

Remember the package will be thrown about by some individual along its travels.

 

[Chris152]

Thanks Steve. Obviously this is just the first of many sales ( ) so I decided when I listed to just go with £5 P&P as that's about what others were charging. If I lose out a bit on this one I'm not too concerned as I see it as part of learning. And for sure, I'd rather pay/ charge a bit more and go with someone reliable than have problems or complaints.

 

[Chris152]

The Ply is going to up the freight costs considerably, a slab of polystyrene would be more practical.
I always put in carboard box with bubble wrap/styrene beans packing.

Remember the package will be thrown about by some individual along its travels.

A slab of polystyrene's a great idea - and a lot easier to cut to size, too. Thanks Chas.

 

[sawdust1]

I use "parcel 2 go" for larger stuff or "Royal Mail" for smaller stuff.
On parcel 2 go i always use Parcelforce 24Hr before 12 , i don't know why but this is cheaper than
the 2 day service by 50p.

 

[MJP]

as CHJ said:
"Remember the package will be thrown about by some individual along its travels."

- in one of my former lives I had occasion to visit a courier depot every morning and saw what went on.

As a result of this, my packaging is intended to survive a drop from the hands of a courier standing in the back of a lorry onto a concrete floor - a drop of some ten feet or so.

If you don't pack to this standard, sooner or later you'll be sorry.

Martin.

 

[Chris152]

That's what got me to thinking about ply to support/ protect the rim. Hmmm...

I use "parcel 2 go" for larger stuff or "Royal Mail" for smaller stuff.
On parcel 2 go i always use Parcelforce 24Hr before 12 , i don't know why but this is cheaper than
the 2 day service by 50p.

I checked and Royal Mail do a 2nd class, signed-for service, up to 2 kg and medium dimensions and £50 cover for £5.95, or £100 cover for £7.62. Seems ok and for whatever reason I trust them, more or less.

 

[transatlantic]

I believe some people use the shavings as packaging material. It's a bit wanky, but it's free and probably works quite well. You'd have to be careful that they don't scratch the piece though.

 

[Tasky]

DPD aren't the absolute cheapest, but still pretty good (DPD Local is about £8) and I find they give the best service in terms of reliability, tracking features, making sure it goes to the right person, etc etc. Good phone app, good service and usually go several extra miles to help out.

 

[thetyreman]

DPD local are diabolical, I've had huge problems with them in the past, they completey destroyed 2 of my parcels, literally obliverated, this was only last year, and it ruined my christmas/new year, I wouldn't trust them with anything.

 

[Tasky]

DPD local are diabolical, I've had huge problems with them in the past, they completey destroyed 2 of my parcels, literally obliverated, this was only last year, and it ruined my christmas/new year, I wouldn't trust them with anything.

Sounds more like our Hermes lot.
Might depend on locality?

 

[Chris152]

Thanks all - in the end I went with Royal Mail, feel relatively confident it'll be ok. In case it's actually a good idea, thought I'd share this in case it helps anyone else - pipe lagging to protect the rim of the bowl.

Cheers
C