In My Studio: Packaging



Lovely packaged set of cards from Cynla Cards and Design

During the holiday season I was lucky enough to get out to a few craft fairs. Looking around at the merchandise on offer I noticed some really interesting ways that vendors had packaged their wares. One company used wooden thread spools on which to wind bracelets and wooden rulers to hang necklaces. These beautifully and uniquely packaged items were by far more appealing to me as a customer and got me thinking about the ways I too could package my products more successfully. By spending a little more time and money on the end product could have a big difference in profits at the end of the day.

Great packaging can:

1. Get your products 'noticed' in a sea of vendors at a craft fair or in the Etsy search pages.
2. Increase the perceived value of your products, enabling you to increase your profits
3. Be informative- giving the customer info about the product and your company for potential future orders.
4. Make your line of products more cohesive
5. Elevate your brand and make it memorable

Great packaging boxes from The Pudgy Rabbit

In order to achieve this the packaging should:

1. Be thought of as an integral part of the product and not just an afterthought.
2. It should reflect or complement your brand, your ethos and your style
3. Be easily replicated for future items
4. Affordable
5. Not too time consuming
6. As green as possible

Some different ideas for creating your own unique, eye catching and memorable packaging could include making your own stamps or block prints, printed materials, stickers, fabric bags and ribbons or even including a small 'freebie' with your product.

I posted on this blog a little while ago a tutorial to make your own fabric labels. This technique could be applied to making your own packaging ribbon and labels. Click this link to access the tutorial.

My own SO Handmade fabric labels

Taking all of the above into account I set about packaging some play mats I had just made.  I used leftover scraps of fabrics I had to make them and then added some printed labels. I also used vintage buttons to finish the effect.

I was very happy with the result and think they look really effective. I hope to add the same pizzazz to the rest of my collection in the future.



Lego/ small toy play mat from SO Handmade

Good luck and Good Making!

Good things come in small packages!

Sarah Omura - SO Handmade

Getting a Handle on Shipping Supplies

My methods for packing, shipping and tracking inventory has evolved in the 12 years I've been selling online. I put care into packing and shipping my orders, I want buyers to feel like they're receiving a gift when the mail arrives, but it's a time consuming task requiring organization and precision. Below are five of my favorite supplies and services I use to streamline tedious task of getting my orders packed up and shipped out.

Dymo Label Printer

This was a fairly big purchase since it's a bit of a luxury item, but I'm so glad I made the investment. It saves me ink toner, paper and time. The only ongoing cost is for blank labels, which you can buy from Amazon ($13.99 for 220 labels). Why do I love this label maker so much? I can print my Etsy order labels directly from my Etsy dashboard and immediately stick it on the padded envelope. No more cutting out the paper and taping it down. I also use the printer for Ebay and Yerdle labels.

EcoEnclose

I love EcoEnclose! Made in the USA, they provide recyclable, biodegradable and compostable packing materials - and all of there products are designed to encourage re-use before being recycled. One of my favorite products include the 100% Recycled Poly Mailer, which are made from 100% recycled content and have a dual adhesive strip, which allows reuse prior to being recycled. I also use the 100% Recycled Flap & Seal Bags  - now I have way less guilt when I place my products in a plastic bag and then place it inside a poly padded envelope. There customer service is also really great.

Uline

Sometimes I don't have time to go the eco-friendly route and I just need boxes, and I need them tomorrow because I didn't plan ahead. Uline will arrive next day, prices are great, and they have everything under the sun when it comes to shipping supplies. The cons? You have to buy in bulk (requires storage) and they have very few options for those of us looking to reduce our carbon footprint.

Storage

photo MarthaStewart.com

I'm constantly trying to perfect the ultimate storage solutions for everything in my small house. Shipping supplies tend to take up a lot of storage space and they're not necessarily things you want on display (although you can find lots of pretty solutions on Pinterest). But mostly you just don't want to be wasting time hunting down your packing tape and scissors. 

I've found that the simplest way to organize is to have "shipping & handling only" supplies and to keep those all in one basket or shelf. I have tape, scissors, cards that can only be used for shipping - no stealing those scissors to open a bag of frozen corn. I keep one shelf above my desk stocked with envelopes and one drawer filled with my poly bags and hang tags. If I buy in bulk I keep most of it in my attic and just fill my shelves/drawers when I run low.

Do you have any tips for making an office run more efficiently? Please share, we'd love to hear them!

Ryan from WickedMint

Packaging : Part I - INSPIRATION

If you're a frequent Etsy shopper I'm sure you've received purchases that arrived in packages almost too pretty to throw away.    Since most Etsy sellers almost never meet their customers in person, the way you package and ship your products says something about your shop - make sure you're saying something amazing!

Providing nicely packaged orders will help make your shop appear professional, promote repeat business for your shop, and increase the value appearance of your products.

In this weekly 3-part series we will look at examples of nicely packaged orders, discuss how to evaluate your own packaging, and provide resources for packaging materials.

Packaging Inspiration from HVNY Sellers

How you package your items will depend on what you have to deliver, but don't be afraid to get creative with supplies and use this as an opportunity to show off your brand.

Below you'll see examples of using promotional post cards, pin-back buttons and stickers to customize otherwise standard packaging supplies.  We also show a few examples of how to present jewelry using traditional jewelry boxes and others using less conventional containers. 

Wicked Mint

Tickled Pink Knits

Sweet Olive Jewelry

Anjali Creations

Esthera Guirre

Tink's Treasure

Charms of Faith

Next week we'll discuss how to evaluate your current packaging situation and think about ways to make it even better.

Have you made any Etsy purchases and been thrilled with the presentation?  We'd love to hear your stories and ideas.