Former_Member
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Packaging items for customers

I am going to be doing my first fair in a month and I am trying to prepare. I have some large jewelry organizers and some smaller ones that I will be selling. I am wondering how to package them up for buyers. I was thinking of buying large gift bags but I know that expense will add up fast. Any suggestions?
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Former_Member
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Re: Packaging items for customers

What are the jewelry organizers made of? How large is large? How small is small? How much do these organizers sell for? How much is the cost of the gift bags you're looking at?

Gift bags should be cheaper than buying boxes. You have to provide some method for the customers that buy your organizers to transport them.

Check out PaperMart. They have a wide variety of gift bags available on their site, reasonably priced. We buy organza bags from them for our soaps & skin care products. The one's that I've been getting for our soaps cost me about .15 cents each, pretty cheap in the overall scheme of things. I take a bunch with me & typically just give them away to customers when they purchase our soap bars.
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Re: Packaging items for customers

I second the idea for Papermart. If you items are all a similar size you can buy a bundle of one size bags & they come in small bundles, like 25, I think. You don't have to buy a boxload - although they are cheaper that way if you have a lot of product. I but plain white bags and put a sticker with my logo - or you can have a stamp made with your logo - cheaper than having bags printed.
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RomaMiaTradingCo
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Re: Packaging items for customers

I bought gift bags from AC Moore for real cheap (I had coupons), because I was in a pinch needing them for a show that was coming up.

But for the long haul. . .

Paper mart looks really cheap. I'm going to order from there when I start doing more shows. I like the idea of having the white bags with a logo stamped on it. I did buy a stamper a while back with my logo (and email I think? its been a while since i used it).
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Former_Member
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Re: Packaging items for customers

Yeah, I second all the suggestions above. I bought plain white T-shirt bags and a colored sharpie. I write the name of my company on the bags and that works for me. You can also buy labels and print them yourself on your own computer. Cheaper than having them printed up. Avery has a template that is so easy to use, even I can use it. You just make up the label you want and print them, put them on the bags and voila! You're done.

You might also consider doing like a "lunch bag" that you can purchase in any grocery store or WalMart of KMart... places like that. Lunch bags come in brown or white, so buy white ones and print stickers. I wouldn't sell jewelry without putting it into some sort of a bag, so if you don't want to buy bags yet, just get the snack size bags and put the piece in those. Again, you can put your name on them with a Sharpie if you want to. Then put the baggie inside the paper sack and voila! Again, you're not spending much money and you have your name out there on two different pieces. It looks fine until you can afford to buy the personal stuff, and you'll look like more of a professional.

It's hard when you're starting, I know. You don't have much money for the little things that make your shop better, yet you have to have something. So think outside the box and make your own stuff for now. Buy plain and embellish, or buy a small amount.

And have fun at your first fair. Good for you that you're planning ahead. That's a really good thing!! Bet you'll do well.
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Former_Member
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Re: Packaging items for customers

Oh wow, Papermart is way cheaper than the other site I was looking at AND they are literally a couple blocks away from me! So I can pick up my order instead of paying to ship it! THANK YOU for mentioning them! I'm super excited now. :D
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Re: Packaging items for customers

I love Papermart and Nashville Wraps.
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Former_Member
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Re: Packaging items for customers

We use the twisted handle shopping bags that are heavy duty enough for pottery and comfortable for the customer to hold and carry about. We stamp the outside with a simple Thank You stamp and include business cards and other promotional information with each piece purchased.

If any of our pieces are too large or bulky for a bag, we wrap it in craft paper, tape it, and wrap a sturdy craft string around the piece a few times so it won't slip off to form a makeshift handle for ease in carrying the piece.
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Former_Member
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Re: Packaging items for customers

Since this is your first show, you might think about if it's worth buying packaging. I used recycled plastic grocery bags for several of my first shows, and that worked just fine. Just be sure that your contact information is either on your product, or an included business card etc. Just be sure the bag/box is functional and protects the item from damage. As you do more shows and have more revenue to play with you can consider making a packaging purchase then. Many Blessings!
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Re: Packaging items for customers

I would wrap in kraft paper or tissue, and put it in a plastic bag. A branded sticker would be a nice touch, but not entirely necessary. You can get them pretty cheap from Vistaprint.
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