Shipping Station Inspiration!

[Former_Member]

Hi Team,

We all know that shipping really ramps up during the holiday season and one of the best ways the beat the rush is to have a 'ship shape' shipping station! So what's your setup? Help inspire your fellow Etsy sellers by sharing your shipping/streamlining tips.

We also encourage you to add photos of your shipping stations to our Flikr page:
http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/etsyshippingstationinspiration/photos/albums

Feel free to also post photos of your awesome packaging but please refrain from posting product photos.

We are so excited to see how you ship!
Shannon

[FenderGemsNCrystals]

No pictures of my messy office but here is what I do. From my right arm reach of my chair I have a board with hooks. Hanging from those hooks are tape, scissors, and cloth grocery bags. Each bag has a different size poly bubble bag or boxes. On the right side of my desk are business cards and the plastic jewelry baggies. Within reach on my left is the printer.

Directly behind my chair is shelving with my active inventory.

So when an order comes in I get up and gather the items and the wrapping and labeling can all be done from my chair.

Finished packages go into a large cloth bag hanging on the door knob. I hook that bag onto my mailbox at mailing time.

My biggest recommendation is to always give full attention to the paying customer. As soon as I get an order I gather and package. It may seem inefficient but it has two advantages. First I can't tell you how pleased a customer is to get the shipping notification almost instantly. Second it makes it almost impossible to package the wrong item which can happen when packing multiple orders.

[Former_Member]

My setup is really quite simple.

I've got one large table in what used to be the dining room where all my shipping is done. I've put table cutting mat over it to try to protect the finish.

Behind the table I have an assortment of different sized shipping envelopes as well as the cello bags for internal packaging. I also have a good supply of Priority boxes and envelopes available.

I like to print my packing slips as the orders come in during the day so I'll print first thing in the morning, at noon and again just after dinner. That way all the email acknowledgements are sent out as soon as possible after the purchase is made.

Sometime around 10:00pm I'll start writing thank you notes and printing shipping labels. At this time I'll make the arrangements for the USPS pickup for the following day.

Then its off to the shipping area where each order is pulled, items have the appropriate tags affixed to them and the orders are packaged.

I'll pull all of the 'like' items at once but I double check each order.

Once everything is packaged up the packages are all set by the door. That way if its being picked up by the USPS carrier they are all ready to go. Or if its my partner who is doing the mail run, he doesn't have to look for packages.

During my busiest time its not unusual for me to have 30 -40 packages going out each day so I have to be organized!

[CardsbyJeweleighaB]

I have a drawer with some of my stash of envelopes already with an address label and business card. One drawer above is a drawer with different mini thank you cards ready to pop in.

That's as organized as it gets for me!

[MorgaineLeFay]

I have a drawer in my desk devoted to the "trimmings", the little things that make my packaging unique: tissue paper, scotch tape, labels, stickers and stamps.

Next drawer down, card stock for thank you cards and in a box by my desk the padded envelopes in which I mail my creations. Packaging up my orders is one of my favorite things to do so I like to have everything close by, ready and waiting.

[TreeCraftDiary]

I put all of my shipping supplies inside a drawer. There are my brand label printed pillow packaging, felts to wrap the item, ribbons, bubble wraps, stickers, thank you cards, name cards, envelopes, etc.

I love wrapping!

This is my pillow packaging picture (hope it's not against the rules here):
https://img1.etsystatic.com/021/0/6815751/il_fullxfull.494480265_gu5t.jpg?ref=l2

[Former_Member]

I store all my items in a long rectangular tupperware type of box so I know where it is at all times. I also store all my mailing items in a larger tupperware box, that way I keep organized!

[PiecesOfMePaperCraft]

My shipping center is a shoe box that I keep under my computer desk. It holds my business cards, coupons, ribbon, ziploc bags and shipping envelopes. My items for sale are also kept nearby in craft storage containers under my coffee table (my items are small and flat!).

[heathercashart]

I have SO much shipping stuff right now, it's all stuffed in my office closet and falling out when I open the door! When I move into my new studio though, in a month, I definitely plan to have a real organized shipping station. I'm excited to see what others are doing!

[Former_Member]

I have a small table set up with my items in the order I'll use them (care instructions, tissue, tape, stickers, envelopes, etc.) I start on one end of the table and progress to the end. That way there's no wasted steps.

[Former_Member]

I'm inspired by actually being able to read the threads from my fav team!

[SantaFeKiss]

After reading this great thread I am curious what kind of "thank you" cards you guys are using?

[CardsbyJeweleighaB]

I use my own mini cards. I try to tailor the card to the item purchased in terms of style, colour, etc. I make them 2.5 x 2.5 so they're not so large that the space is hard to fill up;)

[PiecesOfMePaperCraft]

I have thank you cards that I printed myself that include a discount code for a future purchase. I tuck that and a business card into one of my handmade envelopes. I also recently started including a small, shop-related gift in the package.

[Former_Member]

Great thread. I realized that I do not have a designated shipping area. Top priority. I think I will make a couple of fabric baskets that I can hang in the hallway so everything is in one spot. My place is very small so I will have to make a place to wrap everything unless I do it at work.

I have a dog and all my items are fabric. It is imperative that I use a lint brush on each item to be certain a stray dog hair is not mailed with their item. I have never received a complaint nor do I want to.

[LeNidDeFleurs]

Ok so I keep everything in one room... I have a stash of boxes next to some wrapping paper, then in a box above them I keep tape and scissor, then on my desk where I place everything once I've grabbed it, my thank you cards and customs forms... everything is within a couple of steps of each other :-)

[SantaFeKiss]

How do you make your mini thank you cards? I on think maybe using blank business cards and printing on them? Any ideas would be appreciated.

[CurlicueCreations]

Thanks for all the great tips and inspiration. My shipping station is currently just a cabinet in my desk where I jam in all my envelopes, tape, and postage scale. I need to work on that!

[Former_Member]

We have a dresser next to photo table and wrap on the top of it, comfortable level. In the first drawer is tissue paper, scissors, tape. On the floor in a bag we have boxes and envelopes. In second drawer are business cards and wrapping. In third drawer is the cat.....either sleeping or attacking the strings hanging down from ribbon, tape, clothing items, etc. :)

[Former_Member]

Amy, that's what we do. Insert our business card and a thank you note on back!

[Former_Member]

I keep my raffia , postage bags and tissue paper in my sideboard and in a drawer, i have sellotape, scissors, my sharpie and customs labels for non-EU shipping. On my sewing table i have business cards and labels which i include with each item.

[SilverLilyJewelry]

I barely have space to make jewelry in my dining room/studio + sewing room so I keep all my shipping /packaging in a basket together so I just have to grab the basket when shipping parcel out.

[Former_Member]

So, although I am working on getting more organized, here a couple things.

I do have all of the bubble and regular kraft envelopes, and bubble wrap in my office. Print shipping labels from PP whenever possible- in office.

I have my stash of many boxes in the basement, recycled from various places, so I hardly ever have to buy a box.

I agree with the person who said send them a "thanks for the order" notification ASAP after the order.
For thank-yous, I get tags and little cards from several other shops I frequent on etsy. I also buy cards from the dollar area at Joann's and Michael's - they are very nice cards, and usually 6 in a package for $1-1.50.
Good impressions!

I use little cello bags of various sizes to place my cards and small items, and seal them with washi tape. Every little layer of packaging says that you care!
I also have a 1/2 page little notice from my shop, saying thanks again, please come back, here's a coupon code, and how to leave a review.

Hope this helps someone else!

[PookieandJack]

We have a closet by the garage door, I keep a plastic bin with business cards, tags and labels that I put on each package, all the necessities like tape, pens, etc. Also keep ribbon, plastic bags, and soap samples I include in the packages in the closet, need to be organized with the small space I have!
I buy blank Thank You notes at Hobby Lobby to include.

[LovesYouCrafts]

I have a little basket on top of one of my sets of drawers that has a few of everything I need to package and ship my items: envelopes, tissue paper, ribbon, freebie/thank you packs, stickers, and pens. I also have a small set up at our computer desk with my mailing labels and shipping scale. As I get busier I'll have to optimize a bit more, but for now it works!

I love reading about everyone else's areas!