Packing and Postage Advice.

[Daphnesmate01]

Do you run a small business from home and rely on posting things out?

Lol. I'm aware this sounds a bit like an ad but I am genuinely thinking of starting a small business from home and will (hopefully) need to post small parcels. Just wondering if anyone has any tips for keeping postage and packing costs down? Not sure what royal mail offer if anything, have just contacted them. Initially, I may only be sending between 5-20 items out each week but looking for some tips in relation to this.

Anyone?

Try people like parcel 2 go

Interested in this too! I set up an Etsy shop about two weeks before lockdown and then had to shut it down. Thinking about reopening it in September (when kids back at school fingers crossed)
The few things I did send out, I sent in boxes that I had collected for a while. I like the idea of recycling packaging especially as my business is aimed at being more eco friendly. But if I'm sending large volumes I'll need another option.
Royal Mail seems expensive and definitely costs more than I'm happy charging for delivery so other low volume options would be good.

Hello
I have a shipping agency, if you have a good volume of parcels per week, I could get you a Royal Mail High Volume account. Other carriers are available, depends on where you are sending to, some are better than others. My online platform allows you to choose the carrier, and we can link shipping to Shopify etc (saves you a lot of work) PM me with your basic details. I will tell you my company’s name when we PM.

I sell on eBay, around 10 parcels a day. I just use Royal Mail, I don't have an account or anything. It works out the cheapest for me (as majority I send can fit as a large letter just about) and the post office is very local so is convenient.

I use grey plastic postal bags I buy from eBay and bought a zebra thermal printer for labels.

Buy your packaging materials in bulk for lower prices. Cheaper postal services can often be a false economy. I use Royal Mail, always have. You can print your own labels at home through their website and some services are cheaper than the Post Office prices. There is a minimum amount (I think 1000 parcels a year) to get a business account with them.

Interesting comments so far. I have a post office right on my doorstep, so that is handy.

Thesuzle My business hasn't started yet, it is in its infancy and I suspect it might be more of a hobby but still, it would be lovely to think I might qualify for a high volume account but don't want to say this will happen at this stage. Is it a 1000 parcels to qualify? I think you would need to up and running for a year to see if you get anywhere near this amount (you would need to send out 20 parcels a week). What would you save with this option just out of a matter of interest?

Tippled Yes, I think mine might qualify for large letter, small parcel too.

Some companies are claiming free postage (and low product cost), so cost isn't wrapped up in their postage, I wonder how they do this but if they are sending out multiple parcels a day, I suspect they might have something in place like the high volume account that thesuzle mentioned.

Any particularly cheap packaging options/websites best value for money (thinking cardboard book type boxes). Agreed buying in bulk does make sense.