Ka-Ching! You’ve just sold your items online. The money’s in the pocket — there’s not much to worry about anymore. What you wanted to do is done… and the stuff that was once yours will now go to a new owner.

All you have to do is just pack everything up and ship it out. Although it sounds simple, it’s all too easy to overlook the little things…

… what are those little things? Well, there’s a BIG difference between whether you send out a package that’s been taken good care of or you send a package that has been worn out beyond recognition.

And what about the products in it? The products an end-user will receive — hopefully, they are free of dust, grime, or anything else nasty. People like to get their packages clean and unbroken, not crushed. It’s most likely the same with you. You yourself want to receive products in good working order.

So, let’s do to others what we would do to ourselves. And pack everything like it deserves to be packed and make sure it reaches its destination in one piece.

Get Your Stuff Clean, Ready for Shipping!

Now, let’s be honest. You sold (or you’re looking to sell) your stuff because you didn’t need it anymore or you upgraded to something new and better. And the box with the ‘’old’’ things stood somewhere in the corner of the room collecting dust.

Did I get it right?

Listen, the buyer doesn’t need to know about it. It can be a secret you keep to yourself. So, sweep the dust off your items, make sure that nothing has stuck around or stained the original look. It doesn’t require much from you at all. But, a small thing like that can bring a smile to someone’s face, so it’s definitely worth it.

Send An Item In Its Original Packaging

Have you ever received a product placed in non-original packaging — perhaps some random cardboard box filled with newspaper to work as a cushion? It’s not like getting the original.

Hopefully, you have saved the box which came with the product when you bought it. That way everything you sold can be stored back in it.

Some people throw away the original packaging the moment they bring the product home. Maybe because they have no place to put it… or… it’s just useless to them.

Where it’s quite the opposite. As a matter of fact, it maintains (and sometimes increases) the value of the product over time. For instance, if you bought your stuff several years ago but kept the box this entire time — you’re in luck! You can sell it for much better money.

Wrap and Box Your Used Goods

Once the goods are on the way, they’re being transferred from one hand to the other. In other words, parcel goes on a small trip. And it’s not uncommon for it to get shaken around by a courier. That’s why you need to think about how you package everything together.

First of all, each individual item should be wrapped in a layer of bubble wrap. You probably have it tucked somewhere from other items you’ve bought. Use it! I’m sure you already know the reason why… this layer will protect your items from scratching against each other.

Who likes to receive a product that does not meet the description? No one. If in your listing you’ve described that items are good as new… buyers do not expect surprises at the time of delivery.

So, your responsibility is to deliver the product to the buyer in the condition you had it.

Delivery Choice: Self-Service or Courier?

You see, there are different ways you can deliver the product. I can think of three; either you get the package to the buyer yourself, send it from a self-service parcel terminal, or… hand your items to the courier.

Another way is to tell the buyer to collect it himself. This could be the most convenient and cost-effective way for you. You won’t have to spend your own money or time shipping the goods. And if the box is heavy, you won’t have to carry it.

Is there anything better than this?

Well, the second best thing is for the courier to come to your doorstep and collect the package. It will cost you a little bit more than other delivery methods, but at least you’ll know that box will get to its destination in one piece.

With self-service terminals, it’s very similar. Instead of a courier coming to you, you deliver the goods to the nearest self-service station. And the courier will pick up your goods from there.

However, the downside to this method is that you have to carry everything to the terminal yourself. And if that place is further away from you… you might have a problem getting there. I mean, not everyone has a car that can take them there.

But, if you have a car you have nothing to worry about — you can even deliver the goods to your buyer yourself. 

Conclusion

To sum it up, it’s better to be safe than sorry. It takes just a minute to clean and pack everything up. But in the end, the buyer will be pleasantly surprised.

And the next time you sell something maybe the buyer will be the same guy or girl. Who knows, right? The world we live in is small. In particular, if you sell niche products, something that’s of interest to a relatively small group of people.

Therefore, do everything you can to make them happy!