Creating a great online brand goes beyond the products you are selling. Giving your customers a memorable unpacking experience is also an essential part of your brand with an eCommerce business.
Sending a beautifully packaged box will make each of your Poshmark customers feel special and provide additional value on top of the fantastic items you’re sending them.
You want them to feel just as enthusiastic about their purchase as you are about the sale. Wrapping your orders with love and care will give the item more perceived value. This will lead to great reviews and returning customers.
In this post, I will share what I learned about shipping and packing Poshmark sales, and you’re going to know precisely how vital packing is to your business. Deliver a remarkable experience to your customers so they’ll want to share it with all their friends and family.
“I love this dress! Gorgeous color that I’ve had a hard time finding. Thank you so much for the sweet note and for throwing in an unexpected pair of earrings! Perfect purchase!!” – @laurenchonlopez
Prepping the item.
Once you’ve completed the sale, you’ll want to get it out the door as soon as possible. This will keep your shipping stats up. Poshers know the items they are ordering are pre-owned, but you certainly don’t want them to look that way. It’s new to them, so you want it to feel fresh when they receive it.
Make sure it’s clean and smells that way. Triple check for stains, deodorant marks, or pit stains. Wash it if you need to but make sure you do it according to cleaning instructions. I’ve accidentally ruined items I already sold by not washing them properly. Print this out; it is beneficial.
If they are clean already, I throw them into the dryer on the de-wrinkle cycle with some dryer sheets for a few minutes to give them a freshly cleaned smell again. I’ve had customers message me to ask me what the smell was because they liked it so much.
Iron it if it needs to be ironed. Don’t send anything that looks like it has been sitting in a pile in the corner of your closet for years. Use the correct iron setting; I’ve also melted and destroyed fabrics this way.
Remove all piling. If you don’t know what piling is, those fuzzy balls appear on fabrics after some wear. Yes, I know they suck, but you can get rid of them. I typically use a razor and lint roller for removal but isn’t a shortage of other ways to destroy piling. Below are just a few.
I always find piling by the underarm and side boob area. Also, on cardigans, I find piling on the side of the hip where a crossbody bag might rub.
Invest in some good lint rollers because you will use them a lot. I’m sure your cat is super cute, but no one wants a shirt covered in Mr. Fluffies hair (or your hair, for that matter). Random hairs are gross, so lint rolls everything before you ship. If it doesn’t look like there is lint, go over it anyway.
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Think inside the box.
When I first started shipping Poshmark orders, I used to wrap them up in my local Post Office. Yes, I was that person with all my shipping supplies sprawled across the counter. I got plenty of dirty looks – it was a terrible idea.
So, I decided to start hoarding as many USPS envelopes as I could in my apartment to wrap them all up and drop them in the mailbox. Then one day, the post office guy told me I could order supplies online for free. Yes, you can order FREE boxes from USPS and deliver them to your door.
Make sure you order the correct boxes, though. You cannot use Flat Rate. I repeat, do not use Flat Rate boxes. If you do, the post office people will yell at you, and you’ll have to repackage the item. You can use them if you wrap them up in some paper so you can’t see that box, but that will cost you more money.
For most of my orders, I use these below. Now, technically I don’t think I’m supposed to use these either, but they are a perfect size for most orders. I’ve shipped out hundreds of orders in the Regional Rate boxes, and zero have gotten returned, and the post office always accepts them without question.
I sometimes use the Small Flate Rate box to ship smaller items. I cross out where it says Flat Rate on the box with a sharpie and throw it in the mailbox so the people at the post office can’t tell me I can’t use it. I’ve never had one of these boxes returned but do this at your own risk.
To order online, all you have to do is create an account here and start ordering. It usually takes about a week to receive boxes which is a long time, but they’re free, so you can’t complain.
Put a bow on it.
If you throw the order in a bag not folded nicely, it will come off as some old crappy shirt you just wanted to get rid of. So instead, put it in a nice box with some fancy wrapping- Viola! You’ll be delivering a tremendous unpackaging experience. The buyer will feel special, and they will view the item as unique.
Make sure it’s folded nicely and wrap it in some tissue paper. This adds an extra level of mystery and excitement when opening their package. Tissue paper can get pricey, so I purchase mine from a wholesale vendor in NYC. There are also online stores like Bags and Bows, Uline or Papermart that offer great deals. You can also find super cute bags and boxes for shipping jewelry.
Try some fun tape or stickers to close up your wrapping. There are so many different options to complement your packing colors. I’ve even found stationery sets in the thrift store for $1.
A small gift is a nice touch that will increase the overall experience for your Posher. I go to a wholesale jewelry store in NYC and purchase 500 bangle bracelets for $5. I’ll give each order under $50 six bangles in a small chevron paper bag. For orders over $50, I provide a pair of stud earrings that I also buy in bulk.
Giving a gift isn’t necessary, but a handwritten thank you note is. Including a custom, the note provides a personal touch that lets buyers know who you are. It may be difficult to scale when you are shipping many orders a day, but that would be a good problem to have ;).
I love selling on Poshmark, but I would love to grow my blog. So I just printed some promotional business cards offering 15% off the next purchase if they subscribe to my email list. It is a very inexpensive way to promote your brand and closet.
Creating an excellent experience for Poshers who buy from your closet leaves them wanting to share their experience with their friends and family. This will help build your brand to be the competitive edge your business needs to get repeat business and attract new customers.
And remember, The Posher who bought a $7 tee shirt from you should get the same love and care as the person who purchased a $100 bundle of goodies. Your Poshmark customers should feel special, so it’s essential to create a memorable experience.
Happy Poshing!
Laura
