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Packing was never my favorite part of the whole online retail process. In fact, before I sold things online, I was one of those people who lived in mortal fear of a trip to the post office, and would procrastinate all the devilish details of completing the Herculean task of boxing, sealing, and addressing an item.
But, with time, I've come to see packing as a kind of Zen task that can actually be enjoyed. One piece of advice I read once about packing merchandise said to wrap the item like a present. So that's what I do. I take the tissue paper and tape it around the item, and use plastic bags, bubble wrap, or some combination thereof to make sure it's secure and protected.
Most of the items that I buy from online auctions I receive wrapped beautifully and professionally, as well. I think that's one way smaller sellers can differentiate themselves from the big, faceless companies that don't or can't take the time and effort to give their package that extra touch. I often receive a nice handwritten or printed card thanking me for my business, and may mention other products or the company's web site. (The last one I got even had a little tiny fabric rose affixed to it).
So it's in that spirit that we offer a piece on packing in this issue. Jen Poth has a number of great tips for securely preparing some common items for shipment. Professional packing is one more way you can make your business stand out and keep people coming back.
We also have a piece on another topic that I know many of you grapple with daily: Web site design and implementation. We focus on the site of a member of the MyEZsale community, Mark Jackering (better known as Wiseacres Art on the MyEZsale boards), who with his wife, Pamela, sells unique handcrafted items. Learn how and why they set up their site the way they did.
If you think your site or business would be a good candidate for a MyEZsale "case study," let me know! Or, if you want to write for MyEZsale (a great way to get the word out about your Web site or products), please contact me at Julia@myezsale.com. Pieces are between 500-1500 words or so, and you'll get a link to your Web site (or eBay ID, or any other contact info you prefer) at the end of the piece. Author guidelines can be found at http://myezsale.com/cab/pages/write.
Finally, we include a piece on the newly announced Yahoo Merchant Solutions, which will replace Yahoo's popular "Stores" service.
See you next issue!
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