Postage and Packaging

John

The cost of packaging for sellers can be significant. This is just some of the packaging I have to store and keep available for orders. This lot usually lasts about three months. Apart from the cost of getting the cardboard pre cut, there also costs involved in storing all of this. I can only wonder how much packaging Bruce has to keep on hand - photos please!

HONDO

Yes the mind boggles when one thinks of what amount Bruce would have stored at any time.

David

John said:

John seems to be taller than I imagined.

Bruce

We get a 24 foot truck of tubes at a time. We would have to get 5 trucks at a time to get all our cardboard, but we get one type at a time, so it is never more than one truck at a time.

I will try to get some pics, but I am kind of busy right now!

John

David said:

John said:

John seems to be taller than I imagined.

The step ladder comes in very useful!

theartofmovieposters

What's that game where you have to try and pull the bits out from the bottom, but not let the stack fall over?

Bruce

Eisenhower

Impressive John & Bruce! It's a good thing your passionate about what you do! 

HumphreyBogart

John said:

The cost of packaging for sellers can be significant. This is just some of the packaging I have to store and keep available for orders. This lot usually lasts about three months. Apart from the cost of getting the cardboard pre cut, there also costs involved in storing all of this. I can only wonder how much packaging Bruce has to keep on hand - photos please!

Crikey. The business must be going strong!

Paul

Crikey, I hope you chaps are using re-cycled materials....  looks like half a rain forest there.

Bruce

I don't recycle, because we bought some of it, and it wasn't strong enough.

But we "pre-cycle". Since we always use a brand new tube or box, and use brand new boards inside the boxes, almost every bit of it is reused by our customers when they send packages, because even after one trip it is usually better than what they use. And a lot of times those tubes or boxes make many, many trips before they are finally retired.

We put all our used cardboard in a special recycling dumpster I rent from the city, just for cardboard only. Because we get 10 to 20 packages a day, we fill it up every single week!

Back when I used to give out free books, some customers asked if they could have free boards instead!

John

The tubes I use are definitely recyclable but I don't know about the boards. I get them cut to size and they are very strong.

David

I also recycle Bruce's packaging...

theartofmovieposters

David said:

I also recycle Bruce's packaging...

Me too.

HumphreyBogart

I hate them Australia post cylinder tubes. I don't use them, they are way to soft. I received a butchered one once, posters suffered damage. I like the Gorilla proof cylinders Bruce uses, their that strong you could use it as a baseball bat to knock someone out lol! 

David

HumphreyBogart said:

I hate them Australia post cylinder tubes. I don't use them, they are way to soft. I received a butchered one once, posters suffered damage. I like the Gorilla proof cylinders Bruce uses, their that strong you could use it as a baseball bat to knock someone out lol! 

I agree. If I don't have Bruce tubes I go to PVC pipes, 3M lengths cut to length.

John

I use a combination of tubes from different suppliers. If you sell low value items on ebay, buyers virtually dictate that the cost of postage must be low. Buyers on ebay will not accept paying 50.00 postage for a 10.00 poster. I have rarely had any problems at all with Australia Post tubes. They actually strengthened them recently (you can tell by the slight weight increase).

David

Must check them out, I see the outer says 'extra tough'. What do they cost?

John

The extra tough are the largest tubes and they are fine for postage. They are long enough to be cut in half if required to send linen backed daybills, etc. I buy them in bulk but I think they cost about $5.00 each. 

The bottom line is that it is all about using what is available and setting a postage price that customers will accept. The tubes that Bruce uses are not available in Australia.

I send most packages flat these days and the cardboard I use is much stronger than anything I have seen from sellers in the US.

Bruce

One great advantage of Australian posters is that they hardly ever made any unfolded ones, so the vast majority can be sent flat.

I have never heard any complaint about any package you have sent, John, and that is a great compliment. But what kind of boards do you use that are much stronger than ours? Are they also heavier?

John

Thanks Bruce. The boards I use are triple cushion, very thick and can't be bent. They are certainly heavier but I can send a flat package with a few daybills that weighs slightly under 500g. That works OK for Australian orders. The supplier just doubled the price on them which doesn't help.

The boards you use are also very strong and I have never had any problem with all of the many orders I have placed with you.

Bruce

I see. The ones I use are double wall. I never thought to ask for triple wall! I will ask for a sample.

Thanks!

HumphreyBogart

I as collector, specifically ask sellers not to pack posters in the Australia post mailing tubes. Regardless of the packaging costs, I'm happy to pay extra for the safe arrival of goods. 

Sven

I was lucky enough to get some custom tubes made to the thickness similar to Bruces 

Might be worth asking john if they can give you a competitive price for your flats

http://www.gabbin.com.au/products.html

John

thanks Sven

Charlie

John/Bruce, just want to say that your professionalism is something to be admired...  

Eisenhower

Charlie said:

John/Bruce, just want to say that your professionalism is something to be admired...  

+1!

John

Charlie said:

John/Bruce, just want to say that your professionalism is something to be admired...  

Many thanks!

David

Here's a note to sellers, writing "Do not bend" on the bloody packaging does not make the parcel suddenly immune to bending.

Just pack the poster in such a way that is at least somewhat resistant to bending.

Fuck me.

David

Just picked up some gorilla proof tubes from a local supplier, when you weigh over 100kg, can stand on them and not crush them you know they are good. Couple of members can probably vouch for them.

Also picked up a roll of 175gsm paper, most excellent thickness, I cut the paper to be the length of the tube and don't have to pad the tube, the (ends of the) paper is no way going to damage in transit..

theartofmovieposters

Oh, that reminds me...need to finalise my order too.

We should have all ganged up and done it together!