Best packaging labels/Shipping advice

[em_england17]

Hi there,

I have a new small business and just getting into shipping my products and have a couple questions:
1. Is a thermal label printer worth it? If so, what kind? If not, what else do you do?
2. How do you package your soap to ship safely? Especially wholesale - do you still wrap each one individually?
3. Best and cost friendly places to get shipping supplies, I’m specifically looking for cute boxes that aren’t going to break the bank.
4. How do you handle shipping products that could melt? I sell whipped sugar scrub but don’t know how to keep them from melting when being shipped.

I appreciate any advice even if it doesn’t answer these specific questions. Thanks!!

 

[MelissaG]

Welcome.

1. Depends where you live. I live in Louisiana so I wouldn't. The heat and humidity would erase all the info in minutes of exposure.
2. I'm not currently doing wholesale so I can't help with this. I know alot of people have it as their bread and butter but I don't like giving up power over my product.
3. I make my own boxes with my cricut but I'm still small enough to do that. 4. If it's going anywhere hot, I suggest including ice packs in the shipping container that will last at least three days. I also suggest using an emulsifier in sugar scrubs and body butters to help them last longer against the heat.

 

[Maple_Street_Bath]

1. Is a thermal label printer worth it? If so, what kind? If not, what else do you do?
2. How do you package your soap to ship safely? Especially wholesale - do you still wrap each one individually?
3. Best and cost friendly places to get shipping supplies, I’m specifically looking for cute boxes that aren’t going to break the bank.
4. How do you handle shipping products that could melt? I sell whipped sugar scrub but don’t know how to keep them from melting when being shipped.

1. Unless you're doing a lot of orders every day, no it's not worth it. Buy 6x4 shipping labels and use your printer. I use Pirate Ship for my shipping, it has the option to print on a 6x4 label.
2. My soaps are either shrinkwrapped (bar) or wrapped with a coffee filter (round). I don't worry about the round soaps. The shrinkwrapped bars get wrapped in a half sheet of tissue paper (which is folded in half, fold in the long sides, and wrapped over the soap, secure with a thank you sticker - I will write the fragrance on the sticker if customer orders several bars). I've only done small wholesale orders for shipping (18 bars), those I pack in the box tightly with air cushions on all sides.
3. I use USPS boxes/envelopes (free) for shipping most of the time. Some small orders are cheaper to ship in a 9x11 padded envelope, or a plastic bag envelope with bubble wrap. Large orders that are bigger than USPS boxes I usually repurpose a box from something I've ordered.
4. I ship products, including sugar scrubs, year round. I've never had complaints about product being melted. This summer I shipped two conditioner bars during a 100°F heatwave and they arrived to the customer fine.

It's good to ask questions, but being a small business it's better to not overthink it. Setup a process using what you have and follow it. You'll figure out what you don't know and what you want to improve as you go. Keep in mind most of the packing vids you see on YT with fancy boxes etc are businesses that sell out every month 100's of soaps and products. If you're not selling that big, don't force yourself into that mindset and stress yourself out.

 

[em_england17]

1. Unless you're doing a lot of orders every day, no it's not worth it. Buy 6x4 shipping labels and use your printer. I use Pirate Ship for my shipping, it has the option to print on a 6x4 label.
2. My soaps are either shrinkwrapped (bar) or wrapped with a coffee filter (round). I don't worry about the round soaps. The shrinkwrapped bars get wrapped in a half sheet of tissue paper (which is folded in half, fold in the long sides, and wrapped over the soap, secure with a thank you sticker - I will write the fragrance on the sticker if customer orders several bars). I've only done small wholesale orders for shipping (18 bars), those I pack in the box tightly with air cushions on all sides.
3. I use USPS boxes/envelopes (free) for shipping most of the time. Some small orders are cheaper to ship in a 9x11 padded envelope, or a plastic bag envelope with bubble wrap. Large orders that are bigger than USPS boxes I usually repurpose a box from something I've ordered.
4. I ship products, including sugar scrubs, year round. I've never had complaints about product being melted. This summer I shipped two conditioner bars during a 100°F heatwave and they arrived to the customer fine.

It's good to ask questions, but being a small business it's better to not overthink it. Setup a process using what you have and follow it. You'll figure out what you don't know and what you want to improve as you go. Keep in mind most of the packing vids you see on YT with fancy boxes etc are businesses that sell out every month 100's of soaps and products. If you're not selling that big, don't force yourself into that mindset and stress yourself out.

This is so unbelievably helpful! Thank you for taking your time to write all of this!!