Monday, October 13, 2008

Extras... Packaging... Choices...

I go around in circles all the time about packaging up orders for my beads. Should I include an extra bead or two? What about fancy boxes, ribbons, gifts, thank you cards?

There are days when I feel fortunate to have had the presence of mind to put the item(s) in a little jewelry box and put in all the necessary padding and packing slip. Oh, and get it in the mail!! Occasionally I have something I can toss in the box to say thank you. I have no idea what I could have on hand to include on a regular basis! (and where did I put that box of ribbon... hmmm...)

When I order something, I generally expect the item or items I ordered. Nothing else. Is it nice to get a goodie or two? I'm on the fence about it. I love free things. But sometimes it leaves me wondering and a little uncomfortable. Am I paying for the extras in the long run? The exceptions are when I order something from someone I know, or someone from whom I've ordered before. In those cases, there is a presumption of familiarity, perhaps even friendship.

What do you think?

7 comments:

Maggie said...

I have gotten extras from bead sellers, and occasionally from others, but I don't really expect them.

For people who sell supplies like beads, it is sometimes a good promo- I have returned to a seller because I wanted more of the beads she put in my little free bag.

:-) MaryLou said...

I don't ever expect extras, but they're fun to receive. Almost all the sellers from whom I've purchased have included a little something extra.

As for me, I always include extras in my packages. I have a whole box that I keep filled with tags, stickers, cards, etc., that are made just for that purpose. Sometimes the tags are experiments that I'll never list in my shop; sometimes they're examples of ones I have listed. I've had a few customers come back to my shop to order because they liked the special tag so much they wanted an entire set of them!

Because my extras are tags or cards, I usually include from 3-6 of them in each package.
:-)

Live, Love, Laugh, Write! said...

I know I never expect it - but it's always a nice thrill when I get a little some extra :) I don't usually include anything extra in my orders - largely because I don't have the money and I don't know what I'd include with my jewelry as an extra!

Orion Designs said...

Jael - this is a subject I've spent (too) much time thinking about. When I order something, I expect to receive the item and nothing else.

Soap sellers often include a small sampler bar. Supply sellers often include extra supplies. These extras are fine with me. Just don't send me stuff (items unrelated to my original purchase) that will end up in the garbage anyway.

For those of us that sell more expensive items, freebies are difficult and I choose NOT to include them. I package the item so that it is suitable for gift giving and include a hand written thank-you note.

Vicki

CastoCreations said...

I *love* getting extras and I also love giving extras. The problem I have is that if I send an extra once do I have to continue sending extras from that point on? What if I don't want to send the same extra and don't have anything else to send? Will they be disappointed?

Thankfully I got a bunch of pens made up and people can generally use more than one pen. lol

Caroline said...

I don't expect extras, but I have to admit when I get them they put an extra smile on my face.

Have you thought about requesting promo items from other sellers that you could include. I haven't done this myself yet as I don't have high volumes of sales, but I think other people do this.

I actually just sent some promo items to an etsy seller.

I do include a little extra something in my sold items, be it a gift tag, bookmark or something else, but its normally small, and doesn't increase the shipping costs.

I recently received an order which had in it a thank you card (business card sized) that had flower seeds in it, you plant the whole card. I thought that was rather neat, so neat in fact that I ordered some of them myself from recycledideas on etsy.

(gosh sorry, this turned into along comment)

hyperboLEE said...

It's nice to get extras but I don't EVER expect them and am always pleasantly surprised when I get them. Since I only make earrings, obviously I don't ever GIVE them -- what would I give? :-)

To go one step further -- sometimes I wish sellers would NOT send extras. If I only get one of something, then it's useless to me since earrings come in pairs, and honestly I'm not likely to go back to that person's site to get another one.