Packing Glassware for Shippping

How do you pack glassware when shipping to a customer?  Here’s a basic checklist for you:

1.  Pack all glass with padding which will hold up on its own against breakage even BEFORE it is boxed.

2. Use plenty of TAPE to keep the padding material from slipping off the glass; use tape to hold multiple items together, so that they don't shift.

3. Often I pack a box inside of another box—it gives added stability Pack the boxes SNUGLY, with at least 3 inches of shock absorbing material around the inner packet. Corners are especially vulnerable to crushing, so pay particular attention to them.

One historic note: EAPG, Early American Pattern Glass, was originally packed by the manufacturer in straw in wooden barrels for shipment. So keep a mental picture of glass in straw in wooden barrels whenever you pack.

Buy it Now - Make an Offer

I am continually amazed (but at the same time, pleased…) that people will buy an item on eBay for my full asking price when it also has a link where they can make an offer and possibly get it for less than the listed price. 

It happened again today….I had a book on tying fishing flies listed at $17.59.  I also added a “make an offer” link.  When you list an item that way eBay gives you the option of stipulating a bottom line for offers.  In this case, my bottom line was $10.  The buyer didn’t even make me an offer…I’m not complaining—just commenting! 

So, if you are shopping on eBay and see that “make an offer” option, go ahead and try!  You will probably get a good deal….Although once I was buying some electronic equipment for hubby and the seller had his bottom line at just one penny under the asking price—I think he was just using the make an offer to attract more viewers. And, while we’re talking about it, keep in mind that you can only make 3 offers for an item per day (if your offer is less than the seller’s bottom line, and you keep raising your offer, but never make it to his cut-off point, eBay will stop you after 3 tries).

It Sold!

Lately I’ve been doing well with mugs….Do you remember the Starbucks mug I talked about earlier this month?  It sold last night!  Woo Hoo!  A gentleman in Colorado bought it—and he paid my full asking price for it!  (another Woo Hoo!) 

It was such a pretty piece—I just have to show it again….

And, on top of it all, I only paid 50¢ for it at Goodwill!  Look around your local thrift stores for unique mugs--they're usually quite inexpensive, and the best ones will bring you extra bucks!

Get it done before dinner!

Today’s To-Dos

Get packages ready for postman

Take pictures for eBay

List 10 items

Call Jim

Groceries

Organize bookshelves

Ok, six items ought to be enough…and that last one is a long-term project.  I’m able to sit at the computer all day today (as long as nothing else comes up!) so I ought to be able to get some pictures taken and some items listed.  I always say I’m going to list 10 items—it’s like a goal to reach and when I consistently list 10 items a day, I’ll raise the number to 15. 

It Sold The Same Day I Listed It!

I was given a Mrs. Santa outfit to sell….so I thought it would be OK to list right now at a Buy It Now (with a best offer option).  It’s 3 months until Christmas, right?  My theory is that something ought to sit in the store for a while to gather some attention before selling. 

So much for theories—the dress sold the same day I listed it!  It makes me wonder if I priced it too low?  I can’t complain—the outfit was “given” to me, so anything I made is gravy…but still, that little nagging voice in my head keeps telling me I should have started it at $25 instead of $20….or may-be I should have put it into auction format to see how high it would have gone. 

I had daughter Chelsea model the dress—it looks so much better on a real person than just laid out flat.  Chelsea insisted that I not put her head in the picture (I wasn’t going to anyway….).  Pictures of clothing always look better on a person or a mannequin so the customer can get a good idea of how it fits.   

So, may-be I’d better get more Christmas items out….Thanksgiving is not even here yet!  But, if people are looking for Christmas items, I’d better get them out so they can be seen!  Are you getting your Christmas items listed?

No Postal Service Tomorrow

I have a couple of packages to set out for the postman in the morning.  Then I remembered tomorrow is Columbus Day (Monday observance) and couldn’t remember if the Post Office worked it or not. 

I finally found a list of holidays that the Post Office gets off!  Previously I’d looked and didn’t find it.  I have it book marked now so I can find it next year!  You can find the list here. 

Friday, January 1 - New Year's Day

Monday, January 18 - Martin Luther King Jr's Birthday

Monday, February 15 - Washington's Birthday (President's Day)

Monday, May 31 - Memorial Day

Monday, July 5 - Independence Day

Monday, September 6 - Labor Day

Monday, October 11 - Columbus Day

Thursday, November 11 - Veterans Day

Thursday, November 25 - Thanksgiving Day

Saturday, December 25 - Christmas Day

Saturday, January 1, 2011 - New Year's Day

Best Moments in Teaching

I heard my favorite words from students again yesterday. 

I was teaching basic Facebook and was giving an example of how to wish a friend Happy Birthday.  I always like to add a few well-placed music notes as if I’m singing (believe me, you don’t want to actually hear me sing!). 

As the students watched me key in the notes, they all asked, “How’d you do that?”  So we had a quick lesson on ASCII code and what it could do.  After showing them how to make notes, a heart, a cent sign, and more, a couple of them said, “Wow! That by itself is worth the price of admission!”  The others all agreed and I momentarily basked in the warm glow of admiration…..then it was back to reality…

Funny, that was the exact same thing some students in a basic word processing class said last year when I taught them how to make a new folder on their desktop…I love teaching; sure wish I’d started it long ago!