Packaging Materials on a Budget for Resellers

Packaging costs eat into margins faster than most new resellers realize. That $0.50 poly mailer, $0.30 worth of tape, and $0.20 label add up to a dollar per shipment—multiply by hundreds of sales per year and you're looking at real money. The good news is you can stock a professional shipping station without overspending if you know where to source supplies and what actually matters.

The Essential Supplies Every Reseller Needs

Start with the basics and expand as your volume grows. You don't need a warehouse full of supplies to ship professionally—you need the right supplies in the right quantities.

Poly Mailers

For clothing and soft goods, poly mailers are the standard. They're lightweight (keeping shipping costs down), waterproof, and look professional. The 10x13 inch size fits most t-shirts, jeans, and light sweaters. Larger 14.5x19 inch mailers handle coats, dresses, and bulkier items.

Quality matters. Cheap 1.5 mil mailers tear easily in sorting machines and look flimsy. Look for 2.5 mil thickness minimum—brands like Spartan Industrial and UPAKNSHIP are reliable. A 100-pack of quality 10x13 mailers runs $17-22 on Amazon, working out to about $0.18-0.22 per mailer.

Boxes

For hard goods, shoes, and fragile items, you need boxes. Buying boxes on Amazon or from Uline gets expensive fast. The budget-conscious approach: reuse boxes from your own Amazon orders, ask local retailers for their recycling, and save every decent box that comes your way.

When you do buy boxes, get variety packs or focus on the sizes you use most. For shoes, 14x10x5" works for most sneakers and boots. For small hard goods, 8x6x4" handles many items. Aviditi and Pratt Industries are decent mid-range options on Amazon.

Tape

Clear packing tape for boxes, and you're done. Skip the fancy branded tape unless you're building a brand where presentation is a major differentiator. A 6-pack of 2" wide tape with dispensers runs about $15 and lasts months for moderate sellers.

Bubble Wrap and Padding

For fragile items, bubble wrap is essential. Small bubble (3/16") works for most needs. Large bubble (1/2") provides more cushion for seriously fragile items. A 175-foot roll of small bubble runs $15-20 and goes a long way.

Alternatives include air pillows (save these from your own deliveries), packing paper (cheap and recyclable), and biodegradable packing peanuts if you're committed to eco-friendly packaging. See our guide on shipping fragile items for techniques.

Where to Source Supplies Cheaply

Free Options First

Always start with free. Save boxes and packing materials from your own purchases. Ask friends and family to save theirs. Check the back of retail stores—many are happy to give away boxes rather than breaking them down for recycling.

If you sell on eBay using Priority Mail, you can order free Priority Mail boxes and envelopes from usps.com. They're delivered to your door at no cost. This only applies to Priority Mail shipments though—don't use these for other services.

Bulk Buying Strategy

Once you know your volume, buy in bulk for significant savings. A 500-pack of poly mailers costs 30-40% less per unit than a 100-pack. But don't overbuy supplies you won't use in 6 months—your money is better spent on inventory.

Amazon is convenient but not always cheapest. Check eBay (yes, really) for shipping supplies—many sellers offer better prices than Amazon, especially for poly mailers. Uline has excellent selection but requires larger minimum orders to make sense on pricing.

Presentation vs. Cost: Finding the Balance

Some sellers go all-out with branded tissue paper, thank you cards, custom stickers, and themed packaging. Others ship in reused Amazon boxes with newspaper padding. Both can work depending on your market and margin.

For most resellers, clean and professional beats elaborate. A clean poly mailer with the item neatly folded inside is perfectly acceptable. A sturdy box with adequate padding for hard goods is fine. Buyers care that items arrive safely and match the description—fancy packaging is a bonus, not a requirement.

Where presentation matters more: higher-priced items, luxury brands, gift-oriented purchases, and platforms like Depop where aesthetic matters. If you're selling a $200 vintage designer piece, nice tissue paper and a simple thank you note elevates the experience. For a $15 t-shirt, it's unnecessary.

The Budget Starter Kit

If you're just starting out, here's a practical shopping list that covers most needs without overspending:

You can start even cheaper by using free boxes from around your home and buying only poly mailers. Many sellers run their first few months on a $20 investment in mailers and tape.

Organizing Your Supplies

As your supply stash grows, organization prevents waste. Nothing's worse than buying more tape when you have three rolls buried somewhere. Keep supplies in a dedicated spot—a closet shelf, a corner of your workspace, wherever makes sense.

Store boxes flat when possible to save space. Keep poly mailers in their packaging until you need them so they stay clean. Put small supplies (tape, labels, scissors) in one accessible spot so packing doesn't become a scavenger hunt.

The goal is making packing efficient. When an item sells, you should be able to grab the right supplies, pack in minutes, and move on. Good organization makes this possible without thinking.