W/rapping Plastic Use

A few customers have taken me to task for using plastic when despatching orders. Let me explain.

Some items are sold as 'Gift Packs' and so come in a presentation pack. They also contain instructions for use in the case of Pocket Pouches (how to fold the hankies back into the pouch).

Sometimes, especially when the weather is wet, I wrap the whole order in re-purposed plastic. This is plastic salvaged from a dry-cleaning business. You see, when the paper envelopes are damaged and orders get wet, I also get complaints from customers.

At other times this plastic is used to ensure that your orders do not exceed the one-inch depth as the postage jumps from 79pence to £2.95 (yes!) when it exceeds that depth. I trust that you will agree that if I am charging £1.20 for shipping, it is not fair for me to ship it at £2.95.

If orders are not tied down this way and items move during transit to more than one inch, the recipient has to pay the difference (£2.95 - £0.79) plus a surcharge to collect the item. Ludicrous, I know, but that's the Royal Mail for you.

From the latter part of 2018 I have avoided the use of plastic in all new products. So they are 'secured' with a band of brown kraft paper and sticky labels.

Large Hankie Gift Pack

I am also trying to reduce the use of re-purposed plastic by using cut-up envelopes to maintain the depth of orders.

I have some legacy jiffy bags with recycled plastic. I use these sometimes if it reduces the weight and postage, or if the weather is wet.

So I hope that you would be kind and understanding in terms of my use of plastic at despatch.

In reality, it is SO MUCH EASIER, if everything is packed in plastic bags and I charge a standard high postage (probably £5.00 at today's prices) without having to worry about the weather! I now spend a lot of time doing the shipping, a cost which is often not adequately reflected in what I charge for shipping (postage + shipping materials + time to pick, pack and despatch).

Thank you for your kind understanding.




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