Packaging Christmas ornaments for customers

[no1texan]

How do you "package" the Christmas ornaments, like the ones Steve does with the names, to give to your customers? The ornaments are fragile even being cut out of hardwoods and customers usually don't know to handle with care, no squeezing or pressure and dropping they will break. I have to deliver a bunch this week and I have been thinking about the best way to give to the client. Will not be mailed. I guess in a box separated with cardboard?

If your customers drop or break the ornaments, do you replace them?

[scrollgirl]

I have an article on packaging delicate scroll work. It pertains to many different kinds of work, but ornaments are included. It is available on my site on the Free Patterns and Resources page and the link to it is here:

http://www.sheilalandrydesigns.com/articles/packaging-scroll-saw-projects

As far as replacing it, you can make insuring it an option, but the customer needs to help with the additional cost.  For me - when something is lost, I replace it.  But I don't make finished products and sell them. Perhaps some others who do can help out in that respect and comment here.

I hope the article helps you a bit.   Sheila

[Toneman]

I received my exchange ornaments in a plastic  DVD case and now I am thinking about placing the ornaments in them when selling to customers. I must have a few hundred old CD  and DVD cases that I no longer need due to external drives and flash drives.

Tony,aka,Toneman

[scrollgirl]

That is a FABULOUS idea Toneman!  I will certainly use that as well.

Sheila

[dunk]

There are boxes which have lids and contain cotton already available you can order online.  However all your ornaments then have to be of a certain size or smaller.  If an ornament is damaged during shipping I will of course replace it after that the customer needs to be careful as I will not replace a broken ornament for free.  You say well what about customer satisfaction.   Go to your favorite store, purchase a box of delicate glass ornaments.  Take them home and next week have your cat knock 6 off the tree and bat them around the kitchen while you are at work and break all six.  Will your favorite store replace the broken ones?  I thought not.  Case closed.  <smile>   

[chelcass]

I just gave several of my girlfriends their Christmas ornaments last night and they are the Santa Steve Good designed this year.  Now I just wrapped them in thinner bubble wrap and then in Christmas paper and had no problem.  If I am shipping I wrap them in the thicker bubble wrap and put in a sturdy box just a bit bigger them the ornament.  I get these at the post office.  They are the priority mail boxes and if I don't want to send them Priority then I wrap the box in brown paper (paper bags).

[Dan26]

It's not the prettiest, but I sometimes cut corrugated cardboard a little larger than the ornament and tape the sides. I do the same for larger fretwork also.