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Where to find cardboard boxes suitable for sending eBay items?

I have recently found myself with a chronic shortage of cardboard boxes for larger items that won't fit in padded envelopes. In particular, I am looking for double-walled boxes that will fit items that are classed as medium parcels by Royal Mail. I am curious where other sellers source their boxes? 

Comments

  • Owain_Moneysaver
    Owain_Moneysaver Posts: 11,393 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I usually get mine free with things I buy from Ebay :-)
    Failing that, I buy them on Ebay :-)
    A4 paper boxes and lids from offices can be cut down to be shallower. Broadband router boxes are really useful for small things as they fit through letterboxes. 
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  • soolin
    soolin Posts: 74,422 Ambassador
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    I buy in bulk from eBay , 50 or 100 at a time . They arrive flat packed and I store them and just make up a box when I want one. I do try and reuse boxes from Amazon, or even ones I find in supermarkets but would never have enough if I relied on recycling boxes. 
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  • the_lunatic_is_in_my_head
    the_lunatic_is_in_my_head Posts: 9,580 Forumite
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    edited 21 July 2020 at 3:21PM
    Check any local corner shops that sell food, things like jars and glass bottles tend to come in nice sturdy packaging. 

    In the game of chess you can never let your adversary see your pieces
  • theonlywayisup
    theonlywayisup Posts: 16,032 Forumite
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    edited 21 July 2020 at 7:44PM
    Most cardboard boxes that you have at home (in your recycling?) will flatten down and can be tailored to a new package.  All you need is a good knife/scissors and some tape.  Unless you are packaging 'business amounts' you can get by doing this.  If it is a business, then look at some of the packaging companies, I got mine locally at a cardboard manufacturer, much cheaper than online (and I'm remote).


  • kalsha
    kalsha Posts: 1,135 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    If there is a Costco near you and you are a member, they have large sturdy boxes.   
  • vacheron
    vacheron Posts: 2,354 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 23 July 2020 at 8:43AM
    I keep a bunch at home from deliveries I’ve received but also work for an engineering company with a busy shipping department that gets dozens of deliveries each day.  They crush / compact boxes by the skip load, but they keep the best ones back for posting out, so I just pop by there whenever and browse for what I need. They also have a huge dumpy bag where they store the removed polystyrene peanuts and bubble wrap which they are always happy for anyone to help them get rid of!

    They recently received a large order of batteries which arrived in dozens of identical cardboard boxes which just fit into the <16cm high small parcel size but are quadruple corrugated and so strong you can stand on them! I asked them to hold them back for me and took 3 bootfulls of those home! 😁
    • The rich buy assets.
    • The poor only have expenses.
    • The middle class buy liabilities they think are assets.
  • kangoora
    kangoora Posts: 1,193 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    My local Hermes drop-off is a car parts supplier, they always have lots of strong boxes and they are happy for me to reduce their visits to the cardboard recycling. I also get loads of bubblewrap from them. Off licences have sturdy boxes for ther wine bottles. I'll usually wrap these boxes in plain wrapping paper so the buyers doesn't look like a wino :) Whilst walking through shops I'll often ask if I can grab a few boxes whilst they are stacking shelves if I see some good ones, much to my wifes embarrassment :)

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