Random Tidbit - Packing for Events

[Iguanadon]

Just a random tidbit that may help someone... Keep your eyes and braincells open to new possible ways to transport items to events.  For 3 years I've simply packed my duplicate puzzles in bin(s).  Depending on the size of event, one bin up to three bins.  The bins of course are great for hauling but then at the events I had to unpack them and organize them in a way to be able to find what I need quickly as I'm selling.  Just a nuisance having to unpack, then re-pack at the end of the day.

Now comes the random tidbit... One of the great things about ordering stuff from Amazon constantly is a wide variety of sized boxes.  LOL  I recently ordered a couple of items that came in these long boxes and as I was packing for my event yesterday I realized they are perfectly sized and shaped for my puzzles.  I'm now able to pack the duplicates in the box(es) in order alphabetically and can find what I want very quickly without having to unpack and lay them out.  This is going to be great (yes I'm easily pleased LOL).  I reinforced the under side of the boxes with duct tape.  I hope they will survive at least this year.  2 photos of new and 1 photo of old transport in bins and boxes.

 

Iggy

[JimErn]

Good idea, and it is free too - an added benefit

I use something like these (could not find the exact ones I order they are cheaper, U-Line is expense IMO)

https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-705/Corrugated-Bins/White-Corrugated-Parts-Bins-6-x-12-x-4-1-2?pricode=WB0214&gadtype=pla&id=S-705&gclid=CjwKCAjwqfDlBRBDEiwAigXUaGIYjFV9zI7jpyAtWjN8RbNmGxwvDztvWae25Q2gfHsuGto9ikMeuxoCqqsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Added benefit is they are the same size, and I can get a few in one tote/  I wrap them with clear packing tape, bottom and the sides.

[OCtoolguy]

12 hours ago, Iguanadon said:

Just a random tidbit that may help someone... Keep your eyes and braincells open to new possible ways to transport items to events.  For 3 years I've simply packed my duplicate puzzles in bin(s).  Depending on the size of event, one bin up to three bins.  The bins of course are great for hauling but then at the events I had to unpack them and organize them in a way to be able to find what I need quickly as I'm selling.  Just a nuisance having to unpack, then re-pack at the end of the day.

Now comes the random tidbit... One of the great things about ordering stuff from Amazon constantly is a wide variety of sized boxes.  LOL  I recently ordered a couple of items that came in these long boxes and as I was packing for my event yesterday I realized they are perfectly sized and shaped for my puzzles.  I'm now able to pack the duplicates in the box(es) in order alphabetically and can find what I want very quickly without having to unpack and lay them out.  This is going to be great (yes I'm easily pleased LOL).  I reinforced the under side of the boxes with duct tape.  I hope they will survive at least this year.  2 photos of new and 1 photo of old transport in bins and boxes.

 

Iggy

So, how ya gonna replace them when they give out? Order some more of what came in them?

 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Sorry but my thought is plastic is the way to go. List the items on the lid and use a piece of BB or even cardboard to divide the pieces or seperate the types. Card board gets broken easily and then they will spill. Been there done that. I am attempting to getting rid of all my cardboard boxes used at shows and switching to plastic bins. they make all sizes today and convenient. Just my thought. 

[Iguanadon]

8 hours ago, octoolguy said:

So, how ya gonna replace them when they give out? Order some more of what came in them?

 

LOL, good idea, I guess I'll buy new beach chairs on a regular basis.  Of course I'd like to find a similar shape and size in plastic, but so far no luck after an initial search but I'll keep hunting.

Edited April 22, 2019 by Iguanadon

[jerrye]

5 minutes ago, Iguanadon said:

Of course I'd like to fine a similar shape and size in plastic, but so far no luck after an initial search but I'll keep hunting.

Find a local distributor for Coroplast. Construct your boxes from this, and the only thing you'll likely ever have to do is retape the seams. If it were me, I'd make these boxes with tray lids instead of flaps.

https://www.coroplast.com/

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

4 hours ago, Iguanadon said:

LOL, good idea, I guess I'll buy new beach chairs on a regular basis.  Of course I'd like to find a similar shape and size in plastic, but so far no luck after an initial search but I'll keep hunting.

You can make your own compartments within the plastic container. 

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?sku=53292&msclkid=197dc2b430c71b12ada09e09e3d4d49d&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=SHB | All Products&utm_term=4580221844135631&utm_content=All

 

http://www.amazon.com/long-plastic-box/s?k=long+plastic+box

Edited April 22, 2019 by JTTHECLOCKMAN

[OCtoolguy]

Maybe I'm being simple-minded, but why not make some boxes the size and shape you need out of some wood and hardboard? Something that would hold up to the rough treatment you give them.

 

[Iguanadon]

1 hour ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

You can make your own compartments within the plastic container. 

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?sku=53292&msclkid=197dc2b430c71b12ada09e09e3d4d49d&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=SHB | All Products&utm_term=4580221844135631&utm_content=All

 

http://www.amazon.com/long-plastic-box/s?k=long+plastic+box

Excellent, thank you JT, that will definitely get me looking in the right direction now.

[Iguanadon]

9 minutes ago, octoolguy said:

Maybe I'm being simple-minded, but why not make some boxes the size and shape you need out of some wood and hardboard? Something that would hold up to the rough treatment you give them.

 

Nope, I was thinking something similar.  As long as I don't make them too big, weight shouldn't be an issue, but I do want/need to keep them as light as possible for carrying and transporting.  Hopefully the link JT provided will have something just the right size in plastic.

[Iguanadon]

After much Google searching and site visiting... found the easiest and cheapest solution at Walmart.  Went and picked two up to test out and I think these will work great.  36Lx16Wx8H  It looks a bit cluttered but it's not.  Couldn't quite do just two rows length wise so I have multiple "rows" all in alphabetical order.  No more tubs full that have to be emptied at the event and sorted and then repacked at the end of the day.  These are going to be great.  Yes, they have lids.

The picture of the puzzles on the blue tarp is what I had to do at my mega-events which was a huge pain in the neck.  Now I can just have multiple new flat bins and not have to touch them until I need one.

Edited April 22, 2019 by Iguanadon

[teachnlearn]

When I started my first business, I was very unsure of everything having to do with business. My background is science, and they required the Jr. version of economics, which I barely remember. Got loads of small business books, small business accounting, and marketing. When my Wife and I got hurt I started another search of what we could do as a business, not do, modify. Looked into farmers markets, flea markets. I spent time looking at books, forums thinking about how we could set up, transport, break down. In the end up, I didn't go that route but learn a lot along the way.  First, everyone's product is different so there WILL be different ways, styles so these tips come from a vast source, but some will apply, some won't due to your style sales or product.

1. Go to grocery stores, department stores with a different view of being a business 'person' and not shopping. Grocery stores rent their shelves to sellers. If you don't know this, it will help your own buying habits. The middle shelves are prime rental and are in the shoppers' prime eyesight level and grab level. They ARE the highest price areas. Check low shelves compared to the middle shelves.

2. The stores set isles and paths to steer consumers through the store to what they want to sell. Those middle isle cardboard stacking shelves to stop the shopper to take notice of the product. Extra rent space, extra rent price. Drives us crazy in wheelchairs, when we have to go down another aisle and go back up the aisle to get to the other side of the display. Frame signs in front of stores are the same thing. This works IF the farmers market allows.

3. Look at department stores and grocery stores. Products are displayed in stacks, or again up in front view. Look at every detail of these stores. Background cloth, generally solid and contrasting to the color of the product. Cheap stacking of boxes, cans, buckets can do the same thing. Then cover with a solid fabric, bed sheet that doesn't show through. Study how the store is organized, ordered, number of products, how they can be readily viewed. Go through multiple stores and look at every display, take pictures if permitted, take picture of farmers markets and ask, BUT realize you may be duplicating someone that doesn't know Marketing. Walk through stores and realize there are highly paid professionals that set up the displays, the color, the placement of departments, the path of the customer. These stores don't get sales by chance, they study impulse buys, sales, grow or decrease of every product sale.

4. Make the purchase as easy as possible. Overseas it's accepted to negotiate the price. In the US they expect to find the price easily or they walk. In one factoid I found in many reports a consumer will decide to buy or not in 10 to 20 secs or walk. If you want to go to talk to people and not really sell what you have and not label the price, those waiting will walk.

5. This is a hard one to do. Don't overcrowd your table or display. Its called buys confusion and is found in other fields, even mine of electronics. If there are too many things, too many choices a person has to start mentally comparing, rating what they like, what they don't. This is a fine science with every business holding their own data of how many and how long to sell at what price until they change it. You have to do as much work for the buyer as you can and make the sale from the pick to ringing up as smooth as possible. Want a simple demonstration? Take your wife to a restaurant with a massive menu and see how long it takes to select a meal. Now go to MC Donalds, Number 1, 2, 3 meal? The entire meal is packaged as a quick choice.

6. If you have samples of your work, have the sale prepackaged. At the time of paying have another choice. Waiters at Perkins Resturants were taught at the end of the meal to walk up and ask, 'Would you like Cherry or Apple Pie?". Set pick. NOT Would you like dessert and I will get the menu to pick. This is your choice of the second pick of ONE GROUP RIGHT BY YOU, for a few dollars lower. Again make the selection accessible, 'RIGHT BY YOUR SALES POINT', and easy to pick in a group. Don't go run for the 100-page selection book. Studies have found when the customer is saying they are in the mindset of paying so more sales are added at the register. Add the personalization right there at the sale. More proof, when do you get hit with the donation to Disabled Vets? That one is asked of both me and my wife that are disabled vets and we never hear from them. Who gets that? Look at the rows of stuff by the Walmart register, its the final impulse, final grab and buy.

6. Constantly look at the large businesses, how they sell, setup, EVERYTHING THEY DO. They are in the business to make as much money as they can. Study their ads. These people hire high paid firms to consult on every aspect of making money. They even study the lighting, the smells, the feel of products. By studying HOW they do it rather than shopping you going to learn what they do to get people to buy. Most things are planned. People even sense when a store isn't doing well, cause everything they know is normal goes into disarray, cause they grab more money then they should function or go broke. More and more people don't go to the store and its gone.

Edited April 22, 2019 by teachnlearn

[teachnlearn]

7. If this is a hobby and you go for fun, which a business should be fun or its time to get out. Some of these can be used to break even rather than a lost fee for the show.

The points above are a very small few of what marketing does. I got a few 400-page books in storage and an external hard drive with gigs of info. AND BEFORE YOU ASK, my wife packed it, SOMEWHERE in our past move in a storage locker. I study and designed various ways for us to go to farmers markets, but there was a problem with our physical energy and my own problem with heat that keeps me from doing it at this time. MAYBE, MAYBE there is an indoor market in our future. RJF

[teachnlearn]

One suggestion to look at is upright display cabinets. Designed in pairs that lock together with suitcase latches. These can be stock, transported, rolled out, opened. Then closed, rolled back to the car, load and gone. These can be transported with a Harbor Freight Trailer. We used a 4 x 8 model, put sides on it and towed it with a little car. A note on their trailer lights. Have a friend with electric knowledge or Youtube, help put in a better light. They have cheap wiring, cheap quick connectors that will give you endless trouble. The trailers are rated class 3 which are the lightest. Wheels can be put on the bottom to roll a pair. I like the range of 4 to 6-inch casters cause the little ones don't roll well. The small caster hangs up on gravel, and forget it if its hard ground or grass. RJF

Edited April 22, 2019 by teachnlearn

[orangeman]

On 4/21/2019 at 9:28 AM, Iguanadon said:

Just a random tidbit that may help someone... Keep your eyes and braincells open to new possible ways to transport items to events.  For 3 years I've simply packed my duplicate puzzles in bin(s).  Depending on the size of event, one bin up to three bins.  The bins of course are great for hauling but then at the events I had to unpack them and organize them in a way to be able to find what I need quickly as I'm selling.  Just a nuisance having to unpack, then re-pack at the end of the day.

Now comes the random tidbit... One of the great things about ordering stuff from Amazon constantly is a wide variety of sized boxes.  LOL  I recently ordered a couple of items that came in these long boxes and as I was packing for my event yesterday I realized they are perfectly sized and shaped for my puzzles.  I'm now able to pack the duplicates in the box(es) in order alphabetically and can find what I want very quickly without having to unpack and lay them out.  This is going to be great (yes I'm easily pleased LOL).  I reinforced the under side of the boxes with duct tape.  I hope they will survive at least this year.  2 photos of new and 1 photo of old transport in bins and boxes.

 

Iggy

Scott,

I recently saw your video of shrink wrapping that another person posted. Can you please tell me where you buy the bags and what kind of heat gun you use?

And, why did you choose the bag method vs the roll, sealer, and gun mthd?

Thanks,

bb

bb

[teachnlearn]

9 hours ago, orangeman said:

Scott,

I recently saw your video of shrink wrapping that another person posted. Can you please tell me where you buy the bags and what kind of heat gun you use?

And, why did you choose the bag method vs the roll, sealer, and gun mthd?

Thanks,

bb

bb

There is the impulse sealer, the heat gun and the shrink wrap. Can be bought as a kit, seperate, from shipping suppliers and amazon and probably eBay. Depends on what is wrapped, seen some here that didn't use the impulse sealer which creates a heat seal closing the layer of wrap. The heat fun can be bought at a hardware store, some use hair driers, heat gun have specific temps, many that are higher then a hair dryer. Someone can chime in on suppliers. I believe there are posts on this if you search shrink wrap on the search. RJF

Interesting library ref. https://uspackagingandwrapping.com/packaging-library.html

 

 

Edited August 13, 2019 by teachnlearn