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Ina Steiner is co-founder and Editor of EcommerceBytes and has been reporting on ecommerce since 1999. She's a widely cited authority on marketplace selling and is author of "Turn eBay Data Into Dollars" (McGraw-Hill 2006). Her blog was featured in the book, "Blogging Heroes" (Wiley 2008). She is a member of the Online News Association (Sep 2005 - present) and Investigative Reporters and Editors (Mar 2006 - present). Follow her on Twitter at @ecommercebytes and send news tips to ina@ecommercebytes.com. See disclosure at EcommerceBytes.com/disclosure/.
I have gotten books in that type of material as far back as 2 years ago. Maybe now just becoming available to the consumer. Not much protection. A lot of the major book sellers use it. If you are just going to read the book, not a collectible, and don’t mind it getting mashed around the edges, it’s perfect! On the other hand, for slightly more cost, you can get an oversized corrugated cardboard mailer that will do an excellent job of protecting the contents. I’d go with the upgrade. And that’s the new normal in life – what used to be standard is now an upgrade.
We get coins wrapped in this stuff. WHAT THEY FAIL TO TELL YOU IS that in order to get the package opened you need strong fingers, a large pair of scissors, a few cuss words, strength, and patience. We no longer do business with the company that insists on using this packaging as it isn’t worth the effort it takes to open it. Imagine an object incased in something that doesn’t want to unstick itself.
I’m in the same corner as Chester !!! I have tried to buy books (supporting thrift stores when possible) and they are arriving in plastic envelopes (the same stuff as LLBean mails clothing) – not even as much packaging as the Scotch stuff, but that is going to be the same — SMASHED corners!!! I have a great market in a group shop for children’s books — but I cannot resell damaged books! I have contacted the shippers/sellers with no luck – asking to please, please use good packing so this does not happen – the book prices are a pittance with “free” shipping, so why not use decent packing and charge a buck or two? But no, I get no response.
But it goes beyond books — ANYTHING with square corners or firm edges is going to be smashed. The only way I might use it is to cover a box with the item inside the box, but why bother when bubble wrap and an outer Tyvek envelope will be 1000% better?? and a lot cheaper !!
I also sell paper and ephemera to collectors – I can’t imagine trying to use scissors to cut the stuff!!! and not causing damage. I have problems with people trying to open my packages now, with a couple of strips of scotch tape to keep something in the center of a padded envelope.
All that said — in comparison — Post-Its were so incredibly ingenious I suppose they are entitled to something equally the opposite once in a while ???????