I first published this eBay guide in  2006 they have proved to be very popular so I have included them within my own website.  I intend to bring these guides up to date from time to time, so please bookmark this page. I hope you find it useful.

HOW TO PACK PARCELS SO THAT THEY ARRIVE SAFELY

About me:
I have been a machine knitter for over twenty five years. I have been selling & servicing machine knitting since 1985 when I started my first shop. My husband is a Brother trained Knitting Machine engineer and does all of our repairs & servicing. Now I specialize in supplying and servicing the range of Brother Knitting Machines. I have probably the largest range of spares and second hand refurbished Brother Machines in the UK. I have designed and published nineteen pattern books for machine knitting.

Disclaimer:
I must make it clear I have written this guide from my own experiences. I am giving you my opinion, I accept that others may not agree. I accept no responsibility for any mistakes whatsoever.

About this Guide:
There seems to be an increasing problem with parcels arriving badly packed. I have written this guide to help overcome this problem. 

I have been a retailer of Knitting Machines with a successful mail order business for the past twenty years. Recently I have been buying & selling on eBay and I have been astonished at the way some sellers are packing their items. You have only to read the feedback of some sellers to realize that they are encountering problems with the safe delivery of the goods they are selling because they have not taken the time and trouble to pack the parcel correctly.  I recently received a Knitting Machine without any packing whatsoever, just a label stuck to the outside, needless to say it arrived badly smashed and in an almost worthless condition.  So I have written this guide to make sure that when I purchase an item I can ask my seller to read this before despatching the item to me. Although I have written this specifically for my business, Knitting Machines, the principals hold good for any product. Remember it is the responsibility of the seller to adequately pack an item before dispatch. Badly packed parcels will receive no insurance compensation whatsoever leaving the seller liable to refund the sale price in full plus all the transportation costs.

Preparation
You will need the following:
1. A sharp hobby knife.
2. A roll of sticky tape, I recommend the 2” wide sticky brown tape.
3. Stiff cardboard, you can obtain this from your local shops or supermarket for free. A large box or two can be undone, laid flat and reformed around the machine. You must use the thicker & heaver gauge of cardboard if this is not available then you will need two layers at least of the lighter weight cardboard. Alternatively a layer of bubble wrap followed by a layer of cardboard, I never use bubble wrap on its own.

Packing the parcel
1. When packing a large heavy parcel such as a knitting machine which weighs in at around 15 to 25 KG you must take the time to secure the machine and it’s accessories first before you start the process of  the packing itself. Have a look in the instruction book it tells you how the various components should be stowed.

2. The carriage should be secured with it’s lock, if the lock is not available then use a roll or scrunched up newspaper but you must make sure that the carriage does not move about in transit.

      
3. Any empty space must have some packing placed in it before closing the lid.

4. Now you are ready to start the packing itself. By undoing a cardboard box and laying it out flat you can now start the process of shaping the cardboard by scoring & bending to fit snugly around the parcel being careful not to score the machine. Now you need to secure the parcel with the tape. It’s a good idea to use some extra cardboard to form two end pieces or caps to act as energy absorbers when the carrier handles the parcel roughly, which they always do.

5. I always use industrial strapping to both secure the parcel as well as give the carrier something to hold the parcel by. Strong string or twine firmly tied up will do this job just as well.

6. Finally I always place address labels on both sides in a prominent place with a return label at one end, clearly marked with the senders address marked 'FROM'.

Who's contract is it anyway?
One other tip, when I am buying goods I like to arrange the collection myself with my own carrier. My reasons are twofold, I can normally get a much better price than the seller is offering but much more important is the fact that if the parcel is lost or damaged I can deal directly with the carrier and organise compensation (subject to the parcel being adequately packed). I can also follow the progress of the parcel from collection to delivery because I have the tracking number from the start. If the seller arranges the transportation then I have to rely on the seller to make the claim, with all the attendant problems and ongoing protracted communications, almost certainly ending in a bad experience.

We sell a wide range of fully refurbished Brother knitting machines, ribbers, accessories, books & spares.

Why not take the gamble out of purchasing a knitting machine from an auction. If you want a knitting machine or ribber that works, is complete, comes with a guarantee arrives properly packed & has after sales telephone support then buy from us. Unless otherwise stated in the listing all of our machines have been fully refurbished & tested by our resident Brother trained knitting machine engineer. Take the worry & disappointment out of the purchase, we have the expertise to look after you with a reputation for good after sales service.

Please phone me to find out what machines are going through my workshops and will soon be available for sale. Most of my refurbished machines are booked for sale before they have gone through the workshops, hence I do not sell many via my eBay shop or my website.