After having a nice listing with a sharp looking photograph, someone is sure to buy your item. Ebay will notify you via email that your item has sold. Within that email there will be a link to SEND INVOICE. The Sell Your Item Form should have had all the information needed to automatically fill in the invoice for you, so just click SEND. Hopefully, your buyer will pay via PayPal immediately or within a day or so. If they do not, go to RESOLVE A PROBLEM so that Ebay can contact them. In all the sales I have made, I have only had a few that have not paid. Ebay issues you a credit for the final value fee and you can relist the item for free. The whole process takes about a week or so to complete.
Assuming all goes well and your item is paid for, THEN you begin to pack your item. Use Priority Mail boxes, other clean boxes or bubble wrap envelopes, depending on the size of your item. Most boxes come flat, so you need to assemble by folding and use strapping/packing tape or other secure tape to hold them together and seal them. I use a tape dispenser which is a timesaver and secures the tape easily around box edges. Do not use masking tape or invisible desk tape. The post office will not accept items sealed with either.
If you use Priority Mail you can also use Priority labels which are also free. Be sure to put your return address on the label and send the package to the address that PayPal has verified. Also print out a copy of the invoice to enclose with the item which should be wrapped securely, especially if it is a breakable item. We get the daily newspaper which is an abundant source of clean wrapping paper. I also purchase in bulk a large box of white tissue paper as well. I wrap the item first in tissue then again in newspaper. I pad the item on all sides with wadded up newspaper. I purchase a box of butcher paper from Sam's Club about once a year for wrapping items such as books when I do not use Priority Mail. It's inexpensive and clean and accepts marker writing well without smearing.
I maintain a workstation in the house with all the packing supplies I need organized together so that I can quickly prepare an item for shipping. It's a huge timesaver to keep tape, scissors, labels, envelopes, etc. in one place. As I mentioned before, I keep the boxes in our laundry room.
A quick trip to the Post Office and your sale is completed. Our post office is literally 2 minutes from our home. so it is very convenient. If you are tech-savvy and have an accurate scale, you can preprint your postage at home via Stamps.com or via PayPal (which I use to print mine). I rarely go to the post office anymore. If I have boxes to ship, I request a pickup online which is also a free service by USPS. I always email the buyer after I have shipped their purchased item so they know it is on its way. This little courtesy is greatly appreciated and generally guarantees positive feedback. Be sure to leave positive feedback for your buyer once they have paid you as well.
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