What Do You Include with Your Orders?

freebies and thank you notes included with handmade products purchased online — goodies from Decoylab and Sarah Jane Studios

Two years ago when I first started selling on Etsy I also began doing a lot of shopping on Etsy and trades with other Etsy sellers. Each time a package arrived in the mail, I was so impressed by the thoughtfulness that had gone into the packaging. Most items arrived wrapped in pretty tissue paper, usually accompanied by some sort of small free gift. A handwritten thank you note was almost always included.

I tend to waffle back and forth about what to include with my orders. For a while I included a set of four free personalized note cards with each order, but eventually it became too time consuming. I also used to put a sarah + abraham sticker on the backside of my notepads and the cardboard sheets that I use to package 8×10 prints and stickers. A few months ago I began selling PSA Essentials custom stamps, and I ordered one with my company name and website address to use instead of stickers. One ink cartridge makes 10,000 impressions, so using this stamp to label my products works out so much better.

I also used to always include a business card with my orders, but recently I started including a promotional postcard instead, thinking that if a customer’s going to pass it along to a friend, it would be nice if it had some product photos on it. I also write a quick thank you on the back of the postcard. For larger orders I sometimes include a coupon good for free shipping or $5 off their next order.

I asked a few other contributors how they package their orders and what they include. Here’s what they shared with me… Megan at Silhouette Blue packages every stationery set in a white gift box and wraps it with blue tissue paper and white satin ribbon. She pops this into a shipping box along with a business card, a hand written thank you note, and a freebie greeting card. This must really delight her customers… it certainly makes me feel like I need to step up my game!

Simplicity is key for Tracey from Tiny Sprouts. She uses simple jute and a hang tag to wrap all of her products giving them a very earthy yet simple look.

She always includes a hand-written note on a cute note card thanking the customer for their order and one note card size business card which stands out more than a traditional business card.

If an order is not gift-wrapped, she wraps tissue around the product so the customer knows their order is securely wrapped and so they have something to open when they receive their order. Plus it looks clean & neat.

Tracey believes the outer packaging is the most important part of the process. It is branding your product. She has an attractive outer package with a sticker with her web address. She thinks nothing is more exciting than getting a package on your doorstep that is cute!