gaugetrade, posts by tag: tutorials - LiveJournal

At the request of atrophie, I'm posting this tutorial on effective packaging & shipping, which had been posted elsewhere previously.

One of the things causing me to create this post is a recent package I received that simply appalled me. Not only the shoddy packaging (glass wadded into thin layers of decorative tissue paper), but the complete inability of the seller to address the package properly, causing the package to almost end up lost. There was also a large issue with someone who ran a pre-order earlier in the year, who was lax on packaging, and I've noticed several feedback posts in a few communities - including this one - mentioning poor packaging and damaged/lost items from various sellers.

If you've purchased from me in the past, you know that I try my best to package items as safely as possible. And that's because I ship items in the same manner I would want them shipped to me: with the best chance of survival within the chaos that is the postal system. For those who haven't purchased from me or have been too excited to get at what's inside to notice the packaging, I put this tutorial together, so that less experienced or infrequent sellers can perhaps start using some new techniques in their packaging & shipping practices. That way, there's less broken or damaged wearable art and - as long as the postal service doesn't manage to make it vanish into thin air - we all get what we want! Buyers get awesome new jewelry & sellers don't have to deal with non-positive feedback or refunds ;D

The tutorial is picture-heavy, so if you have a slow connection and/or are on metered internet, I don't suggest clicking the lj-cut link. Otherwise...

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And of course, if you have your own techniques, feel free to share! I want to make this a positive learning post, because - like I said - the end goal is for everyone to be happy with their buying/selling/trading experiences, right? :)

Also, no jewelry was harmed in the making of this tutorial. With the exception of the 1" eyelets, all jewelry used is my own :)

I and a few other people thought it would be a good idea to write up some tips for taking pictures and making a post in gaugetrade, so I put this list together for the people who are new to the community, or for people who just haven't figured out yet that cell phone pics are annoying, haha.

If you are a frequent gaugetrade user, no doubt you have seen plenty of out of focus, far away, and generally crappy pictures. It can be kind of annoying if you are trying to decide if you really want to buy a pair of plugs or not - inappropriate lighting or blurry webcam/cell phone pictures can't accurately show the colors, patterns or fine details of plugs, are if you're anything like me this can be a dealbreaker. So, I am here to demonstrate the DOs and DON'Ts of plug photography and selling etiquette! ( Collapse )

Let's go over the rules again, shall we?
1. Clean off the plugs!
2. No webcam or cell phone pictures
3. Take an accurate photo (preferably in natural light)
4. Describe the plugs and detail all blemishes
5. Crop, crop, crop.
6. Take clear in-ear shots.
7. Be polite and organized, have good communication, don't send dirty plugs out, be willing to work with your buyers.

There, that wasn't that hard, was it? ;D