I also tried that option without the wooden frame. I was just using an insert that fit the Uline 3x3x3 box. I liked that option but then I had a situation with customs that ended up using a proper box to display all the safety/age requirement information to avoid future issues and also to be able to sale in local stores here in Canada.
I sometimes use the insert and shipping box combination to send B grades.
Using the shipping box as the main yoyo box would also mean you will incur higher shipping costs for customers who want to buy multiple yoyos, as you would have to ship multiple boxes instead of a single box.
It would be a box big enough to fit 2 yoyos at a minimum. I dont mind having to buy a special box for the few folks who have dropped the cash on multiples if needed.
I like cool packaging but also don’t have a strong attachment. I usually keep the boxes in case I need to resell later but that’s only because people like to have the original boxes. One benefit to having a product box and a external box is it helps for mashed packages/holes getting ripped in the shipper box.
I have gotten some gnarly boxes back from the post office/UPS/FedEx!
I’ve been a big fan of the box’s dressel has been using for shipping so I might go with a similar style. It has good protection on the sides and its a thicker material.
as long as the brand doesnt show me that they didnt absolutely care at all, i dont mind.
Like, dont ship the yoyo to me in the same thin cardstock unlabeled box the machine shop shipped them to you, but dont charge me $10 extra for gaudy packaging and useless extras i will look at once and then put away in a second either.
I like when brands find a happy medium about simple, non interfering packaging.
My personal favorite yoyo packaging it just a simple pouch, for the simple reason that they’re functional outside of just being the yoyo packaging. I’ll toss a yoyo or other stuff into a pouch before I throw them in my bag, or I’ll just use them to organize small stuff at home.
A yoyo box is either going to be tossed into recycling (or potentially general garbage), or it’s just going to sit in a box/closet as storage until it eventually ends up with the former fate.
I like that pouches have more of a functional application so I can re-use them for other things instead of just being a form of eventual waste with no real purpose other than existing as consumer packaging for a singular product.
A little branding on the pouches is nice and I personally think displays a level of showing the company put effort into the packaging. You could probably source small pouches made out of a recycled material, and they could be stamped with your branding so it’d meet both of your critera.
So the main issue with pouches is that they are very expensive unless you do a large order amount. Also they offer very little protection. I think Thesis has set the standard for a great pouch these days but to get something of a similar level is $$$ and I wouldnt be able to fit the MOQ for it. That being said I will look into some options either way!
I agree with @mable on boxes being tossed or taking up space for the (possible) day the yoyo is sold on BST. Using special material and making it all pretty is a waste of your time and the consumer’s money (since the costs are included in the retail price anyway). And heaven forbid your yoyo does not do well … it just puts you in a bigger hole.
If you went with a simple plain white box, you could write a nice handwritten message directly on the box. I love it when sellers here on BST include a handwritten note and I think it will personalize the consumer experience more so than a cool box that gets stored and forgotten in a dark corner of the closet.
If you’re looking at sustainability, forget the pouches. If every manufacturer included a pouch, based on the size of the collections seen here, we’ll end up with an excess of pouches, where one really only needs 1-2 at any given time. (Beyond that, you probably are lugging around a case.)
Plastic tubs - really secure, but take up a lot of space and create plastic waste
Crochet pouches - fun and personalized, but it took me about 40 hours to make enough for the production run of 60 Diffraction 2s. I probably wouldn’t ever do this again unless it was for < 20 yoyos.
Custom cardboard cartons - I enjoyed making these a lot, but the MOQ is very high to make it cost effective. I’m invested in these at this point.
The Sliver “deck” boxes can fit MTG/Pokemon cards and can get a second life out of that use before being recycled.
Personally would rather have a yoyo come in a single box used for shipping purposes (maybe stamp the inside of the box with yoyo logos and such for something fun?). Easily recycled packing material. No extras other than maybe a nice string from a current boutique to match the colorway. Anything else will probably go to waste or sit in my closet till i do the next purge of my house.
I really enjoyed the way my titos from Vosun came, nice box, bunch of strings fat and normal, Grooved bearing it came with a full ceramic concave, different pads, stickers, pouch, tool. what that says to me is “we want to make sure you have fun with this out out the box no matter what.” I know stuff like pads aren’t that exciting but I’ll get more use out of that than a bunch of stuff that will just sit and take up space.
I have extra pads and bearings which will arrive with the order. This was something that I wanted to make sure I addressed from a player standpoint right from the get go. Although its not hyper common for a bearing to fail out of the box, its still common enough that I wouldn’t want folks to have a bad time.
Hey Folks! A small update! I am happy to announce that the stamp is done and I can finally reveal the artwork. Another update as well, the latest word from FPM is end of November so hopefully early December I can start getting these out!
Hey Folks! FPM has sent over the anodized colors, check them out! Thanks again for those who were a part of the color picking process! These have turned out fantastic!