# Small business packaging ideas that look professional > Thank-you cards, stickers, a QR code and tidy mailers: small touches that make a home-packed parcel look like it came from a real shop. Updated 5 October 2026 Buyers judge a seller by the parcel. A clean mailer, a neat label and a small card inside tell them you take care, and that makes them more likely to leave good feedback and come back. Start with the cheap finishing touches. Pay for branded upgrades once you know your shop name will stick. ## Start with a tidy outside The outside is what the buyer sees first. Use one style of mailer, print labels on a thermal printer so they are straight and sharp, and tape neatly with no loose ends. Skip reused supermarket bags: they crumple and make the care inside look accidental. Recyclable paper mailing bags, typically £18–28 per 100, look smarter than plastic and many buyers prefer them. ## Add a thank-you card that does a job A short handwritten line on a plain card feels personal. Printed cards are quicker at volume. Either way, give the card a job: your shop name, your social handle and a line asking the buyer to get in touch if anything is wrong. Keep cards to one side of A6 or smaller. Buyers skim long notes. ## Use a QR code to send buyers somewhere useful A QR code on the card can link to your shop, your social account or your next live show. Use a free generator, test the code on two phones and print it at least 2 cm wide so any phone camera picks it up. Point it to a page that stays the same. A link to a single listing breaks the moment that item sells. ## Stickers and tissue for the reveal Wrapping the item in tissue and closing it with a sticker makes opening the parcel feel deliberate. A 100 pack of acid-free tissue is typically £7–11 and a roll of 500 thank-you stickers is typically £5–9, so it costs a few pence an order. Once your shop name is settled, swap generic stickers for custom ones with your logo. Order a small run first and check the colours in daylight. ## Branded tape and mailers: when they pay off Custom-printed tape and mailers have minimum order quantities and cost more per unit than plain stock. They make sense once you ship enough to use a run within a few months. Until then, plain brown tape, typically £5–9 for six rolls, and a branded sticker on a plain mailer give most of the effect for far less. ## Match the touches to what you sell Jewellery and small gifts suit a rigid presentation box, typically £18–30 for ten. Vintage clothes suit tissue and a paper bag. Trading cards suit a plain card mailer with a small sticker, since buyers care most about the card arriving flat. Check each platform’s rules on inserts. Some restrict directing buyers to buy off the platform, so keep QR codes pointing to your shop or social pages, and read the current seller policy before adding offers. ## Checklist - [ ] Use one mailer style for every parcel - [ ] Print labels on a thermal printer so they sit straight - [ ] Add a card with your shop name, handle and a contact line - [ ] Test your QR code on two phones before printing - [ ] Wrap the item in tissue and close it with a sticker - [ ] Order custom stickers before custom tape or mailers - [ ] Check each platform’s insert rules ## Kit for this - **[Thank-you stickers, roll of 500](https://sellersetups.com/product/thank-you-stickers)** (£5 to £9): A sticker sealing the tissue makes the parcel look finished before the buyer opens it. Swap to custom stickers with your shop name once the brand settles. - **[Acid-free tissue paper, 100 sheets](https://sellersetups.com/product/tissue-paper)** (£7 to £11): A sheet of tissue costs pennies and changes how a £15 vintage shirt feels on arrival. Buyers mention it in reviews. - **[Recyclable paper mailing bags, 100 pack](https://sellersetups.com/product/paper-mailing-bags)** (£18 to £28): Costs about twice as much per bag as grey poly, and buyers notice the paper. It suits vintage and handmade shops that sell on character. - **[100 x 150 mm thermal labels, 250 roll](https://sellersetups.com/product/thermal-labels-roll)** (£8 to £13): Put a roll on a holder or inside a printer with a roll bay to save space on a crowded desk. Each label costs about 3p to 5p, a little more than fanfold. - **[Brown packing tape, 48 mm x 66 m, 6 rolls](https://sellersetups.com/product/brown-packing-tape)** (£5 to £9): 48 mm is the width tape guns take. Six rolls last a shop sending a few boxes a week for a few months. - **[Rigid presentation boxes, 10 pack](https://sellersetups.com/product/presentation-boxes)** (£18 to £30): A rigid presentation box keeps its corners square, so a higher-value piece arrives as you packed it. Put the presentation box inside a plain outer box. ## Questions ### Do thank-you cards lead to better reviews? Nothing guarantees a review. A friendly note with a clear contact line gives an unhappy buyer an easy way to message you before opening a dispute. ### Can I put my social handle on the parcel? Yes, on the card inside is the usual place. Keep platform rules in mind if the handle points to a shop that sells outside the platform. ### Are custom mailers worth it for a small seller? Usually not at first. Minimum orders tie up money and space. A branded sticker on a plain mailer gets most of the look. ### What size should a QR code be? At least 2 cm wide, with a clear white border, and tested on more than one phone. ### Should I handwrite or print thank-you cards? Handwrite while volumes are low. Switch to printed cards with a short handwritten initial when it starts to slow you down. ### How much does branding add per order? Tissue and a sticker cost a few pence an order using the typical prices above. Custom printed items cost more and depend on the run size.