Bubble wrap, 12 in x 175 ft

A long roll of bubble wrap suits you if you ship breakable or awkward items such as mugs, boxed figures, electronics, glass candle jars and cameras. At a few items a week, a 175 ft roll lasts months; at 50 orders a week, expect to reorder every few weeks.

If you sell clothing alone, you will rarely need it. Vinyl, book and card shops usually need less than they expect, because rigid mailers do most of the protecting.

A 12-inch width wraps most small and medium items in one or two turns and fits on a shelf or a dispenser bar. Wider 24-inch rolls suit larger home goods and lamps.

Bubble size changes the job. Small 3/16-inch bubbles wrap surfaces and fill gaps; large 1/2-inch bubbles cushion heavier items against drops. Perforations every 12 inches save cutting with scissors.

If your buyers ask about recycled content, the listing states it. Many grocery stores take plastic film at front-of-store drop-off bins, so check local options before telling buyers it goes in the curbside bin.

Wrap with the bubbles facing in, toward the item. The flat side faces out and resists punctures, and the bubbles grip the surface so the wrap stays put.

Two turns cover most items. Tape the end down with a short strip of packing tape, then set the wrapped item in a box with at least 2 inches of space on each side, filled with crumpled paper or more wrap.

Mount the roll on a dowel across two brackets, or on a dispenser above the table, and pull from it there instead of unrolling it across the floor.

Honeycomb paper wrap is the paper alternative. It cushions like light bubble wrap and goes in the paper recycling, so choose it if your buyers care about plastic or you sell handmade or vintage pieces.

Rigid card mailers or 12-inch LP record mailers protect flat items with stiff board instead of cushioning. Small light pieces ship in kraft bubble mailers, which carry their own lining.