# Bubble wrap, 12 in x 175 ft > One roll covers a couple of hundred small packages. - Protection, Best value - Typical UK price: $15 to $30 (a typical band, not a live price) - Platforms: Whatnot, eBay, Vinted, TikTok Shop, Depop, Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, Mercari, Poshmark, Vestiaire Collective - Orders a week: 0–2000 - Not yet checked by a person A long perforated roll costs several times less per foot than the small packs sold at the post office or a drugstore. ## Kit rankings - #1 in [Best bubble wrap for shipping packages](https://sellersetups.com/us/kit/protection) ## Setups - [Anime figure garage for TikTok Shop and eBay](https://sellersetups.com/us/setups/anime-figures-tiktok-shop): Box protectors, double-wall cartons, a ring light and a tripod for selling boxed anime figures and blind boxes in short TikTok videos and on eBay. - [Storage auction garage setup for Whatnot, Etsy and eBay](https://sellersetups.com/us/setups/clearance-lockup-live-and-etsy): Sort a won storage unit into four zones in a weekend, open mystery crates live, and keep the 20 year old pieces back for Etsy. - [Crystal live-show garage for Whatnot and TikTok Shop](https://sellersetups.com/us/setups/crystal-live-shows-garage): Bulk tumbled stones in tubs, an overhead phone, LED panels and small boxes for running crystal live sales several nights a week at volume. - [eBay books, games and vinyl setup](https://sellersetups.com/us/setups/ebay-books-media): Two scales, rigid mailers and shelves sorted by code, so 20 to 80 books, games and records a week go out at the cheapest rate that fits. - [eBay electronics reselling setup](https://sellersetups.com/us/setups/ebay-electronics-reseller): A testing bench, bagged cables, double-wall boxes and clear battery rules for reselling 10 to 50 phones, consoles and gadgets a week on eBay. - [eBay packing station setup for 50 to 100 orders a week](https://sellersetups.com/us/setups/ebay-packing-station-100): A fixed packing station with shelving, a thermal printer and supplies in reach, built for one person shipping up to 100 eBay orders a week. - [Garage setup for 150 to 300 orders a week](https://sellersetups.com/us/setups/garage-150-orders): The step up from a spare room: a garage with picking shelves, two packing tables and a printer built for volume. - [Golf club and sportswear setup for eBay and Depop](https://sellersetups.com/us/setups/golf-clubs-sportswear-garage): Single irons in cut-down boxes, retro jerseys and tennis tops in poly mailers, and a garage split into a clubs side and a clothing side. - [Vintage ceramics and glass from a spare room](https://sellersetups.com/us/setups/homeware-ceramics-glass-room): A spare room set up for pitchers, vases, dish sets and studio pottery sold on eBay and Etsy, with packing built to prevent breakage. - [Japanese import reseller with proxy buying](https://sellersetups.com/us/setups/japan-proxy-import-desk): Prize figures, Japanese-language card boxes and stationery bought through a proxy, then sold on Whatnot shows and eBay listings from one desk at home. - [Outdoor gear setup for a shed or garage, eBay and Whatnot](https://sellersetups.com/us/setups/outdoor-gear-shed-seasonal): Tents pitched in the yard before listing, tackle sold live in lots, and a floor scale for the family tent that needs a bigger box and a carrier quote. - [Pre-owned designer handbag room for Poshmark and eBay](https://sellersetups.com/us/setups/preloved-designer-handbags): Softbox light, dust bags, stuffing tissue and double-wall boxes for selling pre-owned designer bags that arrive holding their shape. - [TikTok Shop live setup for beauty sellers](https://sellersetups.com/us/setups/tiktok-shop-beauty-starter): A ring light, a mic, a plain backdrop and protective packing for filming TikTok videos from one corner of your room. - [Toy and collectibles live selling setup](https://sellersetups.com/us/setups/toy-collectibles-live): Box protectors, double boxing and coded shelving for selling construction sets, die-cast cars and vinyl figures live on Whatnot and on eBay. - [Sneaker reselling setup for a small room](https://sellersetups.com/us/setups/trainer-reseller-small-room): Shelving for 60 boxed pairs, authentication-ready photos and double-wall packing for a sneaker reseller on eBay and Mercari. ## Who a 175 ft roll suits 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. ## Width, bubble size and perforations 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. ## Wrapping a mug or figure for shipping 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. ## Paper wrap or rigid mailers instead 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. ## Cost per foot and storing the roll $15 to $30 for 175 ft puts a foot of wrap at roughly 9 to 17 cents. A mug or a boxed figure takes 2 to 3 feet, so wrap adds well under a dollar per order. Store the roll upright and away from heaters. Heat lets the bubbles lose air and flatten. ## Common mistakes - Bubbles facing out pop against the box wall. Face them in toward the item. - Add a second layer or switch to larger bubbles for a heavy item; one thin layer lets it hit the box floor. - A box packed too tight crushes the wrap flat, so leave a couple of inches of space on every side. - Small store packs cost several times more per foot. Once you ship breakables weekly, buy a long roll. - Store the roll somewhere cool, because a spot by a heater deflates the bubbles. ## Guides - [How to ship a bike and other bulky items](https://sellersetups.com/us/guides/how-to-post-bulky-items): Carrier size limits, length plus girth math, and how to ship a bike, golf clubs, dumbbells and a stroller. - [Small business packaging setup for 100 orders a week](https://sellersetups.com/us/guides/packaging-setup-100-orders): The kit, stock levels and daily routine that keep packing 100 orders a week from home down to an hour or two a day. - [How to ship Funko Pops without crushing the box](https://sellersetups.com/us/guides/post-funko-pops): Collectors buy the window box as much as the figure. A protector, outer box and void fill keep corners sharp and the window clear in transit. - [How to ship jewelry safely in the US](https://sellersetups.com/us/guides/post-jewellery-safely): Pick the USPS service and coverage that fits a ring or a gold coin, pack it so nothing rattles, and keep the proof you need if a claim comes. - [How to ship sneakers without a box](https://sellersetups.com/us/guides/post-trainers-without-box): Lost the shoebox or bought the pair loose? Stuff, wrap and pack sneakers so the toe box keeps its shape and the buyer opens a clean pair. ## Questions ### Which way does bubble wrap go? Bubbles face in, toward the item. The flat side faces out and protects the bubbles from puncture. ### How many packages does a 175 ft roll cover? Small items use 2 to 3 feet each, so a roll covers 60 to 90 small packages. Larger home goods use more. ### Small or large bubbles? Small bubbles suit surface protection and light items. Large bubbles cushion heavy or fragile pieces against drops. ### Can buyers recycle bubble wrap? Most curbside programs don't take it, though many grocery stores collect plastic film. Point buyers to their local rules instead of promising a route. ### Is bubble wrap better than paper? Per foot, bubble wrap cushions heavy items better. Honeycomb paper suits lighter items and plastic-free shops.