Choices in mailing shipping bags and mailing bag manufacturers abound. Choosing letter bags and mailing bags that ensure your product arrives safely will save your business lots of money over time. Your customers will look forward to receiving your product from the moment they place their order, and finding an attractive, carefully packaged item in their mailbox will work toward building their loyalty to your company.

When choosing a mail bag, plan to:

1. Use the smallest possible mailing bag for your product to save on the cost of the mail bag, as well as on postage. However, make sure the mailing bags you choose offer enough padding and support to make sure your product arrives intact.
2. Find a wholesaler that can offer you the envelopes and mailers at large savings. You may have to buy in bigger quantities, but the money saved will add up to profits for your business.
3. Choose mailing bags that will be attractive and hold up to various weather conditions.
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find a mailing bag supplier

There are many companies that offer plastic or polythene mailing bags. The plastic or poly mailing bags will keep your product dry and decrease the chance of damage to your items before they arrive in your customers' hands.

I recommend: PolyBagSupplies.com offers a huge variety of post office approved mail bags, bubble-lined envelopes, and padded envelopes at low prices - the more you buy, the more you save. Sharp Packaging Systems features a professional looking printed mail bag that comes on a continuous roll to reduce labor costs, and can reduce postage costs due to its lightness. Plus Packaging, Inc. is a store offering custom products, where you can buy your mailing bags, and even your packing tape customized with the name and logo of your business. Uline offers a large selection of plastic mailing bags and poly mail bags including "glamour" mail bags, stylish mailing bags with flashy metallic on the outside and padded bubbling on the inside. Paper Mart has a huge array of padded mailing bags, tubes, envelopes, labels, and other supplies to meet all the mail bag needs of your business.

Consider cloth mailing bags

Cloth mailing bags can be an economical way to ship small parts, hardware, and samples.

I recommend: At Uline, you can buy cloth mailing bags with sewn-in, postage-ready mailing tags for low prices. The Associated Bag Company sells cloth mailing bags in a huge array of sizes with single or double drawstrings and attached tags.

Stylish mailing bags can be sharp business accessories

You can use a mail bag as a briefcase or messenger bag, or as a way to make a stylish statement while taking mail to the post office. An attractive letter carrier bag is a sharp accessory for the well-heeled professional.

I recommend: Fred Eisen Leather Designs sells a leather mail bag that is suitable for both men and women to carry and comes in a variety of colors from which you can choose. Leather-Briefcases.com sells a leather mailbag in premium or pebble grained leather, with monogrammed initials available.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  As your business grows, you may start using printed mailing shipping bags as a marketing tool. Continue to keep generic plastic or poly mail bags on hand when you run out of the printed versions.