The Best Box Resizer (And How I Use It In My Business)

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When I first started selling on eBay and shipping orders my packages looked horrendous. I mainly relied on free shipping supplies to keep costs down so I shipped items in diaper boxes, recycled Amazon boxes, and just about anything else I could find.

Discovering that I could take a box and make it whatever size I wanted to fit the item I was shipping was a game-changer. Or, at least, it saved me money. But my boxes looked horrible.

The term “franken-box” is probably too nice. They weren’t square, they were held together with pounds of tape, and half the time the thing I was shipping didn’t fit in the box after I was done.

Luckily for me, and all my customers, I discovered that a decent box resizing tool could pretty much the process of resizing boxes effortless and much more attractive.

A box resizer is an excellent investment for everyone who ships packages on a regular basis. Resizing a box can save on shipping costs and reduce the amount of packing material needed. A resizing tool with an attached measuring guide is preferable but there are free-hand options available.

The Box Resizing Tool We Use

Of all the options, this is the option that is priced the best, is the most durable, and is super simple to use. You’ll be able to start using it within minutes of opening it. If you’re in doubt, just order this one!

Best Freehand Box Resizing Tool (On A Box Cutter)

If you’re the traditional type, you can get a freehand tool that is combined with a box cutter. While the results won’t be quite as pretty, it can be a bit faster than using an adjustable tool

3 Reasons You Need A Box Resizer Tool

There are several advantages to using a resizing tool in your business:

1. Cheaper To Ship

Depending on the shipping service or provider you choose you may be paying based on package size (especially if you ship large items). Reducing the size of the box means saving when you pay for shipping.

2. Less Packing Material Required

I hate crunching up tons of sheets of packing paper to pad a box. Reducing the empty space inside a box means that, not only do I have to buy less packing material, but I get to spend far less time actually crunching it up.

3. The Item Is Less Likely To Move Around Inside

No matter how well you pack your item, it’s probably going to move around a bit during shipping. Having less space inside means that there is less packing material to compress and a smaller distance for the items to move.

The most common reason that boxed items get damaged in transit is their tendency to flop around inside of the packaging. The more stationery you can keep your items, the more likely it is to arrive in the condition you shipped it in.

How To Use A Box Resizer To Resize A Cardboard Box

How To Use A Knife Or Scoring Tool To Resize A Box

Step 1: Measure down each corner and make a mark. Score from corner to corner with your resizing tool. Use a medium level of pressure you are puncturing well through the first layer of cardboard.

Step 2: Score all four sides making sure that your lines are as straight as possible. You might want to make extra guidelines (I’ve used a pencil) to make sure you’re on track. If your lines aren’t straight you’ll have a hard time bending the flaps down and properly closing the box.

Step 3: Cut each corner down to your poke lines.

Step 4: Fold over each edge and tape up your box! Us the flap that you fold down first against the other lines to make a straight fold much easier.

If you have been resizing boxes by hand (without a tool) for years then you may be super quick at it. For everyone else, you’ll probably be faster and get far better results using a purpose-built box resizer tool.

If you are planning to be in this business for years, do yourself a favor and get a tool early. You’ll end up getting one eventually and I can guarantee you’ll be asking yourself why you waited so long!

Other Shipping Tools That We Use Daily

If you are just starting a reselling business (or an e-commerce business) where you need to be shipping lots of items, sending out packages will probably be one of your biggest time investments.

The problem is, by the time you get around to shipping (and using your box resizer) the money has already been made. The longer you spend on shipping the less time you have for money-making practices.

To that end, there are a few shipping items we invested in that were even more influential to our business’s bottom line than a box resizing tool:

Shipping Scale

You can’t ship things if you don’t know what they weigh. Well, you can, but you run the risk of having your package returned or delivered Postage Due. Save yourself the stress (and charge your customers the proper shipping) by getting a great shipping scale.

3″ Packing Tape

If you’re used to using 2″ tape then adding another inch will make a radical difference. You’ll be able to close boxes with one strip instead of two and the tape will stick better. Check out the best packing tape for shipping and packing boxes here!

Thermal Printer

Even though it’s last on this list, a great thermal label printer is one of the first investments you should make for your business. We use the Rollo thermal label printer but many people use and like the Zebra LP 2844 which we reviewed here.

Conclusion

If you are still resizing boxes the old-fashioned way (or not at all) have mercy on yourself and your customers and get a tool to do the job for you. It will save you a bit of time and a whole lot of headaches.