First pack of the day is the one I lost a little sleep over. Steve Madden women’s sneakers, ordered by Nikki T from Rev Resale. This is the long-awaited continuation of the Italian-driving-shoe saga.

The Nikki T pack

[0:00] Years ago I told Candice on camera that some Italian driving shoes I had were the most amazing footwear ever made. Rev was watching, ordered them, and they hurt his feet so badly he threw them away — which I didn’t know about until he ambushed me with the story on the podcast. So Nikki T buying these is her way of giving us a chance to redeem ourselves.

I’m packing these like a museum piece. I’m including a little bonus magnet — number 184 — for Nikki T because Rev already has one, and they shouldn’t have to fight over it. “This is my week with the shed-loose magnet.”

Rev — don’t try them on. Don’t even pick them up to inspect them. And Nikki T, even if they hurt, please please please don’t tell him.

A few more packs

[6:55] Magnet #187 — going to Tracy. She’ll either love or hate the number. 187 is the police code for homicide — picked up that bit of trivia from rap music. “Almost don’t even want to send this out now.” Sealing it anyway. Sorry Tracy.

[8:30] Two consecutive magnets to John (or is it Walt?) — 176 and 177. The thank-you card said one name; he goes by the other on his account. We included both cards. Can’t go wrong.

[27:00] Stanley camping cook set — going to Mark. The pack-day favorite right now. Two-person cook set, folds out to a handle, two bowls inside. Started with around 72, sold steadily. Saving a couple for ourselves.

[29:57] Star Trek figure on a giant blister card. Always weird how big the U.S. retail packaging is for these compared to the same toys sold in Japan — ours is sized to take up the most shelf space possible, theirs is sized to actually contain the toy.

American Bubble Boy

[10:00] Fresh load of bubble wrap arrived. We ordered three rolls from Bubble Boy on Sunday at 2:00 PM. They got here from Hoover, Alabama — their new distribution center — about 26 hours later. That logistics network is the moat. There’s no shortage of people selling bubble wrap, but the speed-and-quality combo is what keeps us on Bubble Boy. Joel and his crew built that on purpose.

Black & Brew (yes, again)

[19:00] If you’re driving I-12 through Hammond, get off and go to Black & Brew. Candice has gotten the WTF burger twice now — bacon, pimento cheese (the gooey kind, not the grocery-store kind), grilled mushrooms and onions, Jack Daniels glaze on a branded brioche bun. Best burger she’s ever had in her life. And the brisket-jalapeño baked beans — I ate half the side before I touched the burger. I will never order anything else from there.

The two-day handling decision

[37:06] Nikki T’s order came in Thursday afternoon. We’d already wrapped a pack video. I asked if they were in a hurry; they weren’t. So her shoes sat until today. Two-day handling cost us nothing on this one and bought us back some weekends.

We moved to two-day handling for one reason — flexibility. Some of you, if you can swing one-day or same-day, should. eBay tells you to, the algorithm rewards you, and you avoid losing the time-crunch sale to a competitor. But if going to two-day handling lets you source on a Sunday morning instead of staying chained to the shed, that flexibility might pay for itself. We think it has for us. The most important thing is what you’re selling. Without that, none of the other levers matter.

Wrap

Last pack of the day was the sconces. Lunch is overdue. Nikki T, please love those shoes.