How Much Does PrepPack Really Save You?
The Cart Test: One Afternoon, Four Carts, $165 Later
We built four separate online carts—one each for first-aid gear, tools, safety items, and everyday comforts—using the same name-brand basics most parents click first on Amazon or pick up at Target. Here’s what the checkout screens told us:
First Aid & Medical ≈ $55
Bandages, ointment, thermometer, OTC meds, gauze, sanitizer—the “tiny stuff” that somehow eats half the budget.
Tools & Repairs ≈ $45
A decent multitool, measuring tape, duct tape, super glue, batteries, and a sewing kit. Nickel-and-dime items that add up fast.
Safety Essentials ≈ $38
Personal alarm, LED flashlight with batteries, emergency blanket, water pouch, poncho, hand warmers, and a small fleece throw.
Comfort & Daily Use ≈ $27
Deck of cards, electrolyte mix, cough drops, earplugs, sleep mask, nail clippers, lip balm, tissues, deodorant wipes, spare toothbrush and paste.
Grand total DIY cost: about $165 before tax and shipping.
PrepPack Price: $100 Flat
By ordering factory-direct in bulk, packing kits ourselves on campus, and shipping everything in a single box, we cut roughly $65 off that DIY total—about 40 percent—without skimping on quality or quantity.
Hidden Costs You Won’t Miss
Multiple shipping fees: One-click kits mean one-time shipping.
Move-in mark-ups: Campus bookstores raise prices the week everyone arrives.
Time and stress: No coupon hunts, no tracking twenty different packages, no “Mom, I forgot scissors!” texts at midnight.
How We Pull It Off
Wholesale muscle – Thousands of units per order, factory pricing.
Student-run fulfillment – Packed by Cornell students who know dorm life.
One-box logistics – Ship essentials, not empty air.
Mission over margin – We’d rather see prepared students than 300 % mark-ups.
The Bottom Line
For $100 your student gets 100-plus dorm essentials on day one—and you keep about $65 in your wallet (and several hours of your life). Skip the piecemeal scramble and send peace of mind straight to campus with PrepPack.
Ready to lock in those savings?