Expandable merchandising bag

Abstract

An expandable merchandising bag having an expansion section that permits a manufacturer to ship a product in the bag with the bag in a collapsed, smaller state, and a user to enlarge the bag via the expansion section to an expanded state. The expandable merchandising bag in the expanded state provides more ample room for receiving the product after used, thus providing the consumer with a reusable storage bag.

1 . A merchandising bag, comprising: 
 a casing; and    an expansion section in the casing configurable between a first arrangement where the merchandising bag holds merchandise in a tightly packed configuration, and a second arrangement where the expansion section expands so that the merchandising bag may hold the merchandise in a less tightly packed configuration.    
   
   
       2 . The merchandising bag of  claim 1 , wherein the expansion section comprises flexible material that is collapsed into itself when in the first arrangement.  
   
   
       3 . The merchandising bag of  claim 2 , further comprising a releasable fastener for fastening the expansion section in the first arrangement.  
   
   
       4 . The merchandising bag of  claim 3 , wherein the releasable fastener comprises a zipper.  
   
   
       5 . The merchandising bag of  claim 1 , wherein the expansion section in the first arrangement comprises folded over sections of an outer wall of the merchandising bag, and wherein in the second arrangement the sections of the outer wall are extended.  
   
   
       6 . The merchandising bag of  claim 5 , further comprising a releasable fastener for fastening the expansion section in the first arrangement.  
   
   
       7 . The merchandising bag of  claim 6 , wherein the releasable fastener comprises a zipper.  
   
   
       8 . The merchandising bag of  claim 1 , wherein the casing comprises one or more of the set of a flexible material, a semi-rigid material, and a rigid material.  
   
   
       9 . The merchandising bag of  claim 1 , wherein the expansion section comprises the same material as the casing.  
   
   
       10 . The merchandising bag of  claim 1 , further comprising a releasable fastener for fastening the expansion section in the first arrangement.  
   
   
       11 . The merchandising bag of  claim 10 , wherein the releasable fastener comprises a zipper.  
   
   
       12 . The merchandising bag of  claim 11 , wherein the zipper comprises upper zipper teeth positioned at a top portion of the expansion section and lower zipper teeth positioned at a bottom portion of the expansion section.  
   
   
       13 . The merchandising bag of  claim 1 , further comprising an opening for accessing an inside of the merchandising bag, and wherein the expansion section is arranged at a side of the merchandising bag opposite the opening.  
   
   
       14 . The merchandising bag of  claim 13 , wherein the opening is on a top of the merchandising bag, and the expansion section is on a bottom of the merchandising bag.  
   
   
       15 . The merchandising bag of  claim 1 , wherein the expansion section comprises: 
 extension walls of the merchandising bag that extend from the casing; and    an expansion side of the merchandising bag; and    wherein, in moving the merchandising bag from the first arrangement to the second arrangement, the walls are folded inward relative to the merchandising bag and the expansion side is moved toward the casing.    
   
   
       16 . The merchandising bag of  claim 15 , further comprising a releasable fastener for fastening the expansion section in the first arrangement.  
   
   
       17 . The merchandising bag of  claim 16 , wherein the releasable fastener comprises at least one strap.  
   
   
       18 . The merchandising bag of  claim 17 , wherein the strap is extendible to tighten around the extension section in both the first arrangement and the second arrangement.  
   
   
       19 . The merchandising bag of  claim 15 , further comprising handles on the expansion side that are accessible in the first arrangement and the in second arrangement.  
   
   
       20 . The merchandising bag of  claim 1 , wherein the expansion section comprises a gusset attached to the casing on opposite sides of a releasable fastener.  
   
   
       21 . The merchandising bag of  claim 20 , wherein the releasable fastener comprises a zipper.  
   
   
       22 . The merchandising bag of  claim 20 , wherein the expansion section is positioned on a bottom of the merchandising bag.  
   
   
       23 . A method of shipping and marketing a product, comprising: 
 shipping the product in a merchandising bag that is configurable between a first arrangement where the merchandising bag holds the product in a tightly packed configuration; and    displaying the product in the merchandising bag with the merchandising bag in a second arrangement wherein the merchandising bag is expanded so that the merchandising bag may hold the product in a less tightly packed configuration.