How To Keep Your Products Safe During Shipping

Over three billion packages are lost or damaged each year. This translates into a lot of unhappy customers who either never receive what they ordered or receive it in unsatisfactory condition. It also translates into a lot of unhappy business owners who have to issue refunds or replace lost or broken items.

Sometimes, product loss and damage is unavoidable. Accidents happen. Packages can fall off trucks, get lost at sea, or get misplaced by worn-out warehouse workers. But you can avoid some product loss and damage, assuming you use the right packaging materials. Want to know how to keep your products safe during shipping? Here’s some advice.

Use Quality Boxes

The box you choose matters. Some boxes are better suited to certain products than others. Small product? Consider using a mailer. What about a heavy or fragile product? Heavy-duty corrugated boxes are the way to go. Flat product? A side loader box is the ideal shape and size. Do you have a product that must stay at a certain temperature? Try an insulated shipping box.

The size of your box is also important. If the box you use is too small, you won’t be able to fit enough cushioning inside. If the box you use is too big, your product can shift around during transport.

To determine the best size for your box, measure your product’s length, width, and height, and then look for a box with measurements that are slightly larger. If you’re unsure, there are plenty of online calculators that can help you determine the ideal box size.

Packing Material Is a Must

Packing material is the stuff you put inside of your boxes to provide cushioning for your product. This layer of cushioning protects your products from impact damage and can even keep out moisture, insects, and other hazards. Some common types of packing material include bubble wrap, paper, foam, and Styrofoam peanuts.

You should use enough material to protect your product, but not so much that your product has no room to move inside the box. Using too much packing material is wasteful. It can also increase the risk of product damage [if you think that your packaging isn’t the right size for your products. You could seek help and professional advice on custom food packaging to ensure high quality.

Each time the package shakes around during transit, the packing material will press on the product. Imagine squeezing something in your hand with all your might. Glass would break, and other soft materials would come away dented. That’s what happens when you use too much packing material.

Seal Tightly

The final way to keep your products safe during shipping is to seal them tightly. A couple of strips of packing tape across the top is usually enough to seal most boxes. If your products are especially delicate or expensive, however, you may also want to consider wrapping the box with a thin layer of shrink wrap.