Shipping products sounds fairly straightforward. You receive
an order, you pack up the product, and send it on its way. But it’s not as
simple as it sounds. When packing and shipping products, you must do it with
care. No customer is going to be happy if they receive a damaged good. Even if
the items you ship arrive in perfect condition, if your product is shipped
poorly and sloppily, the customer will likely think you are unprofessional and
may not shop with you again. For both these reasons, shipping must be taken
very seriously, and you must always choose the right packaging materials for
the job.
We’ve put together this quick guide to help you find which
packing materials go best with what type of products. The right materials can
make a big difference when it comes to how your company is viewed.
When it comes to boxes, there are a few things you need to
keep in mind. First off, you need to choose the correct size of box for the
job. You do not want there to be too much void space for filling, but you also
don’t want it to be such a tight fit that there’s no room for void fill at all.
Another important tip to keep in mind is that there are many shapes and
strengths of corrugated boxes. Some boxes are designed for specific types of
goods, which can be a great asset to you. Corrugated boxes also have different
levels of strength. Heavy duty boxes, for example, are much stronger than the
standard carton and are ideal for heavy weight products.
Bubble wrap is arguably the first thing that most people
think of when they think about packing materials. Bubble wrap can be used to pack
your most fragile items safely. It protects against shock, vibration, and
abrasion. Examples of products you certainly want to use bubble wrap for
include china, mirrors, artwork, glass products, electronics, and more. There’s
multiple variations of bubble wrap so you can get the packaging that is best
for your product. For example, anti-static bubble wrap provides static
protection for your electronics.
Foam can offer much of the same protection as bubble wrap
with several differences. The first is that it is thinner, so there will be a
smaller cushion between your product and the carton it is being shipped in.
Foam is also very flexible, so it can be wrapped in strange and unusual shapes
easily. This also makes it great for fill around the edges and corners of
boxes. It can be harder to wrap foam around products, though, but its
protection is still ideal for a wide variety of delicate items.
Loose fill is designed to protect products from all sides
during shipping. The even distribution of loose fill is great for impact
resistance and shock absorption. The biggest problem you’ll run into with loose
fill is that it will not secure your items within the box. Products may still
shift during shipping. For this reason it is best to use loose fill for
products that still need protection, but are not very fragile.
Kraft paper does not offer the same shock absorption of
other packaging materials, but it is still useful when it comes to shipping. It
makes for great void fill to stop products from being jostled against the side
of corrugated boxes. Strangely shaped items can benefit from being wrapped in Kraft
paper, as can less fragile items such as movies, CDs, and more. As with many
types of packaging supplies, there are multiple options available when it comes
to Kraft paper, including options that are made only from recycled materials.
Make sure next time you’re shipping you’re shipping using
the correct materials. It only takes a few negative reviews for you to start
seeing a dip in your sales. Invest wisely!
