13 Tips For Shipping Fragile Items
Unfortunately, we’ve all been there, that item we ordered online that arrives in more pieces than we’d have liked. Perhaps you want to sell something on eBay and don’t know where to start. Shipping fragile items is actually pretty simple if you follow these 13 steps.
1. Choose Your Courier Carefully
Use a reliable parcel courier, or postal service that you trust will take the very best care of your goods. If your item is particularly valuable, it’s worth getting recommendations from friends or colleagues who may have experience with certain companies.
2. Get It Delivered As Quickly As Possible
There are varying degrees of delivery speed that you can pay for these days, and when shipping something fragile, the less time said item is in transit, the better its chances of surviving the journey. Choose the fastest delivery you can afford, this can sometimes be as quick as the same day.
3. Don’t Scrimp Or Cut Corners
Accept the fact that you will have to pay more to ensure your item is delivered in one piece and fork out as much as is required – scrimping and cutting corners on this area will only increase your chances of the recipient being sorely disappointed when it arrives.
4. Use a Strong Box Or Container
This might sound an obvious one but you would be amazed at the amount of people who choose to use old, worn out boxes to send their items, which aren’t as rigid as a brand new box would be. Recycling is great, but when it comes to sending fragile objects, don’t risk it. Make sure you buy a new, heavy duty and durable box that will do the job. Keep the box as lightweight as possible to save on postage costs.
5. Choose The Right Sized Box
As much as the quality of the box matters, so does the size. If you item is small, don’t get a box that’s far too big or you’re going to be spending even more money on padding, not to mention postage. The ideal box size will be a little bigger than the object you’re sending, big enough that you can pad around the object, but not too big that it will be rattling around in there.
6. Wrap Carefully And Thoroughly
Wrap small parts separately and take care around any areas that are particularly fragile. Figurines with small and delicate features are often most at risk, so it’s worth making sure you really take the time to wrap carefully.
7. Bubble Wrap Is Your Best Protection
Still a firm favourite, bubble wrap is a great way to protect your item. Some people choose to use tissue paper or newspaper for this, but bubble wrap really does give you much more security and protection. Wrap your items tightly, and make sure there are no gaps or holes.
8. Use Loose Fill To Pack Items Tightly
You don’t want to run the risk of your item moving inside the box whilst it’s on its travels, so foam chips can be a useful way of filling those spaces to make sure there’s no chance of movement.
9. Reduce Packaging Costs By Using Newspaper
If you need a bit of extra padding, then old newspapers and tissue paper can be a great way to give a bit of extra bulk protection. It’s also a great way of saving money if you’re finding the packaging and postage costs mounting.
10. Secure Your Package With Tape
Use packaging tape to secure your wrapping and make sure the items won’t unravel whilst travelling. Make sure you use a strong and heavy duty packaging tape to close the box and keep it’s contents safe.
11. Mark Up Your Box
Aside from the destination and return address, make sure you put plenty of instructions and signals on the box to indicate that the item is fragile, and whether it needs to be kept ‘this way up’. You don’t need to go mad with this, but you want it clear and big enough that it stands out and doesn’t just get lost.
12. Get It Insured For Extra Peace Of Mind
Finally, if you’re still really concerned, make sure you take out senders insurance before you wave goodbye to your cherished object for your peace of mind. You may not see your object again but in the event that something does happen to it, at least you will be able to claim for the value of the item.
13. Wrap Multiple Items Separately In The Same Box
Sending multiple fragile items can be a bit tricky and you may choose to send each one separately, to increase each item’s chance of getting to their destination unscathed. However, if you do choose to send multiple items in one box, just make sure you wrap each item individually, rather than as a group. Damage to items is much more likely if they are given the chance to bash up against each other.
Now you’ve got all the tips and tricks of the trade, we wish you luck in sending your fragile item!
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