Items getting damaged during delivery is something nobody should face. But how can package senders make sure this doesn’t happen? Read on to learn more about how to package your items correctly!

You will learn the following:

Packaging is a key factor for getting logistics right. Here’s why:

1. Protect items
Shipping an item always carries the risk of damage. Here, you can take adequate measures by paying attention to the type of packaging materials used, layering your filler material for added layers of protection against external factors like rain. Proper packaging and filler material with correct labelling also ensures our network partners will handle the shipment with extra care especially if you’re shipping fragile items.

2. Transporting goods is easier
Using suitable packaging ensures that your items stay intact while being shipped and are handled and transported conveniently.

3. Avoid delays in shipping
Delays caused by non-compliance in packaging are relatively common and can be remedied. However, compliance policies will differ depending on the type of item you’re sending or where it’s being shipped to. Not being familiar with these restrictions beforehand or failing to comply can cause shipment delays. So, knowing relevant compliance regulations and ensuring packages meet the standards is crucial in avoiding shipping delays.

When it comes to shipping, not only should your items reach their destination, but they must also be able to reach there without being damaged. Packaging your goods is critical to guarantee the safe arrival of your goods.

We’re talking about the three ways packaging is relevant in logistics and what good packaging should achieve:

1. It should provide adequate protection
The primary objective of packaging for any goods is to protect them while in transit. Items damaged during transit might cause some major problems, so in this case, proper packaging acts as a preventive measure against potential damages.

2. Packaging should be informative
Distributors require a lot of information about the item. And here’s when you can utilise transportation packaging as a suitable position to display some information. You can include which way up the package is supposed to be placed or even whether the items in the package are fragile or not.

3. Convenience
Packaging provides convenience in transporting the item from one place to another. This is especially true for last-mile deliveries in ensuring proper delivery to your consignee.

We can define what is safe packaging in two ways:

Shippit has published an insightful list of best practices for packing that we are reproducing here:

Packages pass through many hands during their journey to the customer. With this in mind, the material chosen should be strong enough to withstand the transfer from one transportation stage to the next and the friction between other parcels and boxes.

To find out which materials you should use, take into account the following three factors:

Once you’ve selected your materials, it helps to cross-check with relevant compliance regulations to ensure your packaging does not exceed the dimension and weight of freight capabilities. The maximum dimension and weight for domestic shipments are as follows:

You must also adhere to individual parcel packing requirements according to the country you’re shipping across borders. We’ve compiled a table to summarise these requirements for cross-border shipping for you:

Before placing the contents in the package, wrap or seal them separately in bubble wrap, plastic wrap, or a zip bag to keep them dry during shipment. This is particularly important for items that contain liquids or powders, such as personal care items, as it will help prevent them from spilling inside the package. If your items are fragile, you can even wrap them individually with bubble wrap or other cushioning material and arrange them in a symmetrical position inside the box.

An important thing to note here is having sufficient filler material. More filler material may prevent your items from bouncing around inside the box and getting damaged. Overfilled boxes, on the other hand, could burst during delivery.

When adding cushioning and filler material to your package, ensure the box has enough room for sufficient cushioning around the delivered item. Some examples of cushioning include:

The rest of the box can be filled with filler material like packing peanuts, crumpled paper, or styrofoam.

If your package needs a box for delivery, use tape with the right width (around 2 inches/5 cm). Close the box and seal it using duct tape on all sides of the packaging so your packages don’t open accidentally on their way to your customers. Use the H-method by applying sufficient tape to the centre and edge seams.

If you’re packaging light items like T-shirts, you might use a polyurethane bag with its own adhesive strip. Ensure the bag is sealed correctly to prevent it from opening up mid-delivery or allowing any liquids to enter the package.

The final step is to apply handling labels, shipping labels, your commercial invoice, and any other documents needed.

Remember to attach fragile handling labels on your parcels when shipping fragile items. If your item has a chance of spilling during shipping, place a ‘This Way Up’ sticker indicating which way the parcels should be facing to minimise the chances of spillage during transit.

Appropriately packaging your items is vital in cross-border shipping. Remember to choose suitable packing materials and methods for your items, and adequately cushion and seal your items. These practices help prevent damage to your items when shipping and ultimately improve your customer experience.