6 Tips For Protecting Your Parcel During Shipment
Shipment is a difficult time for parcels, especially those that contain fragile items. The bumps and scrapes associated with being packed into a tight, moving compartment can be damaging to fragile items. Fortunately, there are nowadays plenty of different shipping methods, types, and tips to secure your valuables.
#1 Label Clearly
Perhaps most importantly of all, label your shipment. If you’re sending a fragile item, label it like this to ensure that the courier is aware. It’s a simple step, but any shipping company will be much more careful with a package marked “fragile.” Depending on what you’re shipping, you might also need to label the package with its contents, especially if it contains liquids or organic matter like plants. This ensures smooth passage through customs.
#2 Avoid Prohibited Items
It might sound obvious, but trying to ship prohibitive items can land you in big trouble. At the very least, it’s likely to damage your parcel as it’s unpacked and inspected by officials. Some prohibited items are obvious, others less so. Christmas crackers, for example, are classed alongside fireworks and are therefore prohibited. No matter how benign you think your shipment is, pay due diligence and check before you send to avoid delays and damage.
#3 Use Pallet Shipping
Pallet shipping is one of the most popular methods in the world. It simply means shipping items on wooden pallets, which act as portable platforms to hold your delivery. This protects the package from bumps, sudden jolts, and stresses, and holds it firmly in place while it’s moved. Most people choose pallet shipping for expensive items because pallets can be a more efficient way of packing and shipping. They’re easier to move, loading is more efficient, and they’re a cheap method of offering robust protection.
#4 Take Out Transit Cover
Most shipment companies offer some kind of insurance against damage or loss, but this isn’t always as comprehensive as it could be. Assess the policy carefully to ensure that it meets your needs. If not, plenty of insurers offer so-called “transit cover.” This doesn’t have to be hugely expensive, but it will offer a much more in-depth policy, covering you against any kind of accident on the road. Insurance is invariably cheaper than repair/replacement.
#5 Get The Right Packaging
Every item requires a different kind of packaging. Some can be shipped in simple bubblewrap, others in cardboard boxes, some in more rigid containers. The only rule is to make sure that you get the right size. Putting an item in a package that’s too big means that it will move around, causing damage. Using smaller packaging causes the item to protrude, making it vulnerable to bumps.
#6 Track Your Parcel
Tracking is easier than ever and can be done with a simple barcode reference. Whether you choose to track your parcel on a website or app, it’s always important to monitor its progress. This gives you early alerts if anything goes wrong. It has the additional benefit of allowing you to notify the recipient that the package is about to be delivered, too.
