Want to assure your products deliver safely and free of damage to every single customer?
The best way to do that is to make product packaging a key priority. This is not the place to cut corners or take shortcuts; in fact, your best bet is to assume the worst and package your products to ship with every precautionary step taken, just in case …
What can I do to guarantee this will get to your consumer without damage?
Ask yourself, “What can I do to absolutely guarantee this will get to the person who needs it, without any damage at all?” Sure, you may find that these decisions come with some added cost. But in our experience, spending a bit more on proper packaging will cost a whole heck of a lot less than replacing damaged products.
Here is Nexterus’ “Top 12 List” of what we consider to be best practices when it comes to safe shipping:
- Package your products in the smallest boxes possible.
- Fill “empty space” in your boxes with packaging material; air bags, packaging peanuts or kraft paper are recommended.
- Use cardboard edge protectors when shipping smaller boxes.
- Apply labels to each shipping piece with the origin and destination names and addresses clearly visible.
- Use the smallest pallet possible, without allowing boxes to hang over the edges.
- Stack boxes uniformly on pallets. This protects your packages but also helps avoid additional costs due to extended dimensions.
- Use plastic banding and stretch wrap, as needed, to secure boxes to pallets.
- Fill “empty space” between pallets with dunnage bags, filled with compressed air.
- Larger items that don’t ship in boxes or on pallets should be crated.
- Use wood crating for larger items that are fragile.
- Use dividers to protect glass or plastic bottles, or other items that are at high risk for breakage and crushing during the shipping process.
- Block and brace any freight that may slide or roll with 2×4 lumber, nailed to the floor.
ISTA testing laboratories
Additionally, the use of ISTA testing laboratories to conduct shock, drop, vibration and compression testing to validate packaging design might be a worthwhile investment. This process will confirm if your packaging can actually handle the rigors of the transportation mode it’s intended for.
Do it right the first time
The bottom is that each and every day, products are damaged in the shipping process, and the costs associated with replacing those products can be tremendous. Protect yourself (and your company’s wallet) by doing it right the first time.
