A priceless historical vase on loan to a museum can make it from point A to point B without a hitch if the delivery is handled correctly by the carrier service, but if the vase arrives in a hundred shattered pieces, all this effort was for nothing. Packaging appropriately is an extremely important part of shipping time-sensitive goods. Use these tips to prevent damage to your products:
- Do not overload pallets or create unbalanced pallet loads. Center weight in the middle.
- Do not overstuff boxes with products to save on shipping. It is better to use multiple boxes and more packing supplies such as bubble wrap to cushion each item than it is to risk damaging important merchandise.
- Stack items on pallets or in boxes heaviest to lightest (heavy on the bottom, light on top).
- Mark time-sensitive shipments, fragile shipments, and perishables appropriately on labels as needed. While a simple sticker won’t necessarily prevent something large that could delay shipment, such as a major weather event, labeling as needed can help you communicate urgency and importance to your delivery service.
- Pack items with a limited shelf life in appropriately insulated packaging.
Understand Shipping Requirements
The shipping process is anything but straightforward once crossing borders becomes part of the equation. It is common for shipments to end up held up at state or country borders due to incorrect product labeling or lack of label entirely. If you are shipping across a border, especially internationally, it is vital that you follow the rules to the letter when it comes to addressing and labeling your shipments. It is also vital to brief delivery personnel on how to navigate customs, what to expect at drop-off facilities, and more. If you suspect you might experience an unavoidable customs holdup, ship early if you can to be sure your delivery makes it to the intended destination with plenty of time to spare.
