The nightmare of every entrepreneur is undoubtedly shipping fragile products. First, you spend a lot of time carefully packaging the products, and then you anxiously wait to see if the product arrives without damage. This causes a lot of stress. Damages during transportation are a pure loss because you have to provide customers with a new product while you can’t sell the broken one anymore. Shipping fragile products carries certain risks. Naturally, you ask yourself: how can I prevent fragile products from being damaged during transport? Here are 5 tips to help you with packaging fragile products.
1. Package Fragile Products in Corrugated Cardboard
There are many different materials available for packaging parcels. Fragile products require a different approach than non-fragile ones. In most cases, you’ll choose a cardboard box to package a product. But which box is the best option? For fragile products, it’s best to opt for a box with a corrugated pattern, specifically double-corrugated cardboard. This pattern ensures that the box walls are not only sturdy but also flexible. If the box were to fall, the walls will absorb much of the impact.
If you’re overwhelmed by the wide variety of cardboard boxes available, feel free to contact us for advice. We’ll help you find the right shipping box for your fragile products. Of course, we can also provide you with a free quote. Why order your boxes through Webship? Simply put, as a fulfillment center, we offer very competitive rates for shipping materials.
2. Protective Materials
Packaging fragile products is no easy task. You need to choose not only a strong shipping box but also the proper protection for the product itself. We recommend using bubble wrap to provide a protective layer around the products. Be sure not to wrap fragile items in old newspapers because the ink can transfer and damage the products. We also advise against using regular paper as it is not soft and can cause friction.
For bottles, you can use specific bottle protection. It’s very practical and effective. We ship bottles daily for various clients, and the bottle protection helps minimize breakages.
3. Use a Shipping Bag
When packaging fragile products, we immediately think of a sturdy cardboard box with lots of protective materials. But that’s not always necessary! In some cases, you can ship fragile products in a shipping bag or envelope. There are many different types of shipping bags and envelopes with protective features. Why opt for a shipping bag or envelope? Depending on the size, you can send the package as a letterbox item, saving on shipping costs.
A shipping bag also offers another protective feature: moisture protection. If a cardboard box gets wet, it could soak through to the products. When you use a shipping bag to wrap the products, you close off the goods from moisture. You can still choose to send the product in a cardboard box after wrapping it in a shipping bag, providing additional protection in case water gets into the box.
4. Don’t Ship Air!
Have you ever wondered why products get damaged during transport? In many cases, the cause can be traced back to shipping too much air. This means you’re using a box that’s too big for the products you’re shipping. Using an oversized box allows the products to move around inside. You need to make sure the products, especially fragile ones, are tightly secured. The less the product can move, the smaller the risk of damage.
Of course, you can’t provide the perfect shipping box for every product. Analyze your product range and ensure you have a selection of shipping boxes. Fill the empty space in the box with padding materials like packing peanuts, air pillows, or paper. Fill the box until the products are completely immobilized.
5. Use H-Taping
H-taping is a technique for sealing boxes. We still often see poorly sealed boxes. Heavy or fragile products require a little extra attention. Even the way you tape the box can affect whether the shipment arrives damaged.
So, what is H-taping? Let us explain. Imagine the box is in front of you, with the long side facing you horizontally. The long flaps are at the front and back. Once you close the flaps, tape the long seam on the top. There will still be seams on both sides of the box, where the sides of the long flaps lie on top of the box. Tape these seams shut as well. Now, with the tape, you’ve essentially formed an “H,” hence the name H-taping.
Why should you use H-taping? Because it ensures all seams are taped. This reinforces the weak points of the box and prevents it from tearing. Also, don’t forget to stick a large sticker on the box indicating that the contents are fragile. This way, everyone handling the package will know it contains fragile products.
Webship Ships Your Fragile Products
Shipping fragile products carries its risks. If you’re unsure about your packing or want to leave the packaging of fragile products to the professionals, contact Webship at hallo@webship.be. Webship is a fulfillment center that takes care of your entire logistics process. We handle inventory management, picking, packing, and shipping. You can follow everything in detail through our inventory management program, Webship Online. Plus, as a fulfillment center, we have very favorable shipping rates and you can benefit from economies of scale when purchasing packaging materials. Try it for yourself and calculate your all-in fulfillment price using our online cost calculator.
