A craftsperson is only as good as their tools, and a company that does a lot of business by mail is only as good as the materials it uses to ship a product. Take the time to periodically review the effectiveness of your packaging supplies. They could be affecting the security of your shipments and the profitability of your business. Look out for these three signs you might not have the right packing supplies.
Product Is Damaged in Transit
When items are broken, inoperative, or otherwise damaged, it’s a sign that your packaging isn’t up to the task of protecting the goods. Make sure the cardboard in the boxes you use is sturdy enough and that it has single or double-wall construction. Using thin, shirt-box quality cardboard offers little protection against the bumps, drops, and jostles a package can experience during delivery. Make sure filler material keeps the product snug and secure as well. Ensure it has a thick buffer between the goods and the package wall. Also, keep in mind that bigger isn’t better all the time: a smaller box offers less room for an item to come loose and bounce around.
Tape Is Coming Loose
The next of our three signs you might not have the right packing supplies is about the tape. You simply shouldn’t use certain tapes when you’re sealing mailing packages. They might seem strong or convenient, but they lack the strength and hold of dedicated packaging tape. Duct tape looks like it can hold anything together, but it tends to become loose on packages.
Masking tape provides no grip at all, and the thinness of the material guarantees a breach long before any package using it gets shipped. The same could be said for Scotch tape, electrical tape, and decorative tapes. They work perfectly well for the jobs they’re intended to do, but that job isn’t packing boxes for shipping. When you buy packaging supplies, stock up on water-activated gummed tape for the best hold and security.
Your Postage and Shipping Rates Are Through the Roof
Keep a close eye on how much you’re paying the post office and shipping companies to deliver your packages. If prices seem higher than they should be, it might not just be the economy. Be sure that your packaging isn’t adding more weight than it should by using smaller boxes and lighter filler. Shipping several items together rather than in multiple boxes can also lower rates. Make sure boxes don’t exceed the size requirements imposed by the shipper, since prices can increase by a matter of an inch (or even less.) Finally, consider using large envelopes, poly mailers, or bubble mailers as alternatives to larger, firmer boxes that take up more space on a truck. Save big by thinking smaller and faster!
