This time of year our home has daily visits from Amazon, UPS, FedEx, USPS and if there is another delivery company out there, I’m sure they’ve been there too. Items coming in boxes, padded envelopes, unwrapped (ugh) and bags. One of our items, a Christmas Gift of course, arrived partially broken yesterday from a horrible packaging mistake. So it made me think that we should put out a refresher on shipping and packing tips to all of our customers. Especially since it’s the busiest time of year for shipping.
Most importantly choose your packaging wisely! A handmade scarf or the latest North Face hoodie can be put into a plastic shipping pouch, the pencil holder/mug/change holder that your youngest made in art class needs a little more care and protection from a box, to safely arrive at Grandma’s house in one piece.
- Choose a good box, ideally a new one. If reusing a box, make sure that it’s sturdy, no dents or creases and remove all the old shipping labels.
- Wrap all items individually with a cushioning material such as bubble wrap to protect them.
- Using packing peanuts, shredded paper, newspaper (if you still get one) or bubble wrap to fill in the empty space. You don’t want your items bouncing about.
- Any items with sharp or oddly shaped edges should be taped to prevent punctures.
- Any paper items such as books or photos, should be placed in a plastic bag first to prevent any moisture damage.
- Use double wall boxes for extra heavy items.
- Don’t overstuff your box. Just a few more items could potentially cause the tape to split on the box or make it difficult to carry.
- Seal your boxes on all seams and flaps of the box using either clear or brown packing tape, not blue painters tape, regular cellophane or duct tape (I know you were thinking it). And there is no need to wrap the whole box…
Secondly, properly label your package.
- Do NOT place the label over any seams on your package.
- Use complete addresses. Add apartment numbers or Suite’s if needed, make sure your Zip Code is correct.
- If you are handwriting the address, make sure your handwriting is clear and legible. Use a simple print with a dark ink pen or permanent marker.
- If you're shipping fragile items, mark FRAGILE on the package or use FRAGILE stickers.
- Printed labels are always a great option.
- Don’t forget your return address!
Third - Insure your package! There’s nothing worse than spending all that time picking out the perfect gift, packaging it just right and then eagerly awaiting the recipient's response and instead you find out that the gift either arrived damaged or never arrived at all. Package theft is at an all time high. According to recent research from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1.7 million packages are stolen or lost every single day in the United States. As a result, one in every three Americans reported having at least one package stolen -- leading to $25 million of lost goods and services every day. In addition to being lost or stolen, one out of every 10 shipments arrive at their destination damaged. These are all staggering numbers. And even more of a reason to insure your package.
- Shipping insurance is coverage offered by major carriers that protects against possible loss or damage to a specific shipment. This insurance covers damaged, stolen, or lost packages.
- Most carriers offer some type of insurance with all their shipping services (usually up to $100).
- Additional insurance for mere pennies on the dollar can assure that your package is covered.
- Read all the fine print in your insurance clause in the event of a claim.
- Keep all your paperwork, receipts, etc until your package arrives safely, in the event you need to file a claim.
Lastly, give yourself enough time for your package to arrive. Don’t wait till December 22nd to ship your Christmas gifts. Giving yourself some extra time saves you money as well as the stress!
Camelot Print & Copy Centers can ship your items through FedEx, USPS and UPS any time of the year! Our Customer Service Team is here to help. We don’t just sell Print & Copy, we sell Service and Quality.