In today’s business world, getting your product to your customer in a timely manner is just as important as choosing the right method of shipping to prevent damaged goods. When it comes to stopping parcels from being beat up, the first step is in how you choose your shipping supplies. It’s not as simple as putting something in a box and getting the UPS delivery driver to come and pick it up. You have to take care in ensuring that what you are shipping is packed well enough to stand up to the long journey across the country, or even overseas. This will go a long way in not only keeping your customers happy, but also in giving you repeat business.

Protection

When you place your goods in a box to be shipped you want to make sure that they are protected well enough to withstand an impact. There are many ways you can go about doing this, including using bubble wrap, foam peanuts, or even shredded paper. Depending on what you are shipping and how delicate it is, bubble wrap can work well combined with foam peanuts. Simply place some foam in the bottom of the box, put your item wrapped in bubble wrap on top, and put more foam peanuts on top and around it to secure it in place. You still want to pack it tight, as you never know what can happen during shipping, and the tighter the better to prevent movement inside the box. This method is good for glass or other breakables you might have to ship.

Should you just be shipping something as simple as a book, a good shipping envelope will do the trick, and these also can be purchased with bubble wrap as a liner, thus preventing any damage to the edges or spine of the book. Even wrapping it in foam and placing it in the envelope is better than no protection at all, and will show your customer that you care about them getting their product in good shape.

Strapping Tools

These are some of the most overlooked utilities when it comes to shipping today. Even if it’s something as simple as a mug for someone’s birthday present, strapping tools can go a long way in helping to prevent damage to items. Whether it’s one box or a skid of many, there are different types of strapping tools you can use to ensure your items protection.

Strapping by hand is one method if you’re just a small business. All you need is a portacarton and buckles to do the job right. It might not offer the security you get with industrial strapping, but chances are if you’re a one or two man operation, you’re not shipping the same stuff factories or large businesses do, so strapping by hand is fine.

Strapping with tools is the other way to go about shipping. For this you will need the poly strap, a tensioner to tighten the strap and sealer to make sure everything is locked in tight. It’s more secure than hand strapping and in some cases can even be quicker, but offers a greater expense on your budget as more items are needed if you use this method. Poly strap alone isn’t cheap and could run you anywhere from $50 to $150 a roll depending on size, and if you need to add extra tools to do the job, you’re looking at around $5000 as tensioners and sealers don’t come cheap.

Choosing the right shipping supplies can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. All you have to do is be smart and think like a customer. Would you want your items received all broken and mashed up? No, and neither do they. Ensuring your goods are shipped properly and securely is just the first step in showing that your business cares and stands behind its products. From there, choosing the right carrier is another worry, but that’s for another day. Start with taking an inventory of your items, determining their unbreakability, and you’ll get a good idea of the shipping supplies you will need. Boxes, enveloped, packaging and strapping tools are all useful and depending on your business, you might need all four. It’s up to you to find out what you need and take the steps necessary in ensuring repeat business from happy customers.