When it comes to couriering your parcels, we aim to make the entire process as smooth as possible. We want to guarantee that your parcel gets to its destination in one piece, as you intended. Because of this, there are a number of packaging guidelines that you should ensure that you follow, as if they are not followed correctly, the courier will not be responsible for any damage to the parcel that may occur during transit. There are a number of parcel packaging do’s and don’ts that you should ensure that you follow:
Do’s
Use a brand-new box – overtime, boxes will become weaker, providing less protection for the contents of your parcel every time that its used. Make sure that you use a brand-new box every time you wish to send a parcel. If this is double-walled, this will offer even more protection.
Secure your package with parcel tape – parcel tape is a lot stronger than standard sellotape or masking tape, meaning your parcel is much more likely to get to the other side in one piece. It’s also important to ensure that you reinforce all of the corners of the box, as this will help to ensure that your parcel doesn’t fall open during transit.
Use lots of internal packaging – if in doubt, then use more bubble-wrap! When it comes to parcel delivery, there is no such thing as too much bubble wrap, or other forms of internal protection. This is because every layer provides even more protection for your cargo.
Weight after packaged – simply weighing the contents of your parcel is not enough. In order to get an accurate measurement, make sure that you weight the parcel after it has been packaged, as the internal and external packaging can make the parcel a lot heavier, incurring additional fees.
Clearly write the collection & delivery address – make sure that you use marker pen to write the collection & delivery address on your parcel, even if you use a printed label too. This will ensure that the parcel gets to the write destination, even if the printed label falls off.
Don’t
Rely on fragile / handle with care labels – a common parcel delivery mistake is when senders assume that a parcel will be carefully moved simply if it says ‘fragile’. Machines can’t read labels, so make sure that you are always carefully packaging your items – even if the box says fragile.
Use damaged or used boxes – as stated above it’s much more effective to use brand-new boxes, as damaged or used ones can break and don’t provide as much protection.
Attach multiple parcels together – a common parcel mistake. Each and every parcel MUST be separate and have their own booking and reference numbers.
Write the contents of the parcel on the box – this can attract a lot of unwanted attention and can even result in theft, particularly if your contents are valuable. If you want to include this information, then do so on the booking form, not on the outside of the box.
Shrink wrap your parcel – if you’re sending a parcel with some couriers, such as UPS, shrink wrapping your parcel can result in an additional charge. Make sure that you don’t shrink wrap the card board box in order to avoid this.
