Fragile Item Shipping: Best Practices

Shipping can sometimes be complicated, especially when the products are fragile. Therefore, extra care should be taken when shipping such items to avoid losses, as the business may have to bear the cost of damaged items.

As goods go through the different processes and stages of the supply chain, the possibility of breakage cannot be ruled out. However, when customers regularly receive damaged products, inventory, profits, and business reputation can be lost. Damages cannot be 100% prevented, especially when shipping fragile items; however, they can be minimised. This article examines the best ways to avoid damage when shipping fragile goods.

Fragile items include anything easily broken, from glassware to breakable antiques, artworks, electronics, luxury lights, and more. These delicate items can be made of any material, like crystal, ceramic, glass, or any other breakable material, and need extra attention before, during and even after shipping.

Therefore, when shipping fragile items, it is essential to work with the supplier to ensure that the items are appropriately packed and labelled so that the handlers understand that they are delicate and handle them correctly. 

Fragile Item Shipping Best Practices

Here are some best practices to adopt while shipping fragile items to avoid damage.

1. Package with an appropriately sized box:

Using a considerably bigger box than the item is inappropriate as this will allow for the movement of goods, which can cause breakage. Get a box slightly larger than the item, and then fill up the remaining space with cushioning materials that protect the item, thus keeping everything in place.

2. Use Paddings:

Packaging goes beyond the box itself as it also includes the extra soft paddings or supportive packaging inside the box to fill empty spaces and provide additional cushioning. It is essential to ensure that the boxes have inbuilt or extra padding.

3. Wrap the item in cushioning material:

Some product packages are not produced with supportive packaging, so they become too free when packed. In this case, there is the need for the products to be wrapped in lots of dunnage and cushioning materials like bubble wrap, soft papers, and foams, or fill the box with packing peanuts.

4. Package Individually:

To prevent items from clashing, it is best to package fragile items separately. Multiple items can be wrapped individually with bubble wrap or soft paper and placed in the same box. 

5. Label Appropriately:

Add a "fragile" label or sticker to the box. A fragile sticker or label will let the shipping carrier(s) or any other person handling the items know they must handle the box carefully. The fragile label should be bold, visible, and, if possible, colourful to quickly get attention. Though instructions vary from courier to courier, putting a fragile sticker on all sides of the package is ideal for visibility.

6. Affix a tilt or impact detector:

The indicator checks whether the object is tilted and turns red if the tilt angle exceeds 80 degrees; besides the fact that you can determine afterwards whether the object tilted during transport, the tilt indicator also has a preventive effect, because logistics employees will handle your goods more carefully. 

7. Use Shipping Insurance:

Adding shipping insurance can be a great way to give you peace of mind about your fragile item since the insurance will cover the cost if damages occur. Selecting one depends on your item's value and the distance it's being shipped.

When shipping fragile items, find out if some peculiar rules or regulations cover the shipment of such items both in the origin and destination countries. This is why partnering with an experienced freight partner like SARA PROCUREMENT SERVICES LIMITED is crucial. 

Visit our physical office space at 3 Fatai Irawo Street, Ajao Estate, Airport Road, Lagos, Nigeria, or any of our warehouse touch point locations worldwide to learn more about us and utilise our services. 

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