No matter what it is you’re sending, you want to make sure it arrives with the recipient securely in one piece, and at times that does mean adding additional packaging to protect the contents inside.
If you’re sending one off items this can incur extra courier costs, but if you’re sending in bulk then this is unlikely to add any additional fees, especially if your items will be palletised.
Packaging Fragile Items
Fragile items can include but are not limited to:
- Glass
- Liquids
- Electronics
- Components
- Machinery
- Jewellery
The best way to approach your packaging solution is to think, “if I package it up and throw it a few feet away, could it break?” – that’s not to say our couriers throw your items around, but items will be handled and moved around during the courier process and you should protect against the worst.
So, how best to protect fragile items?
- Choose a solid outer box, either made from rigid cardboard or even wood, if you feel the contents require this level of protection. Heavier boxes may impact postage costs (more so for sending individual items). Make sure that the box you choose is slightly bigger than the contents, for protective packaging inside.
- Add a layer of protective packaging to the bottom of the box, to protect your items from damage underneath. This could be wadded up newspaper, foam, bubble wrap…whatever you think is best. A combination of two or more may also be ideal; for example, foam at the bottom and bubble wrap around delicate parts inside.
- Place your items and any related paperwork carefully inside – ideally, you want them in the middle, so protective padding can be placed around and on top of them.
- Add more padding material to the sides so the items cannot move and hit against the sides of the box. If there is more than one item in the box, or the item has delicate parts, add more padding into cracks or any areas that could knock around.
- Lastly, add padding on top, then close the lid and securely tape or secure it into place. We do recommend using strong tape such as parcel tape as normal clear tape is not as thick and doesn’t always stand up to the job.
- Remember to add your labels, including a Fragile and This Way Up label if the box does not already have this on the side.
- Weigh the item – you need to know this to get a quote on your courier costs.
Packaging Awkward Items
Awkward items can be a pain even if they’re not fragile, because they take longer to wrap properly and often incur more postage as they are bigger/more cumbersome to move around. There are ways around this though, whilst still ensuring a safe and secure transit.
- Package awkward items into a uniform shaped box – this is the best option if you can to avoid breakages, as any peripherals are protected. Add protective packaging as you would to a fragile item to stop the item moving around
- If that isn’t possible, then make sure any loose or moveable parts (such as wheels) are securely tied down to the main part of the object, preferably inside the outer packaging.
- Also, make sure that any small parts or exposed edges are protected.
- Any fragile areas should be well protected with bubble wrap or similar
Please note at GOfers we do not ship:
- Ammunition/Firearms
- Livestock
- Furs
- Pornographic material
- Large sums of cash
- Articles of exceptional value (works of arts, antiques, gold, precious stones etc..)
