6 tips for preparing your cargo for international shipping
Return of goods due to damage in transit may be a big time and financial burden for companies who export internationally. Here are six suggestions for putting your goods in the best possible condition for international parcel shipping via worldwide parcel delivery services.
• Ascertain that your products are prepared for the demands of international shipping
You should first evaluate how well your items are safeguarded throughout the entire journey. This is especially true with larger items. Not only must the items be protected, but they must also be prepared for anything that comes with overseas transportation. Inspect your products to make sure they can endure being handled, perhaps by a forklift. Your goods may be loaded onto a forklift during many international deliveries in order to be further loaded, stacked, or transported. As such, you must prepare them for safe handling.
Make sure your cargo can withstand tilting if it’s being transported by air; this will happen most often during takeoff and landing. To prepare for this situation, ensure sure the contents of the box are tightly packed. Make sure your items can withstand ocean motion if you’re shipping them by sea.
A ship can move in 6 different ways while at sea, as seen below.
Make sure your items are adequately packaged to withstand vibration or shocks during road transit and mechanical handling if you are sending them by road. Your products shouldn’t be so delicate when packed that doing so could seriously harm them.
· Get the Packaging Right
Purchasing reinforced or double-walled parcel boxes should at the very least be a new norm for your company if you are sending packages worldwide. This form of packaging offers extra protection that is well worth the money and is an easy way to reduce damage during transit.
The containers, which come in a variety of sizes and weight capabilities, are the ideal initial step for companies trying to lower the likelihood of returns because the two layers of corrugated cardboard can protect a wide range of items. Making sure fragile goods are clearly marked as such on the outside of the packaging can help couriers understand the appropriate level of care to use when handling them.
Consider palletizing or crate-packaging your larger items if you are delivering them in full or in part. By doing this, you may strengthen the structural security of your bulkier, heavier goods and prepare them for whatever awaits them during international transportation. To further safeguard your items, edge protectors or paperboard can also help with this.
· Don’t Forget Internal Packaging
It’s crucial to remember the value of internal packaging even after you’ve upgraded your parcel boxes and palletized or crated your goods. To minimize the amount of vacant space inside parcel boxes, use more substantial internal packing for larger items instead of using packing peanuts or air cushions.
Putting small and/or fragile items inside a box without filling the surrounding space greatly increases the probability of damage, regardless of how solid the box is. This is particularly true if the items are being transported over long distances or are being handled by several couriers, where they may be jostled from side to side.
Consider adopting the box-in-box packing technique, which involves placing the box containing the products inside of a larger box and filling the remaining space.
· Check the max weight of your goods
It’s crucial to weigh your items and make sure the parcel packaging you select is appropriate for their weight and dimensions. The likelihood of damaged packaging and mishaps when the items are being transported increases if you choose a box or crate that cannot support the weight of the item.
This is crucial if you want to send big or heavy packages because they require special boxes or crates and protection because of how much weight they contain. Instead of settling for inferior packaging that only “does the job,” but falls short by the time the consumer receives the item, this enables them to travel from point A to point B intact.
· Choose Functionality over Looks
There are various ways to pack that put style before protection. In several industries, softer packaging like bags and baskets is becoming more and more common. If the item inside is broken or damaged, it doesn’t matter how the customer feels about the delivery of the items.
Make sure the packing does its purpose of safeguarding the item before thinking about utilizing more elaborate or delicate wrapping. This pertains to how the entire box is held together and protected in order to deter tampering and theft, not only the packaging’s exterior walls.
When shipping overseas, take into account sending items in reliable packaging to a temporary location. To guarantee the items are protected for as much of the journey as feasible, the commodities might then be packaged in the softer yet protective packaging closer to the destination.
· Listen to Your Customers
Finally, and most importantly: Pay attention to your clients! Review websites and your own client comments regarding your overseas delivery services. If consumers are complaining that their orders are missing or damaged, make an extra effort to figure out why your packaging might not be working and fix it.
If you don’t hear anything from customers either, don’t assume your packing is all right. Even if customers don’t request a refund, the packing may have been tattered, water-soaked, or shredded in transit even though the item may have arrived unscathed.
If you’re thinking about introducing a new product with possibly complicated packaging needs, it’s especially crucial to understand your target market. You may plan and avert losses with new products going forward by being aware of your weak points and the areas where your existing packaging fails. Consider following up with clients to find out if their packages or shipments met their expectations and how the delivery went. It may prevent future hassles for your company and dissatisfied clients!
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