Packing your goods prior to shipment is a crucial moment before shipping the product as it will affect directly on the pricing or dimension you might be the charge for shipping. Best is to understand a few baby steps on packing the goods as described below as it will help you a lot on preparing the shipment effectively.
Why the shipping package is important?
Shipping package really quite a role in shipping due to the function as the protector of goods or content that you will transport to your destination. Having a good package or protection is one of the ways to have a successful mission in transporting your goods.
Most of the people who do shipping do not think through as the consequences by ignoring the fact that the shipping package is quite an important element of shipping. The art or packaging your goods can be on different levels for every person.
When we overlook the importance of the shipping package, the content or goods it’s at risk during the transit and please do not blame the shipping company that you use the service by not taking care the product that you ship while on transit.
As customer needs to understand, while in transit, shipping company not be able to control the goods movement and whose handling customer goods and in what manner they handling the goods are.
We believe that every company has its own standard while handling such shipments, that is why we only cooperate together with a well-known shipping company that we trusted the shipment to.
Shipping Packages Have a Big Role
Our partner range from the wide selection of airlines that fly in and out of the country, local delivery partner on a particular city, freight logistics company, etc. By having a well-known shipping partner with the highest standard of operating procedure for their operations, our customer is well assured that the goods are in the goods hand.
It is important that your goods have a special treatment in protection. As an example, goods that transported which have high risk better have extra protection such as extra layer of corrugated boxes, air cushion inside the packages, and if possible, extra layer of hard protection from the outside such as wooden box or hardwood layer to prevent any damage that can penetrate to the boxes and damaging the content of the goods.
Best practice is always to keep on communicating it with the professional shipping staff and do not assume that you have the best boxes before you consult with someone else. People always say it is best to prepare that feel sorry that your goods will reach the destination with the bad shape.
Relations between shipping and customs
Another aspect that people overlook in terms of packages while doing international shipping are your packages play a role while in checks by customs and the duty officer. Custom and duty officer will look after the shape of the suspicious packages and not common.
Imagine that there are two packages for checks, one package in a normal common boxy shape and another one in a triangle shape or star shape packages. Which one is drawing more attention from the custom. Well, maybe that is some over the board example as most of the goods now are shipped with the typical rectangular shape of packages as to help a lot in terms of the safety of the content of the product.
Rectangular shape also helps the transporter to arrange the goods properly in their truck or warehouse compared to unboxy shape. It will help the shipping company to save their space as well.
Do you know that your goods will be charged using the measurement of rectangular shape even if you shipped your goods with the weird looking shape? such as star-shaped shipping goods, triangle shaped, round shape, etc, as airlines or shipping companies need to arrange some space for your goods while transported.
Best shipping packaging practice
You can save more money if you package your goods properly and you will feel safer as well when transporting your goods via shipping companies if you have the best packaging. Furthermore, customs clearance will be smoother as well which resulted in faster arrival of your goods in the destination.
A new box is always recommended because the new box is more reliable compared to the used box and the new box is more resistance to impact compare to the used box. But sometimes you can use old boxes as long as it is still in good shape. Avoid using boxes that have a lot of wrinkles or been soaked in water and dried up as it might be strong enough for packaging your goods.
If you’re reusing one, make sure there are no holes, tears or corner dents, and that flaps are intact. Remove or mark through old labels as not to confuse you or shipping company with the unrecognized marks on the box.
Place 10cm of cushioning minimum— packing peanuts, air cellular cushioning, corrugated fiberboard, foam pads or melded plastic — on the bottom, top and sides to make sure the safety of your packages.
Include an address for yourself and the recipient, and put a copy of the label inside the package as well to make sure in regards to full documentation if needed while in checks. Always checking with your shipping agency if in any doubts in regards to the documentation needed for international shipping.
Apply at least three strips of packing tape 5 cm or wider (no duct or masking tape) evenly across all flaps and seams, top and bottom to ensure the package intact during shipping. Again, better be safe and sure that in doubt while shipping your goods. The tight taping your boxes also help the consistency of box shape during the transit.
Simple 4 Steps of Packing Your Goods:
1. Box
Match your box to the size and weight of your item(s). Use double-walled boxes for heavier items. If reusing a box, remove all old labels, and make sure it’s high-quality, with no holes, tears, or dents.
Find boxes that not too big as will cost you much in regards to the shipping. As the shipping company will use the measurement of whichever greater. If your goods are heavier compared to dimensional weight (box measurement or the maximum capacity of the goods can handle the kg), they (the shipping agency) might charge the real kg and vice versa.
Imagine that you ship a lot of ping pong ball with large boxes, surely the shipping agency will need more space to put your goods even it is small and light content or if you shipped iron clad chainmail clothes in the boxes as the agency will charge you the real kg instead.
2.Cushion
Choose to cushion with enough density to keep items from shifting. As when transported, the content of the goods might be shifted with lifting and transportation of the boxes. It is important to make sure your goods not moving tremendously during shipment as it might damage the goods or content.
Bind printed material together to make sure that the printed material in one shape and does not move during transport and safe to the destination. Printed material sometimes can be light if does not bind together and easily damaged.
Wrap and tape all sharp or protruding edges (if any) for your goods so it won’t break the boxes and making some hole from inside. Boxes with hole endanger the content as water or dust can be sipped into the boxes and damaged the content as well.
3. Label
Firmly secure the label on the package’s largest surface for easy identification for shipping company staff while transporting your goods and while in transit. As good label needed for easy documentation as well for the shipping agency.
When labeling the goods please bear in mind to write as complete as possible as the incomplete address of destination might resulting the goods arrival can be delayed or the worse the goods can be returned to the shipper.
4. Seal
With your box properly packed, apply at least three strips of packing tape (no duct or masking tape) that is at least 5cm wide evenly across all flaps and seams, top and bottom, using the H taping method. Better seal of the package means the goods have a better shape if there is any intact during transit.
Why is proper packaging important?
Recent e-commerce shipping trends have led to a decrease in package density. As the e-commerce world needs to make sure the goods shipped are as economical as possible. Furthermore, the free shipping offer is more attractive to the customer that is why small package and light is better for e-commerce.
The average package weight compared to its exterior dimensions is declining, which is inefficient and costly for small businesses. The business needs to make sure that the goods shipped have proper packages to compare with the content itself.
Dimensional weight pricing methods will encourage businesses everywhere to optimize their packaging practices like we previously mentioned. Dimensional package with the proper packaging able to help businesses save more in terms of shipping charges.
Packing properly can boost your bottom line.
Many businesses use a few standard box sizes for all shipments without realizing the impact of dimensional weight on their shipping costs. If possible, try to customize your shipping boxes based on the content that you shipped as better to understand how important is the goods packaging standard while you ship your goods, as every good shipped, might have a different need in the cushion, boxes, safety, etc.
You need to analyze your typical shipments and determine the right variety of box sizes necessary to protect your products without wasted dimensional weight.
Read these Frequently Asked Questions to find out how dimensional weight can affect your business, and how you can maximize profits with proper packaging.
Dimensional weight FAQs
What is dimensional weight?
Dimensional weight reflects package density, which is the amount of space a package occupies in relation to its actual weight.
Billable weight is the weight used to calculate your rate, the billable weight will either be the dimensional weight or the actual weight of your package (whichever number is greater). Calculations of dimensional weight are subject to change without notice.
How is dimensional weight calculated?
Dimensional weight is calculated based on the length, height, and width of the package. The dimensional weight becomes the billable weight when the dimensional weight of your package exceeds its actual weight.
Follow these easy steps to calculate dimensional weight:
1. Calculate the cubic size of your package in cm. Multiply the length by width by height of your package in cm. Round each measurement to the nearest whole cm. The resulting total is the cubic size of your package in cm3.
2. Determine actual weight. Use any standard scale to determine the actual weight of your package. Increase any fraction to the next whole kg as to compare which one is greater between dimensional or actual weight as whichever greater is the one that billed.
3. Determine dimensional weight. To find the dimensional weight is divided the cubic size of your package by 6,000 (international standard) and round up to the nearest kg.
4. Determine billable weight. Compare the package’s actual weight to its dimensional weight. The larger of the two weights is the billable weight and should be used to calculate the rate.
5. For multiple-package shipments, total the billable weight of all packages in the shipment.
Why are the rates on my invoice different from my rate quotes?
There are a number of reasons why the rates on your invoice may be different from your rate quotes. For example, the service type or the amount of information entered may differ. Another possible answer is that the package dimensions were not included in the estimate, but the package dimensions do affect the actual shipping cost.
Who should I contact to help me enter dimensions into my automation solution?
For a more accurate rate quote on your automation solution, ensure that you have entered your package dimensions and for further info, you can contact one of our staff or email to our email address.
Packaging FAQs
What can I do to optimize my packaging?
Evaluate your packaging to ensure that you are using the appropriate size boxes for your product. You can also explore other options beyond corrugated boxes. For example, using padded or poly mailers may suit your needs and decrease unnecessary dimensional weight.
Keep in mind to always consult one of our staff in regards to any inquiry for the shipping matters and do not hesitate to WhatsApp in any urgent matter needed the answer.
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