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How to Reduce Damages During Shipping
How to Reduce Damages During Shipping
Damages during shipping are costly for your business and frustrating for your customers.
In this guide we will explore why damages happen during transit, and the steps you can take to reduce damages.
How to reduce damages during transit?
Correctly packaging your products is the best way to reduce shipping damages.
Outer Packaging
Choosing the best size box
X Incorrect-sized cardboard boxes is a leading cause of products arriving damaged. A box that is too small to contain both the product and packing materials means that the products inside are going to be vulnerable to impacts.
✓ A slightly larger box that has space to include void fill and cushioning materials on all 6 sides of the product, will prevent the product from taking impacts during shipping.
Finding the balance of the size of box used is crucial. A box to small will not allow for the correct amount of protective materials. A box too large will result in too much movement or excessive amounts of void fill.
Pallet Wrapping
X Using too little pallet wrap. Not using enough Pallet Wrap / Machine Film or a wrap that does not suit your load containment requirements. This can lead to shifting during transit, which causes damage. Here at Springpack we can supply you with a wide range of strapping and banding materials, as soon as the next working day!
✓ Using the correct film and revolutions for your load containment requirements will reduce the shift that can happen on your pallet. Using pallet strapping, and corner protectors will offer extra stability to your pallets
Unsure how to optimise your load stability? Here at Springpack we use the latest technology for testing your load stability, why not book a free On-Site Packaging Review, and let us do the hard work for you?
Weight Distribution
X Uneven Weight Distribution for palletised goods. If lighter products are stacked underneath heavier ones, this leads to poor weight distribution. The lighter products are crushed by the heavier ones, leading to damaged contents. The crushing also leads to the products becoming unevenly stacked.
✓ Using correct weight distribution for pallets is essential. Heavier, and more robust items should be stacked on the lower parts of the pallet, and evenly spread out. This will keep the lighter, more fragile products safer during transportation. Avoiding heavy products only being stacked on on side of the pallet will also mean that the weight distribution is more even, allowing for more structural integrity.
Labelling
X Overlooking the importance of labels. Incorrectly labelling, or not labelling at all can lead to damaged goods or deliveries being lost altogether.
✓ Adding a label to your outer packaging will indicate to those handling it that it must be handled in a specific way. A “Fragile – Handle with Care” Label will visually indicate to all who handle the package that the contents are likely to break, and require special consideration when handling.
Labels printed with the destination of the package or pallet, instead of simply relying on a barcode are visual queues that the product is going to the correct destination and are an extra layer of information.
Inside the Packaging
Desiccants
X Not adding a desiccant to packages that can easily be damaged by moisture. Electrical products such as circuit boards can easily become water damaged or corroded if they encounter moisture during transit.
✓ Including a non-toxic desiccant such as Silica Gel sachet can help keep products dry and away from potentially harmful moisture.
Protective cushioning techniques
X Incorrect cushioning techniques, or no cushioning at all. Not adding any protective packaging materials leaves empty spaces within your packages, meaning the product can move around inside and hit off the sides of the box. If multiple items are being packed together, they can collide in transit and damage each other.
✓Individually wrapping products going into the package using Bubble Wrap or Hive Wrap, will reduce the likelihood of them knocking together during transit.
Protective and void fill techniques
X Not using cushioning materials on the 6 internal sides of the box.
✓ Adding a cushioning material such as Air Cushions or Loosefil to the bottom and the sides of the box, with a layer on top, will securely suspend your product within the box, reducing the movement within the package.
Other factors
Getting Expert Advice
X Not booking your Free Operational Packaging Review with Springpack. There are so many factors to packaging that you may not have even considered – but packaging doesn’t need to be a headache! One of our dedicated Packaging Partners can visit you at a time that suits you, even in two working days!
✓ Booking your Free Operational Packaging Review and having a visit from your new Packaging Partner. Your dedicated rep will analyse your process, and suggest cost effective recommendations to optimise your process and reduce damages. We understand that no two businesses are the same. During your review, we will use cutting-edge technology and calculations to accurately suggest the products and services best tailored to your unique business.
Quality Control
X Missing quality control measures. Not checking packages and pallets before they leave can lead to undetected errors causing damages in transit.
✓ Having quality control checks in place, such as a visual check for poorly wrapped pallets, will allow for potential hazards to be stopped before they become a problem. This will ensure your products are properly packaged, and protected from damage or loss as they move through the supply chain.
Why is preventing damage in transit so important?
Reducing damages during transit is vital for your business to increase customer satisfaction, and reduce shipping damages.
Impact on your customer
When packing your items, consider how the product will look to the customer when it arrives after shipping. Poorly packaged, damaged goods will cause frustration, inconvenience and disappointment for your customers. Even more so if they need to return the faulty goods to you before the replacement will be sent.
Your customer is likely to switch suppliers if their deliveries are consistently damaged in transit.
Impact on your business
Products damaged in transit are costly for your business in multiple ways.
First, you have the actual cost of replacing or refunding the damaged item. If this happens frequently, this can become incredibly costly for you.
Next, the additional cost of sending the replacement. There are several costs to this process. The cost of the customer returning the damaged products; time to inspect the damaged product; cost to re-package; and cost of shipping.
All of these costs are completely avoidable, as long as you ensure your product is packaged correctly.
Why is preventing damage in transit so important?
Impact on your business
Usually, it is the seller who is entirely responsible for goods damaged in transit. The seller’s responsibility is to ensure the product reaches their customer in one piece. The seller can then file a damage claim with their courier company if the delivery service is at fault.
We hope this guide has been useful to you, if you’d like to learn more about how you can reduce damages in transit, why not book your Free Operational Packaging Review?
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Author: Alice Jeavons
Springpack is a UK packaging company delivering sustainable solutions that empower customers. We prioritise exceptional service, building strong relationships and developing innovative packaging solutions tailored to unique needs. Sustainability drives us, from eco-friendly materials to reusable practices minimising waste and emissions. As a family-run business, we’ve grown from humble beginnings to industry forerunners. Our passion lies in making a positive impact in our community and the lives of customers, employees, and stakeholders through outstanding service that exceeds expectations.