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I don't want to see your box like this until it's where it's supposed to be. |
The package you ship across the country is important to you. You know what's inside. You know the person to whom it's going. You know how receiving this will make them feel. You are extremely exited about your package and its arrival at its final destination.
The person handling your package at the shipping service (UPS, FedEx, Post Office, etc.) does not know any of those things. To them, that package is one of the over a thousand other cardboard boxes they will see during their shift. They have a hard job that most are only doing while they are in school or looking for something else. No one dreams of being a package handler. Sure, they want your package to arrive safely and as quickly as possible, but they want to get home safely and as quickly as possible even more.
Right now, I am one of those workers helping to deliver your box. I see the boxes that make it through the shipping system in tact and on time. I also see the boxes that are mangled and have their contents spilled all on the floor of the shipping truck.
There are several things you can do prior to shipping your package that will help it arrive at its destination just the way you would like. There are no guarantees, but the packages that do not follow these tips are the ones I regularly see shipped to the wrong location or accidentally busted open.
1. Use the right box – You might not know this, but your package is not moved from hand to hand until it reaches its delivery point. It moves across conveyor belts, rollers and other mechanical systems that do not care what they tear up. Use the appropriate box for your shipment – both size and strength. The studier box may cost a little extra, but it will provide better protection.
2. Extra tape is always a plus – You've already bought some packing tape, why try to scrimp by with as little as possible? The taped areas are the weakest parts of the package. Trying to get by with using one piece of tape is asking for the things inside the box to fall on the ground and become damaged. It is one of the easiest ways you can keep your package safe – add extra tape to any of the weak spots on your box.
3. Avoid multiple shipping labels – It can save you money to reuse old boxes, but if you do not cover up the old label somehow, your package may be shipped to the wrong place. Your package may be the only one you see that day. It may be one of ten thousand I see in a night. The loader will have no idea which label is the right one. Fix that problem by covering up the old label with the new one or using a black marker to clearly cross out the old one.
4. Make the label visible – Don't play hide the label on your box. For some reason, people often put the label on the smallest, most obscure side of the box. Put the label on the top or the largest side of the box. Those are where we look first. Also, try not to cover the box in white labels similar to the shipping label that we are trying to find and scan.
5. Make sure the bar code is scannable – That row of lines under the address means absolutely nothing to you, but that's how I let you and the shipping company know that your package is going in the right direction. Place the label on a solid piece of cardboard – not across two flaps, as it can cause the bar code to be folded or torn. If you are shipping a long tube, make sure the bars on the bar code are perpendicular to the tube. That way, the scanners are still able to read them in a row.
6. Do not use colorful labels – Sure, a green or red label may look festive, but you may want to think twice about going color crazy on the shipping label. First, package handlers automatically look for white labels (the predominate color). If it's not white, you are making the label less visible (see tip #4). Also, it can make it more difficult to scan. White with black bar codes and address is the most visible to our eyes as well as the laser scanners.
7. Avoid handwriting the address – Again, it's a matter of what package handlers are accustomed to seeing. The vast majority of the labels use the same font for a reason – it's extremely visible and easily read. The harder you make it for the handlers to read the label, the more likely it is your package ends up going to the wrong location. Have the label printed out.
8. Don't lie about the weight - Nothing is more frustrating for a package handler than reaching down to pick up a box marked "5 lbs" and discovering it weighs more like 50 pounds. Lying about the weight, if you can get away with it, might save you a few bucks in the short term, but it will increase the likelihood that your package is dropped and damaged.
9. Double check the shipping address - In your mind, you know exactly where this your package is supposed to be shipped. It's not a big deal to you if the zip code has the last two number switched, after all you have the right city and state on there. That small change may mean it goes in the wrong direction and causes your package to be late. It cannot hurt to just make sure you have the entire shipping address correct.
10. Go to the shipping store – Companies are trying to make things more convenient for you, letting you do a lot of the work at home. More than likely that will work fine, but sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes, your printer is running out of ink making the label less legible. Maybe, your box or tape are not as secure as they can be. Yes, it will take a little extra time to head over to the shipping store, but it will be worth it in the long run when your package arrives safely and on schedule.
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When you ship a gift across the country, you aren't thinking about the persons in between. You are only thinking about the person who is going to be excited to receive and open the box. However, you can help make sure that person is able to excitedly open the package, by spending a few extra moments thinking about the persons in between.
This is an edited repost from last year, but it is still appropriate and helpful in your holiday shipping.
Its true, you are never thinking of who or what is handling your package. Your only thinking that after all the handling, it becomes the consumable. The package will arrive.
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We can save a good amount by using courier services as I am using parcelbound.com to purchase USA Free Shipping products then to deliver me at my address.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the advice. I'm starting a business and will be doing a lot of shipping in Ontario. I want to make sure that everything arrives to my customers safely and quick.
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