Carriers do mess up shipments sometimes, usually due to human error. From the moment a package drops, the contents are put at risk of shattering, and the same goes for something smaller being put beneath larger packages, and sometimes the damage is inevitable. When you’re shipping items that are fragile or high in monetary value, those mementos that are sentimental and the like, you need to be mindful of this. Which is the most commonly damaged products when shipping? Learn about this here, and what you can do in order to reduce the chances of a package getting damaged during shipping.
The most Commonly Damaged
There are certain items that get damaged a lot more tan others, and they include the following:
Ceramics
Glassware
Decoration s
Jewelry
Electronics
Instruments
The most common causes of this are usually due to external factors, such as something getting dropped and whatnot.
Usually though, it’s due to one of these underlying reasons:
Empty space within
Bad packaging material choices
Not enough cushioning
Water along with moisture exposure
Not well handling
Rodent and insect damage
The package being stolen or damaged
How to prevent this
While there are certain factors that you can’t control, there are some things you can do to prevent this from happening. For example, drops are common, and box compression and also rattling and temperature changes are super common, so the right packaging does make a major difference here. There are a few ways for you to prevent this For starters, buy new and proper packaging. While old mailers and boxes are good for saving you some money and waste, for fragile items, this does put everything at risk. Use packaging that hasn’t been through shipping rigors already, to the point where it might’ve lost all functions. If you know that the bubble mailer has been popped, or the cardboard that’s corrugated has already collapsed, get yourself some new types of mailers that’ll help keep the items stayed and protected as much as you can. For reusing packaging, take care to prevent damages, and also make sure that the structural integrity doesn’t lead to damaged items in the middle of transit.
Use the Right Materials
The exterior of this is probably as well where you need to look. The right outer materials prevent this from collapsing due to the pressure of this too. When you ship items that are delicate with a box, you should always choose something with cardboard that’s corrugated. The multiple layers help with structure, especially if the carrier puts other boxes over this.
For items that are smaller, mailers that are padded offer other protection. While the packaging is flexible, the padding that cushions these items is also a big part of this, and if someone drops this, it can be possibly crushed due to the other packages. Make sure you get the right box and the right cardboard. Similar to this, also make sure that you choose something that’s the right size for the item. A big box for a small package is not necessary. It also just wastes money, and you’ll have to fill the space with some void filler to protect anything from bouncing within, which does add up over time as well.
If the packaging does feel to small, it does impact the structural integrity, and that may cause the item to break. Try to get it the perfect size, not so big that it feels like a waste, but not so small that it crushes.