Shipping boxes protection can be one of the main factors to consider when making sure you can fulfill customer orders. Think about how you feel if you buy something that arrives damaged in the package.
The Internet has transformed our world into a connected world, and now you can have customers from all over the world.
Packages that travel long distances usually experience journeys full of problems, from mishandling in warehouses and accidentally dropping the box from delivery trucks to traveling through areas with extreme temperatures. The list of possible items that can damage your package could seem endless.
Therefore, when you want to ensure the highest quality unpacking experience for your customers, you need to ensure that their packages arrive of the best possible quality. It is essential to create brand loyalty and repeat business.
To ensure that your product is protected from damage in transit, you must ensure that the packaging process is in accordance with the highest standards.
Use protected packaging materials such as cardboard, airbags, peanuts, box dividers and many other possible packaging materials for protection.
You’re probably thinking, “this is more complex than I thought.” It could, however, be crucial to the growth of your business. The globalization of the world has made the protection of packaging in shipping boxes more complex; Industrial Packaging has decades of experience in this industry.
In this post, you will understand all the factors involved in preparing your packaging with the proper packaging materials and procedures. Your customers will be satisfied with the quality of their package, which will lead to repeat business.
Primary Considerations
In a world flooded with technology and smartphones in every pocket, buying items online and avoiding brick-and-mortar stores is more convenient than ever.
This fact of modern shopping is only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has dramatically increased online shipping boxes.
With the high demand for almost every type of item you can think of online retailers have a huge demand to offer their products to customers and ship them in a hurry.
As the demand for speed was constantly a factor, the need for protective packaging was an inevitable consequence of our incredible times. If the market places too much emphasis on speed, damaged products could have unintended consequences.
Have you ever been in a shipping boxes warehouse for a trucking business? Yes, I did. Let’s be honest: some people don’t handle packages very carefully.
Warehouse workers are often forced to the edge, working overtime in harsh conditions. They are also pushed one way or another to perform faster, more efficiently, and better. This can lead to decreased packet handling quality.
If the supply chain is overwhelmed by these demands, it is not always simple to ensure that items are correctly loaded on pallets and shipped. This applies especially to fragile or damaged items that need to be placed on a pallet in a specific direction.
If your package ends up outside the many vans and trucks they have to transfer it to, there are still risks ahead. The packet will go through different stages between the scattered nodes before arriving. And there’s a good chance it’s been improperly packed, dropped, kicked, broken, or otherwise mistreated.
Awareness of the possibility and liability of third-party carriers when damage can be attributed to them is an essential procedure to remember when dealing with vessel damage.
Determine the Damages
If you’re trying to determine how damaged your packages are when they reach the recipient, you must look at these common mistakes to determine where the damage comes from.
Don’t Leave Extra Space
If the container you are using is much larger than the packed product, your product will likely bounce and be damaged due to the lack of liner in the container.
Beyond product issues that repeat around the packaging, this can also increase shipping boxes costs and waste your time.
Dimensional weight is a measure that shipping companies use to determine the cost of shipping boxes. Whether your package is not heavy or not, and if the container or box used to pack it is too big, you will be charged more for the larger package. Freight companies need to take this action because they require the most space in their delivery vehicles.
Never Avoid Protective Packaging
Every package is not the same. While some packs don’t require any protection, having enough padding to avoid injuries is always good.
Boxes are not the only choice when it comes to creating protective packaging. For example, if you send letters by post, you may want to consider using bubble wrap envelopes as they offer more protection than plain envelopes.
Don’t Do Incorrect Handling
As your package travels through the distribution chain, it could be handled by hundreds of different people. Even with a handle with care or fragile label, the box could end up being tampered with by someone else over time, intentionally or accidentally.
Incorrect handling of the packaging may result in unintentional damage to the product. This can be a massive negative for consumers. You can, however, purchase insurance to protect against package mishandling.
Moisture or Water
Extreme weather conditions, such as extreme cold or intense heat, can cause irreparable damage to your goods. Although you cannot control it, if a package for a customer is not adequately secured outside their home, rain could cause damage to the packaging and even the product itself.
Extreme temperature fluctuations and condensation can cause moisture inside the container. In this scenario, there is a possibility that mold, corrosion, and other unwanted byproducts are present.
To prevent this, desiccant bags with packaging will undergo extreme temperature variations during their journeys to the consumer. They are similar to the small preservative packets found in beef jerky bags.
Theft of Packaging
Package theft is not necessarily a cause of damage. However, it results in a loss for your company and customers. Your business will most likely be responsible for the lost package based on the situation.
To prevent theft, you must inform your customers about the options offered by courier companies that can offer you customized time frames and delivery options.
Damage
If you ship packages of goods that contain pests, it can become a problem. Damage can occur if many rodents or bugs infest the area where your products are placed. Problems arising from rodent infestation, such as insects or rats, usually occur during overseas shipments.
Durable and long-lasting packaging products will prevent unwanted animals and insects from entering your containers and damaging the items inside. Consider using heavier cardboard boxes with compartments reinforced with extra cardboard and pack the product.
Monitor Metrics
An important metric to monitor to reduce the risk of damage to your packaging and, most importantly, your product is the amount of damage you experience per week. This is the total amount of damaged goods you produce weekly.
Monitoring this information and analyzing the data can help determine the best course of action needed to prevent damage to your package.
Set a goal to reduce your damage each week consistently. Consider setting this up as an annual metric to track as one of your key performance indicators. By monitoring your losses weekly, you can reduce the amount over time.
Discover Solutions
Next, you will probably need to discover the source of your problems. Are you in your supply chain? In your warehouse? During transport? In a warehouse or a carrier? In a delivery vehicle?
Knowing where your items are most likely to be damaged will allow you to track down and correct these issues before they become a problem. If the damage occurs primarily at a third party’s site, we must cooperate with them to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
If most damage occurs in your packaging line, warehouse, supply chain, or other location, you’ll need to establish KPIs that measure performance.
Calculations
The original sale refers to the amount you would have earned on the item when it was delivered directly to the buyer and was not damaged.
It is vital to calculate this number as it allows you to assess the amount of money you lose every time you receive a damaged product monthly, weekly, and annually.
Being responsible for this data can help you and your team determine the appropriate methods to prevent your equipment from being destroyed. It is essential to understand this to hold your business and suppliers accountable for the damage caused.
Knowing the numbers can motivate your management team, as well as everyone in the shipping boxes department of your business, to work to reduce the amount of damage. Constant monitoring of this data can ensure that your claims numbers stay within the desired range.
Manufacturing Cost
Reviewing the manufacturing costs of your products to determine the importance of ensuring their safety is essential. Reviewing this simple number is a good idea if you don’t know exactly what you’re paying per-product package.
While it might seem insignificant, each damaged product can add up quickly. If you keep production costs in mind, you will be more likely to protect your goods because you will know the value of each packed item.
Cost to Repair
Every damaged item is one that you’ll need to remove or completely overhaul from the start to ensure it is well-packaged and ready to make its way into the buyer’s hands.
Do you know how much each rework or disposal will cost your company? Do you consider these costs to be soft costs? If so, you may be interested in looking at these issues from a different perspective, allowing you to realize the severity of the damage to your company.
Contact QuickCustomBoxes if you want assistance setting up the appropriate protocols, equipment, and other materials to help minimize damage. They will help you analyze the packaging process and identify areas where improvements could be made.
Keeping an eye on these numbers will allow you to reduce damage and track the real impact damaged products can have on your business profitability.
