Have you observed that in the past when you step into a store selling glass or fragile items, there is always a small quote like
“If you break it, it is yours”
or
“Nice to touch, nice to hold, if you break it, it is sold”.
Well, times have changed with the growth of eCommerce. Now, if your customer damages an item or receives a damaged piece then it is yours and not theirs. It has become peremptory to fulfil your orders safely to your customers, without any damages. Most of the times, the products are mishandled or piled up together. Thus, they must be in robust wrapping that can hold the product safely until the doorstep of your customer.
If a product seems to break or get damaged with slightest impact of force, it is called fragile. Materials like glass, ceramic, crystal, etc are known as fragile in general. But do you know there are many more goods that could potentially be categorised as fragile? Yes, items having many curves, folds or bends are also called fragile. Musical instruments, furniture, artwork, electronic gadgets, etc also join this category. Even items that are not called as fragile might break, get chipped, scratched or torn if not packed well.
Packaging acts as a safety blanket around fragile products. To make the process simple, we have listed out 5 simple steps for packaging fragile items ensuring your products’ safety thereby leading to a better customer post-purchase experience.
A thick cardboard box, well-sized and strong enough to protect your fragile items is vital. Even if your products are light in weight, a strong box can provide that extra layer of protection. It is good to choose a box which has space enough for you to go around with 2 fingers from the walls on all sides of the fragile item. Then, we can fill the space, providing enough padding for the item as safety to the product from friction without leaving any extra space to rattle. Make sure to use thick tape that is strong ensuring the package doesn’t open in harshest conditions.
In order to save the product from getting scratched or damaged, it is wrapped using bubble wrap or any other cushioning materials that helps acts as a safety layer. Materials such as shrink wrap, crinkle paper, woven sacks, jute bags, inflatables, pulp, corrugated bubble, air sleeves and bubble wraps are widely used based on the material of the fragile item. However, there are many varieties of void fillers and packaging cushion options which are functional, sustainable, aesthetic and cost-effective.
Loose fillers like packaging peanuts or foam nuts, hay, and recycled paper confetti offer tonnage that helps protect the fragile item from impact and absorbs the shock even before affecting the product.
For expensive fragile items, to be on the safe side, businesses prefer to double pack their products. You can use that box-in-box technique by placing the item in the small box, closing it after padding, and keeping it in the second box after stuffing it with layers of paper or other dunnage between the layers. Then meticulously close the box with Fragile tape.
Images indicating breakable contents or mentioning ‘handle with care’, ‘this way up’ or ‘fragile’ on all sides of the packaging in bold is one of the basic expectations when it comes to handling by last mile carriers. They appreciate if we mention it, so while stacking the goods in the truck or while shipping them from A to B, carriers understand that your product is fragile and extra care must be taken.
It is an advantage to collaborate with shipping partners who can assist you in arranging insurance for the damaged goods if necessary. Thus, you might be able to claim at least a part of the product cost if it gets damaged.
Well, if you are still not sure if your products are fragile or if they need extra careful packaging or not, then it is important for you to tick or answer the following questions and check for yourself. If you have at least one answer as yes, then your product needs fragile packaging.
At Huboo, we pack 1000s of orders every day. We provide you with great quality packaging material at the most cost-effective prices. These include three-ply corrugated boxes in many sizes, bubble wrap, recycled sheets for filling, transparent and marked tapes, mailing bags, and envelopes with bubble wrap layer. To ensure the safe packaging of fragile articles, we follow guidelines, techniques and packaging instructions properly.
Thus, we use superior packaging material to pack your fragile items safely for storing, picking, packing, shipping and delivering the best unboxing experience to your customers.
