
5 Packaging Tips To Avoid Damaged Goods And Customer Returns
by Josh Biggs in Tips on 14th January 2022Every year, people transport billions of packages from point A to point B globally. It’s become more commonplace because of globalization.
Quality packaging is important to avoid goods being damaged. It preserves the reputation of your company and it also helps you to avoid the costs of customer returns. In actuality, customer returns can be very costly, especially if you consider the fact that an increase in customer returns, leads to a more complex process for the company. That being said, you should prevent these incidents from happening by ensuring that the packaging is done efficiently and properly.
Goods can be damaged from being dropped, compressed, exposed to extreme humidity, and vibrations during transit. Depending on the type of goods you’re transporting, there’s always a chance that they could get damaged. But there are ways to reduce the occurrence of damage by using the right choices of appropriate packaging.
That being said, here are a few tips to consider when packaging goods to avoid damage and customer returns:
- Packaging Heavy Items
Heavy products could cause boxes to deform when stacked together. For heavy packages, you need to conduct an edge crash test (ECT), which can measure how much weight the edge of a box can carry before it deforms. However, if you don’t have access to an ECT test, observe the thickness of the cardboard you’re using. Accordingly, thinner boxes can support small to medium-sized products, but for the bigger, heavier products, you will need to get boxes with thicker walls that won’t collapse from the weight of the heavy material it will be carrying.
Also, when dealing with heavy packages, make sure that the cartons being used are corrugated. Corrugated cartons have a resilient material that’s suitable to handle heavier weights. So, they are your best bet for avoiding damage via compression.
In addition, you can also customize packaging containers for specific kinds of products that may require utmost care and safety. You can search online for the nearest aluminum supplier or check this one out because Fast Metals sells aluminum products through their website for your needs in making customized packaging.
- Packaging Fragile Items
When packaging fragile products, we need to make sure that there’s enough cushioning to absorb the impact of package movements. These are materials you can place inside your package that will provide support to avoid damage.
If needed, you may double or even triple on the amount of padding to use to prevent the breakage of fragile items. Here are a few padding materials to consider:
- Polybag – it’s lightweight and fairly waterproof. If your package is boxed properly, this can be a good option for packaging clothes like hoodies, caps, and jeans. It serves as double protection inside a cardboard box.
- Jiffy bag – very similar to a polybag, but it provides more cushioning and is more appropriate for smaller-sized items.
- Bubble wraps – this material can provide all-around support. To gauge how much bubble wrap to use depends on the size of the package. Although it can be quite expensive, the important thing is that your package is safe and free from damage.
- Brown paper – this is perhaps the cheapest material you can use to fill the void in a box. However, these could be the least dependent cushions because it’s easy for them to falter since they’re not structurally strong and they fall apart easily.
- Take Pictures
Before you send off a package to the shippers, you need to make it a standard practice in your business to take a picture beforehand. The main reason for implementing this is for your own security that in any case that an item gets damaged, you’ll have evidence that it’s not your fault. Otherwise, you’ll be the one who assumes the responsibility for someone else’s recklessness. If ever the shipper tries to shift the blame on you, you will have pictures as evidence to cover your back and protect your reputation.
- Choose The Right Shipping Services
You want to stick with shipping companies that have an excellent reputation for delivering on time and without damage. Before considering one, do your research and ask for feedback and references from their past and present clients to know more about their credibility. Always keep in mind that everything will run smoothly in your business if you have the right team in place.
- Damage Indicators
Damage indicator devices are ideal for monitoring your packages to determine where and when the damage may have happened due to mishandling. These devices and stickers should be a part of your packaging supplies. By using such indicators, you can save time and money in resolving future issues regarding damages.
Conclusion
The tips listed above can serve as a starting point to guide you in making the right decisions with regards to properly handling your packages. It’s now up to you to decide on which materials are most appropriate based on the size and weight of your product. Just bear in mind that your customers are the bloodline of your business, and to retain their loyalty you must make sure that they receive what they paid for in the most possible perfect condition.