Sending a Parcel? Here Are Some Top Tips for Getting It There Safely

It wasn’t so long ago that the thought of sending a parcel, especially abroad, was an intimidating one. How on earth would it get to Outer Mongolia in one piece?

Thankfully, things have moved on a lot since then. And whether you’re sending items to customers in your own country or are shipping things to loved ones abroad, there are a number of things you can do to help ensure the safety of your parcel.

Here are some of them:

Take Your Parcel’s Weight and Size Into Consideration

A lot of couriers will have specific sizes and weights that you need to adhere to. This is determined by their vehicles, depots, and team. Often, parcels can only be up to 1.4m long and won’t be able to weigh any more than 30kg.

So before you start to wrap something up, consider how big it’s going to be and how much it’s going to weigh first. That way, you can start investigating the cost with different couriers.

For example, parcels sent to America with the international service from TNT can weigh up to 70kg and have a length of up to 1.6kg, which is above the average.

Think About How You’re Going to Package Your Item

Consider what it’s going to take to get your parcel from A to B. From bumpy roads and turbulent flights to sorting hubs and endless conveyor belts, there are a lot of things your item is going to have to navigate to get there safely.

That’s why you need to ensure you’ve boxed your parcel as well as possible, using a box that’s big enough for the item but isn’t that big that it allows it to move around a lot during transit.

Protect Your Item Well

After finding the right box for your parcel, you now need to find the right inner packaging. Chips or molds are ideal for retailers but if you’re sending a personal item, you can normally find a few handy things around your home that will suffice.

Old packaging materials, bubble wrap, and shredded newspaper are ideal, as are old clothes.

Check, Double-Check, and Triple-Check the Address

Finally, now you’ve gone to all the hard work of protecting your parcel, don’t make the fatal error of not labeling it up right. Check the address you’re sending it to thoroughly before printing your label – and be sure to add a return label with your address on, just in case the item does get lost or can’t be delivered.