Your customers expect their orders to arrive on their doorstep on time and unharmed. But on rare occasions, something goes awry during the shipping process and you don’t meet their expectations.

Unfortunately, these mishaps can lead to unhappy customers and negative reviews. You can’t control what happens to your packages once you hand them over to the shipping carrier, but you can take certain measures to ensure your package has the highest possible chance of getting to the customer intact.

It’s especially important to take care when sending out fragile items. Here are four tips for shipping fragile items to customers to ensure your packages arrive safely.

Choose the Perfect Box

The box you choose matters. When it comes to box type, corrugated is more reliable than regular cardboard because it has a rigid structure and ample cushioning to keep your product safe. Consider using heavy-duty boxes as well. These boxes aren't just for heavy products. They also do a fantastic job at protecting small and delicate items.

When it comes to box size, make sure to get a box that's not too big and not too small. A box that's too big will leave room for your product to shift around during transport and a box that's too small won't provide sufficient padding.

Use Protective Packaging Materials

Your first instinct is probably to wrap your fragile product in an insane amount of bubble wrap. And that instinct isn't necessarily wrong! Using quality materials is a must when shipping delicate items.

Place a soft material (packing paper, foam peanuts, bubble wrap, etc.) at the bottom of your box. Next, individually wrap each product with bubble wrap and secure it with tape. Finally, fill hollow spaces with packing paper. Once you're done, securely tape the outside of the box.

You may also want to consider shrink or stretch wrapping your boxes to protect your products from the elements.

Don't Forget the Labels

Another tip for shipping fragile items to customers is to always include a label. When carriers see a box with a label that reads "Handle With Care" or "Fragile", they know they need to take extra measures to keep the product inside safe.

Consider Insurance

When in doubt, take out insurance on delicate products that are on the expensive side. Insurance will protect your business from heavy losses if a product is damaged.

Need the perfect box for your most delicate items? Pantero's heavy-duty corrugated boxes are built to provide your products with maximum protection during shipping. Come and shop with us today! And if you need a custom box, contact us to learn more about our BoxAwesome custom box program.