If you’re planning on shipping out valuable items or documents related to your business, you may be concerned about the safety of your shipment. Or, in the worst-case scenario, you may be worried about the potential costs of replacing your items if they’re lost or broken. Ensuring that your shipments reach their final destination is the most stressful part of the shipping process, so what can you do to protect your shipments?
Is it enough to pack your box with bubble wrap or packing peanuts? Should you try finding paid protection plans like FedEx insurance? If you have any of these concerns, we may be able to help point you in the right direction. Allow us to break down everything you might want to know about protecting your valuable business shipments.
Purchase FedEx Insurance
If you’re shipping out packages, you might find FedEx insurance or some other type of paid protection to be very helpful. In the case you’re worried about your more expensive or valuable pieces being lost through FedEx, FedEx insurance might offer you some peace of mind.
However, if you’re planning on purchasing FedEx insurance, be sure to closely review what is covered. Some forms of insurance may not offer full coverage for your packages, and FedEx insurance on its own may not necessarily be all of the coverage you need. Do your research to cover your needs.
Create Some Cushion
If you’re sending out a valuable shipment, especially if the items are breakable, you may want to consider adding in a bit of softness and cushion. While this may add a bit to the overall cost, this is a fantastic way to reduce the likelihood of your fragile items arriving broken to their final destination. There are many types of packing materials you might choose from, each of which has different advantages.
You can try filling up your boxes with balled-up paper if you’re trying to be cost-effective. However, the density of this can build up quickly if you aren’t too careful. If you’re interested in being more eco-friendly, balling-up paper may be a great choice for you.
Packing peanuts are also a tried and true option. The combination of air and styrofoam creates extra cushion in the case that your package gets jostled around, and the packing peanuts may also shift back into place and provide continuous protection. However, styrofoam is not necessarily eco-friendly, so you may want to avoid this if you prefer to be kind to the environment or have a mission statement that prioritizes sustainability.
You might also choose to use bubble wrap. This works relatively similarly to packing peanuts, but it is generally more recyclable than styrofoam packing peanuts. Further, many customers may be joyful to find bubble wrap in their packaging, so don’t be afraid to add a smile to others’ faces in this way.
Be Strategic in Your Packing
If you don’t want to add additional material to your packages, you may also choose to be strategic in your packing. For example, if you’re sending a valued business partner some merchandise, you might choose to wrap your company mug in a shirt or jacket to prevent the more fragile items from breaking.
As a bonus tip, you might also want to store smaller items inside of gaps to save space. If you’re sending stickers, erasers, small trinkets, or other items in your shipment, you might choose to place these inside of your company mug.
Include a Return Address
You may also want to triple-check that you’ve included an accurate return address on your shipments before sending them out. Especially if the valuable shipment gets sent to the incorrect location and may be sent back, you may be able to get your precious information or items returned to you.
Generally, this comes without an extra cost when you’re sending out items, as well as it prevents your shipments from staying in the wrong hands or being thrown away. Then, upon the receipt of your shipment, you might be able to communicate with the intended recipient about any miscommunication and correct their address.
Hand Delivery
Hand delivery is also an excellent option if you’re worried about your final recipient receiving their packages. Not only does this come off as extremely thoughtful and kind to the person receiving a gift from a company, but you can also send a trusted employee to deliver valuable information to its final destination. This ensures that your package has made it into the correct hands.
Or, if you would like to be extra safe in your deliveries, you might decide to take the more valuable, time-sensitive, or top-secret packages to the final recipient yourself. This way, you lower the chance of making a mistake, grace them with your kindness and thoughtfulness, and nearly guarantee nothing arrives broken.
Conclusion
Businesses are constantly required to send out valuable packages to their customers, business partners, and other representatives. This is often complicated by distance and the need to trust middlemen with the safety of your information and fragile items. If you needed tips on protecting your packages, we hope you found our suggestions helpful or inspiring. Good luck!
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