How You Can Properly Pack and Ship Books and Electronic Itemssubmitted on 9 March 2019
When you are shipping an item for business purposes, whether it’s to a customer who has ordered from your online site or to another business for a B2B transaction, you need to be sure that you are shipping your item correctly. You need to make sure that your parcel arrives at its destination promptly and in one piece; this way, you are relieved of the hassle of damaged items or worse, lost or misplaced items. But various items come with various regulations for shipping as well, and if you are planning to ship books and magazines and electronic items, here’s how you can do it right.
What you should know about restricted or prohibited items
First of all, be aware that some items are restricted or prohibited from being sent locally or internationally. These items include aerosols and alcohol, crackers, batteries, lighters and matches, liquids, nail varnish, perishables, and perfumes. This doesn’t mean to say that you cannot send them at all – it just means that there are certain regulations and guidelines for sending such items.
How to pack and ship books and magazines, electronics, and more
• Packing and shipping books, magazines, brochures, leaflets, and other paper documents
When you are planning to ship books, you should be aware that the corners and bindings of books can become easily damaged. It’s essential to send books with the proper packaging material so you can be sure that they don’t get damaged. For books, large and small, you can use a padded envelope or a sturdy double-lined white postal box; there are now white postal boxes in different sizes which you can use for shipping, and they come with tabs that are self-locking as well, adding to your parcel’s security and protection. When packing a large book, make sure there is a clearance of at least 2.5 cm between the book and the box.
For brochures and leaflets, the packaging you use will depend on the thickness. It’s best to use padded or sturdy cardboard boxes or envelopes for brochures and leaflets which are around 1 cm in thickness, whilst you can use a corrugated box and make sure to wrap the brochure or leaflet in shrink-wrap or thick paper if it is up to 5 cm in thickness. The guide for newspapers and magazines is the same as for brochures and leaflets.
• Packing and shipping electronics
When it comes to electronic items, there are various guidelines as well. For instance, if you are sending small gadgets such as eBook readers, satellite navigation gadgets, and iPods, make sure to take out the batteries and surround the item with at least 1 cm of cushioning, such as bubble wrap. For larger items such as iPads, laptops, printers, flat screen televisions, and other larger gadgets, surround the object with at least 5 cm of cushioning to protect it from vibration or impact. If the item comes with plugs or pins, cover them with 1 cm of cushioning as well. If the item has loose parts or components, remove them and wrap each object with cushioning material individually. The packaging you choose for such items should be packed and sealed as securely as possible, so the article doesn’t get damaged during transport. Make sure as well that you include your name and postal address on the outer packaging of the parcel so the item can be easily returned to you when necessary.
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