31
2017
When you ship, use plain boxes
An article by shipsurance
It seems easy enough to get a package from A to B. Place the items in a box, pack it well, label it, and send it on it’s way. Most of the time that is all that is needed for reasonably safe transit. Things come up, which is why you have shipping insurance, but how can you lower the chance of an incidence? After all, the goal is to get the item delivered to your recipient, not to have them disappointed at a damaged or lost item and have to file a claim.
A simple way to lower losses, and a requirement of our coverage, is to ship items in non-descript boxes. This includes manufacturers packaging, your company packaging, and packaging that alludes to the contents. Some examples are boxes with the manufacturers logo on it, your logo on it, or a photo of the contents on the packaging, or the name of the item (or items) in the box. The carrier branded boxes are just fine to use as they do not give away what is in the package.
Why do we require this and why is this good practice even if you do not insure your shipments? It is a risk management technique that helps alleviate lost and damaged packages.
LOSS
- Anyone who is handling a non-descript package does not know what the package contains. It has less of a change to “grow legs” and walk away.
- After a package is delivered, any innocent onlooker will not know the contents and be tempted to make it their own.
DAMAGE
- Some brands breed negative consumer reactions. Branded packaging can be treated differently (read: rougher) while in transit or after delivery.
- Certain manufacturer packaging is meant for palletized transit, only. They are constructed in a way to be banded to a pallet, often with other similar items banded together. They are not meant for small parcel transit.
- Many times items are damaged after initially being sent from the factory they were manufactured in. How can it be determined that damage did not occur before you shipped it to your recipient? If the item was removed for repackaging, this damage would have been caught before shipping to your recipient.
The best solution is to re-box items that are in descriptive packaging. This way it is just another package flowing through a sea of other similar packaging. Another solution is to place a descriptive box inside of another non-descript box or to cover all marking with opaque packing tape.
We understand that it is difficult for some items to be repackaged, such as larger appliances, motors, speakers, and other items. If you have this type of shipment and would like to insure it with us, make sure to call us for written approval. If we cannot cover it, we will refer you to the carrier to purchase their declared value coverage on that specific shipment. As an insurance company, this is one of the risk management techniques we require to help packages get from A to B at a higher frequency.
Please visit http://www.proshippingtips.com for additional tips.
