Archive for the ‘Packing Tips’ Category

With the Holidays right around the corner we wanted to remind our customers to plan accordingly and make your shipping season a success.  The following are the USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL service holidays.

2009 U.S. Postal Service Holidays:

• Veterans Day – November 11, 2009
• Thanksgiving Day – November 26, 2009
• Christmas Day – December 25, 2009
• New Year’s Day – January 1, 2010

2009 UPS Service Holidays:

• Thanksgiving Day – November 26, 2009
• Day after Thanksgiving – November 27, 2009
• Christmas Day – December 25, 2009
• New Year’s Eve – December 31, 2009
• New Year’s Day – January 1, 2010

2009 FedEx Service Holidays:

• Thanksgiving Day – November 26, 2009
• Christmas Day – December 25, 2009
• New Year’s Day – January 1, 2010

2009 DHL Service Holidays:

• Thanksgiving – November 26, 2009
• Christmas Day – December 25, 2009
• New Year’s Day – January 1, 2010

Please Note:  There is no regular pickup or delivery service for these holidays; however, most carriers offer emergency service 365 days a year.  The best way to ensure a timely delivery of your goods is to allow a few extra days prior to the above listed holidays.  We recommend calling your carrier if you have any questions.

Packing Peanuts are a common loose-fill packing material used to prevent damage to fragile objects during shipping.  There are four different types of Packing Peanuts:  White, Pink Anti-Static, Green Recycled and Biodegradable.  Let’s take a closer look at each type…

White Packing Peanuts:  White peanuts are made of 70% new polystyrene and best used when presentation matters.  They utilize an “S” design that allows for interlocking within the packaging container for stronger cushioning and stability.  May be re-used and ultimately recycled.

Pink Anti-Static Packing Peanuts:  Pink Anti-Static peanuts are made of 70% new polystyrene and best used to protect static sensitive electronics from static discharge.   They utilize an “S” design that allows for interlocking within the packaging container for stronger cushioning and stability.  May be re-used and ultimately recycled.

Green Recycled Packing Peanuts:  Green peanuts are made of 100% recycled content typically the remains of other polystyrene loose fill.  They utilize an “S” design that allow for interlocking within the packaging container for stronger cushioning and stability.  May be re-used and ultimately recycled.  Best choice for eco-conscious shippers that need a cleaner alternative to Biodegradable Packing Peanuts.

Biodegradable Packing Peanuts:  Biodegradable peanuts are made of corn starch and are 100% biodegradable, recyclable, reusable and compostable.  Best choice for companies with green initiatives or eco-conscious end users.

The two drawbacks with the Biodegradable peanuts are that they leave dust behind and they are edible and may attract rodents if used for long-term storage.

We hope this helps you to choose the Packing Peanuts that best fit your needs.  Next month look for our first video packing tip.

Two questions we commonly receive from our customers are…

1. Are your shipping supplies made with recycled content?
2. Can the items I’m purchasing be recycled?

Those are great questions and we certainly appreciate our customer’s commitment to protecting the environment. With that said, a few months ago we created the “Eco Information Chart” that lists all of our product categories and answers the above mentioned questions.

The Eco Information Chart shows what our products are “Made from” (recycled content, post consumer waste, or conventional product).  The chart also provides information on disposal options titled “After you are done” (100% recyclable, biodegradable and compostable).  On the bottom of the chart we have included definitions in effort to help our customers understand unfamiliar terms and processes. 

Click on the screenshot below to visit our Eco Information Chart.

Okay, Shipping Labels aren’t exactly super heroes but they do help prevent damage to your package during transit by sending clear messages to all potential handlers.  What is heroic is this protection only costs about .02 cents a label.

Our bright red Shipping Labels are available in rolls of 500 labels and are easy to use.  Simply peel and apply.  We stock the following labels with common messages…

• Fragile Handle with Care
• Glass Handle with Care
• This Side Up
• Packing List Enclosed
• Invoice Enclosed
• Made in the U.S.A.

We recommend placing our labels on multiple sides of your package or envelope to ensure that your shipment will arrive safely.  In addition to handing labels, place instructional labels to help customers find Invoices, Packing Lists, or Bill of Ladings.

Every holiday season we get emails from various eBay Sellers asking “What should I use to ship my widget?”  That said we want to suggest the best shipping supplies for a few of eBay’s most commonly sold items.

• DVD’s/Video Games use DVD Bubble Mailers
• CD’s use CD Bubble Mailers
• VHS Tapes use VHS Bubble Mailers
• Books use Bubble Mailers
• Clothing use Poly Mailers
• Pictures use No-Bend Mailers
• Posters use Kraft Mailing Tubes
• Jewelry use XPAK Poly Bubble Mailers
• Coins/Trading Cards use #000 Bubble Mailers
• Sun Glasses use Corrugated Mailers
• Golf Clubs use 6 x 6 x 48″ Corrugated Boxes

Please Note:  We recommend reading our Choosing the Correct Size Bubble Mailers and How Shipping Boxes are Measured articles to help choose the correct size product(s).  Lastly, please remember to properly wrap fragile items and always insure your packages with your carrier.  These extra steps will help to protect both your bottom line…and your reputation.

With the Holidays right around the corner we wanted to remind our customers to plan accordingly and make your shipping season a success.  The following are the USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL service holidays.

2008 U.S. Postal Service Holidays:

• Veterans Day – November 11, 2008
• Thanksgiving Day – November 27, 2008
• Christmas Day – December 25, 2008
• New Year’s Day – January 1, 2009

2008 UPS Service Holidays:

• Thanksgiving Day – November 27, 2008
• Day after Thanksgiving – November 28, 2008
• Christmas Day – December 25, 2008
• New Year’s Eve – December 31, 2008
• New Year’s Day – January 1, 2009

2008 FedEx Service Holidays:

• Thanksgiving Day – November 27, 2008
• Christmas Day – December 25, 2008
• New Year’s Day – January 1, 2009

2008 DHL Service Holidays:

• Thanksgiving – November 27, 2008
• Christmas Day – December 25, 2008
• New Year’s Day – January 1, 2009

Please Note:  There is no regular pickup or delivery service for these holidays; however, most carriers offer emergency service 365 days a year.  The best way to ensure a timely delivery of your goods is to allow a few extra days prior to the above listed holidays.  We recommend calling your carrier if you have any questions.

Shipping Scales save money by accurately determining the weight of items being shipped preventing unnecessary overspending on shipping & mailing costs.  Once you have determined the weight of your packages, simply purchase your postage online and take advantage of USPS, UPS, or FedEx customer pickup to make your shipping process simple, efficient & timely.

Having a shipping scale is cost effective & time saving; don’t you think it’s time to buy a scale?

ShippingSupply.com has chosen to carry scales made by My Weigh.  Why?  Because My Weigh offers a 30 Year warranty on all of their products and have been able to manufacture high quality scales at low prices.

We offer five different scales including the UltraShip35, UltraShip55, UltraShip75, UltraShipU2, and the HD150.  The following are short descriptions of each scale to help our customers choose the scale that best fits their needs…

UltraShip35, UltraShip55, and UltraShip75:  The three models are identical in features and functions; however, the numbers listed after the names represent the capacity of each scale.  These scales feature 0.1oz accuracy up to 2lbs and 0.2oz accuracy over 2lbs, a programmable auto off, and detachable readout for big packages.  An A/C adapter, shipping tube attachment and a telescoping letter holding attachment are included.

Best Use:  Weigh Shipping Boxes, envelopes, or mailing tubes at home or small business.  Choose the model that best fits your capacity needs.

UltraShip-U2:  The pinnacle of office-postal & shipping scales.  Has a 60lb capacity with 0.1oz accuracy up to 2lbs and 0.2oz accuracy over 2lbs.  Features include; programmable auto off, detachable readout for big packages, UPS Worldship and USPS.com compatibility, a Shipping Tube attachment and a telescoping letter holder.

Best Use:  Weigh packages, Bubble Mailers, or mailing tubes that are less than 60lbs.  One of the major differences between the UltraShip 35/55/75 scales and the UltraShip U2 is the U2′s ability to connect to a computer using a USB cord.

HD150:  The HD Series means heavy duty.  This scale is extra durable and designed for shipping, weight checking, and most other industrial uses.  Features include; 14″ x 14″ platform, AC Adaptor, UPS Worldship and Endicia’s Dazzle compatibility, RS232 Computer port and cable, runs on AC or batteries.

Best Use:  Shipping packages up to 150lbs for medium or large businesses.  The U2 is compatible with UPS Worldship or Endicia’s Dazzle software.

While using a single corrugated box to ship items is possible in most instances, there are many situations when a single box just isn’t enough.  Why?  Because many single boxes endure sorting impact, over-the-road vibration, and other kinds of package handling situations that transfer directly to the fragile contents.   The Box-In-Box packing method is an effective way of protecting fragile items such as electronics, glassware or pottery from damage by packing the item in one box and placing the packed box in another box.

1. Wrap your product(s) individually with at least 2″ thickness of bubble wrap or foam material to fit snugly inside a corrugated box.
2. Place your wrapped product(s) in a box and make sure to restrict the movement inside the box using void fill like crumpled kraft paper or packing peanuts.
3. Close and tape the inner box to prevent accidental opening.
4. Use a second, outer container that is at least 6″ longer, wider and deeper than the inner box.
5. Choose the wrap or fill method to cushion the inner box inside the larger sturdy outer container.
6. Wrap the inner box with at least 4″ thickness of bubble wrapping material or use at least 3″ of packing peanuts or other cushioning material to fill the spaces between the inner box and outer container on the top, bottom and all sides.
7. Fill any void spaces with more cushioning material.
8. Seal your package with carton sealing tape and place the shipping label on the box.  Don’t forget a fragile label.

Lastly, even the best of packing jobs can end up getting damaged; therefore, we do recommend insuring your packages with your carrier.

Shipping Boxes are the most commonly used shipping supply in the packaging industry and are available in hundreds of different sizes.  That said, we would like to review how boxes are measured and share a few best practices.

Box measurements are always listed using interior dimensions.  The first dimension is the length; the next is width, and the last is height.

For Example:  If a box is listed as 12 x 10 x 8″ the dimensions would be in a 12 Length (L) x 10 Width (W) x 8″ Height (H) format as follows:

When choosing the best size box to ship an item, make sure to allow room for adequate padding around the contents.  For maximum protection make sure the item is centered in the box with 2 to 3 inches of packing material used for protection.

Here are a few best practices for packaging your item(s):

Because there are so many types of packaging tapes available, we have chosen to stock Hot Melt Adhesive Packaging Tape because it offers high performance at a low cost.  Despite our effort to make tape purchasing easy, you will need to choose the color, width, and the strength or “mil”.

Choosing color and size is self explanatory; however, do you know what tape will support the weight of your package?  To understand the weight capacity of tape, one must first understand “mil”.  What is a “mil” you ask?

A “mil” is a unit of thickness equal to one thousandth of an inch. To convert mil to inches take mil & divide by 1000. Thus, 2 mil tape would be .002 inches thick.

Ex: 2 mil/1000 = .002 inches

Why should you care about “mil”?  Because the greater the “mil” the stronger the tape.

The following guide should help you determine what “mil” tape should be used based upon the weight of your package.

• 1.7 Mil- Recommended for packages under 20 lbs.
• 2.2 Mil- Recommended for packages under 40 lbs.
• 2.5 Mil- Recommended for packages under 50 lbs.
• 3.0 Mil- Recommended for packages under 65 lbs.
• 3.5 Mil- Recommended for packages under 90 lbs.

Note:  Carriers such as UPS, FedEx, and DHL recommend using clear tape when packing to ensure the proper scanning of the shipping labels.