Archive for the ‘Packing Tips’ Category

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.

One of the most common mistakes made when packing is not properly protecting the item being shipped.  When this happens, the impact to the outside of the box transfers to the contents which may cause damage.  Here are some suggestions for safely packing your item for shipping…

• Use a sturdy Corrugated Shipping Box.  Make sure the corners and flaps are intact.  If you are reusing a box, do not use a box with tears or holes.
• Put protective wrapping such as 3/16″ height Bubble Wrap around the item.  If packing more than one item into a box, wrap each item individually.
• Center your item in the box and allow for 2″ to 3″ of packing material to be placed around the item (this includes the area underneath the item).  We recommend using Packing Peanuts or bubble wrap as cushioning.  The goals here are to suspend and stabilize the contents.  The items should not touch any portion of the box or not move around during transportation.
• If shipping multiple items be sure that they do not touch each other and that there is at least 2″ between each item.
• Tape your box on the top and bottom seem (include the left and right sides) using a Carton Sealing Tape.
• Put the appropriate Shipping Label on the outside of the box to encourage proper handling.

Remember that poor packing can lead to damaged items or cause your customers to be critical of the item you sold them.  In either case, they might not come back.

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

The two most commonly asked questions when purchasing bubble wrap are:

What size bubble wrap do I need?

Bubble wrap rolls have three basic measurements: the roll width, length, and bubble size. An example retail product offering would be our 12″ x 175′ (3/16″ bubble height) bubble rolls.

Width: The size of the product being wrapped will determine what roll width will be needed. Common retail roll widths are 12″ and 24″ and the rolls are typically perforated every 12″.

Length: The length of the roll is dependent upon the amount of items that will be wrapped.

Bubble Size: The size of the bubble refers to the height of the bubble and not the diameter. The standard bubble heights are: 1/16″, 1/8″, 3/16″, 5/16″, and 1/2″. Small bubbles are ideal for wrapping individual items and large bubbles are best used as void fill.

When using bubble wrap, do I face the bubbles in toward the product or away from the product?

When wrapping an item in bubble wrap make sure to face the bubbles in toward the item being wrapped. This will allow for the bubbles to expand as needed thus creating a layer of protection around your item. If the bubble wrap is being used as void fill it does not matter if the bubbles face the product.

Bubble Wrap® brand is a registered trademark of Sealed Air Corporation.

Most new or small businesses charge their customers a shipping charge, but often forget to factor in the cost of packing and materials. That said, the first shipping and packing tip is to ensure that your price or shipping charge includes sufficient mark-up to adequately cover the expense of packing your item(s) thus preserving your margins. To determine your packing expenses first identify the materials needed to ship your product(s) on a per item basis. Start by asking the following questions…

1. Is the item being shipped fragile or large?

If yes, ship the item in Corrugated Shipping Boxes.

If no, consider one of the following mailing products; Bubble Mailers, Mailing Tubes, Poly Mailers, or Rigid Mailers. Mailers are a low cost alternative to boxes and are usually less expensive to ship.

2. If using corrugated shipping boxes, decide how the item(s) will be protected during transportation?

The most common methods of protecting the contents of a shipping box is wrapping the item in Bubble Wrap, suspending the item using Packing Peanuts, or filling the box with Kraft Paper in effort to stabilize the item.

3. Factor in the other supplies needed to ship the item(s) which include; Carton Sealing Tape, Shipping Labels, Packing List Envelopes, and a Tape Gun.

Now calculate the amount of materials it takes to package one item and multiply by the number of shipments per month. This will give you an understanding of how much packaging material is needed on a monthly basis. Finally, divide the cost of materials by the number of items you ship per month to arrive at your “per item” packaging cost.

Other things to consider:

• Don’t forget to insure your package. Both UPS and FedEx offer free insurance up to $100 per shipment. The US Postal Service does not offer free insurance.
• If you have an employee packing, you will have to calculate labor charges to cover the “time” aspect of packing.
• Buy your packaging supplies in bulk to save money.

Bubble Mailers have become a popular choice for shipping items such as CD’s, DVD’s, Jewelry, Video Games, Trading Cards, Hardware, and more. As their popularity has increased, so have the inquiries regarding proper sizing.

That said, we decided to post the following formula to help you determine the best size mailer for your item(s).

Width of Mailer: (W) Width of product + (T) Thickness of product + 1/2″

Length of Mailer: (L) Length of product + (T) Thickness of product + 2″

Note: The correct mailers interior size MUST be larger than the minimum calculated size in BOTH dimensions.