Secure Shipping: Tips for Brands to Protect Packages and Minimize Damage
With an estimated 356 billion packages shipped worldwide in 2023, it’s no surprise that with this increase in online shopping, there has also been a rise in damaged, lost and stolen packages. However, it’s not the be all end all as there are a variety of steps brands can take to protect their packages and ensure they reach their customers in one piece. We’ve packaged these up with some real-life examples for you below.
Common Challenges with Shipping Damages
Shipping damages are a challenge for e-commerce businesses, manifesting in various forms such as physical damage to products, broken seals, and moisture-related issues. These damages can arise from inadequate packaging, mishandling during transit, or environmental factors. It all sounds straightforward however, when it comes to deciphering who is liable for the damages, that is when the headache can start. For damages associated with insufficient packaging, it often falls on the business, leading to financial losses, increased return rates, and the necessity for refunds or replacements. For damages due to mishandling, the liability can fall into the carriers hands, but it’s important to note this can be timely and not always successful. Moreover, shipping damages can severely impact a brand’s reputation, reducing customer trust and satisfaction. Frequent occurrences of damaged goods not only escalate operational costs but also diminish customer loyalty, making it crucial for businesses to adopt the tips outlined below.
Tips for Brands to Protect Packages and Minimize Damage
Invest in High-Quality Packaging Materials
There’s many areas where businesses cut costs, however, effective and robust packaging should not be one of them. Brands should invest in high-quality materials that provide adequate protection. This includes:
- Sturdy Boxes: Use corrugated cardboard boxes that are correctly sized for the items being shipped. Oversized boxes can lead to shifting and damage, while undersized boxes may burst open.
- Protective Padding: Incorporate bubble wrap, packing peanuts, or air pillows to cushion products and absorb shocks.
- Durable Tape: Secure boxes with strong, adhesive tape designed for shipping. Reinforce edges and seams to prevent accidental openings.
Properly Cushion and Pack Items
Effective cushioning and packing techniques are crucial to preventing damage. Follow these steps to ensure your products are well-protected:
- Wrap Each Item Individually: For fragile or breakable items, wrap each piece separately with bubble wrap, foam sheets or tissue paper.
- Fill Void Spaces: Use packing materials to fill any empty spaces in the box, preventing movement during transit.
- Double-Boxing: For highly fragile items, consider double-boxing. Place the item in a smaller box with padding, then place that box inside a larger, well-cushioned box.
Label Packages Correctly
Clear and accurate labeling can significantly reduce the risk of damage. Ensure your packages are labeled with the following information:
- Fragile Stickers: Use “Fragile” or “Handle with Care” stickers for delicate items.
- Up Arrows: Indicate the correct orientation of the package with “This Side Up” arrows.
- Shipping Information: Clearly display the recipient’s address and contact information. Include a return address as well.
Choose Reliable Shipping Partners
The choice of a shipping carrier can influence the safety of your packages. Choose carriers known for their reliability and careful handling of parcels in addition to:
- Insurance: Opt for shipping insurance to cover the cost of potential damages.
- Tracking: Use carriers that provide tracking information to monitor the shipment’s progress and address issues promptly.
Leverage Package Protection
Leveraging extra package protection allows brands to protect their revenue and reduce the load for the CX team. Customers are able to add or remove the package protection from their cart at the checkout. If purchased and a package is stolen, lost or damaged in transit, the customer can contact the protection provider directly who will process the claim and issue a reorder or refund, without any extra cost to the brand or customer. This not only protects revenue, but also enhances customer trust and confidence, knowing if any issues arise, it will be resolved quickly and hassle-free.
For example, our friends over at Corso have a simple to use claims portal for customers and pride themselves on resolving shipping issues within 24 hours.
Collect and Analyze Data
It’s tough to improve if you’re not measuring. By gathering data on damages such as certain items are damaged more than others or certain package sizes are being frequently damaged, brands can effectively adjust packaging methods. Not to mention, for new products or packaging, you can conduct test runs or even drop tests in house, to ensure they will reach your customer in one piece.
In Summary
Securing shipments and minimizing damage requires attention to detail, investment in quality materials, and collaboration with reliable shipping carriers. By implementing these strategies above, brands can enhance customer satisfaction, reduce financial losses, and build a reputation for reliability and care. Not to mention, the key to successful shipping lies in the preparation and continuous improvement of your packaging and shipping practices.
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As the festive season kicks into gear, the holiday hustle is officially underway. To make sure your packages arrive on time and to keep your customers happy, we've compiled a comprehensive guide to the UPS 2024 holiday shipping deadlines. UPS Domestic Shipments
Recommended send-by dates for expected delivery before December 25th.
UPS Domestic Shipments
- UPS® Ground - Check latest schedule
- UPS 3 Day Select® - December 19th
- UPS 2nd Day Air® - December 20th
- UPS Next Day Air® - December 23rd
UPS International Shipments
Recommended send-by dates for expected delivery before December 25.
US to Canada
- UPS® Standard (From the 48 contiguous states only) - Check latest schedule
- UPS Worldwide Expedited® - December 20th
- UPS Worldwide Express® - December 23rd
US to Mexico
- UPS® Standard (From the 48 contiguous states only) - Check latest schedule
- UPS Worldwide Expedited® - December 19th
- UPS Worldwide Express® - December 20th
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us directly through the chat box on our website or at hello@VESYL.com.
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Black Friday, Christmas, summer and winter all provide peak sales opportunities for businesses of all kinds and sizes. But what happens when those seasons and events are over?
Businesses face unique challenges due to fluctuations in demand during off-peak periods. However, by implementing effective off-season strategies and adapting to these fluctuations, businesses can maintain sales and drive growth year round. In this article, we'll explore five effective strategies to help businesses navigate the peaks and troughs of demand.
5 Strategies to Tackle Business Seasonality
Collaborate with Other Brands
Collaborating with complementary brands can be a fun and effective way to expand your customer base and offerings to generate revenue during the off-season. By partnering with other businesses that target a similar audience but operate in different seasons or industries, you can cross-promote each other's products. For example, a sunglasses brand could partner with a ski or snowboard apparel brand to offer a complete winter bundle. This not only increases exposure but also provides added value to customers.
Stay in Touch With Customers
Maintaining communication with your customers is key to keeping your brand top-of-mind. By leveraging social media and email, brands can provide relevant and valuable content, along with exclusive offers to keep them engaged and interested in your brand, even when they're not actively purchasing. Combine this with the other 4 strategies in this article, and you’re well on your way to year-round success.
Create a Loyalty Program
Loyalty programs are a powerful tool for retaining customers and encouraging repeat business. Brands can offer rewards, discounts, or exclusive perks to incentivize loyalty and keep customers coming back. For already loyal customers, implement tiered loyalty programs with special benefits and privileges to help them feel valued. Not to mention, it’s an effective way to increase customer lifetime value and average order value.
Offer Special Promotions and Discounts
During the off-season, brands can use special promotions such as free shipping, discounts, bundles or limited-time offers to incentivize sales. Create a sense of urgency by highlighting the savings and emphasizing the limited time on the offer. This not only helps to boost sales, but also helps to clear excess inventory ahead of the next season. However, it's important to offer limited time offers that do not affect the perceived value of the brand.
VESYL serves up the best-in-class rates year round so you can pass those savings on to your customers, or offer free shipping without it eating into your revenue.
Diversify Product Offerings
Expanding your product offerings can help to reduce the impact of seasonal fluctuations on your business. For example, a womens footwear brand could focus on sandals in the summer, and boots and slippers in the winter. By diversifying your offerings, you can attract customers and generate revenue even when demand for your primary products is low.
Conclusion
Seasonal fluctuations in business are inevitable, but with the right strategies in place, these off-peak periods can become excellent opportunities for growth. By collaborating with other brands, staying in touch with customers, creating loyalty programs, offering special promotions and discounts, and diversifying product offerings, businesses can thrive year-round.
Looking to lock in the most competitive shipping rates year round? Book a demo with VESYL today.
The holiday season is here, bringing with it the hustle and bustle that keeps shippers busy right through to the New Year. While we can't prepare your holiday feast or wrap presents, we’re here to make shipping easy. To help you plan ahead and ensure timely deliveries, we’ve put together a complete list of the USPS 2024 holiday shipping deadlines. With these dates in mind, you can keep your customers happy and stress-free this holiday season!
2024 Holiday Shipping Dates for Contiguous U.S. (Lower 48 States)
Recommended send-by dates for expected delivery before December 25. (Excludes Alaska & Hawaii).
- USPS Ground Advantage® Service - December 18th
- First Class Mail® Service - December 18th
- Priority Mail® Service - December 18th
- Priority Mail Express® Service - December 21st
2024 Holiday Shipping Dates for Alaska & Hawaii
Recommended send-by dates for expected delivery before December 25.
USPS Ground Advantage® Service
- Alaska - December 16th
- Hawaii - December 16th
First-Class Mail® Service
- Alaska - December 18th
- Hawaii - December 18th
Priority Mail® Service
- Alaska - December 19th
- Hawaii - December 19th
Priority Mail Express® Service
- Alaska - December 20th
- Hawaii - December 20th
2024 Holiday Shipping Dates for International Mail
Recommended send-by dates for expected delivery before December 25.
Africa
- First Class Package International Service® - December 2nd
- Priority Mail International® Service - December 2nd
- Priority Mail Express International® Service - December 9th
Asia/Pacific Rim
- First Class Package International Service® - December 9th
- Priority Mail International® Service - December 9th
- Priority Mail Express International® Service - December 16th
Australia/New Zealand
- First Class Package International Service® - December 9th
- Priority Mail International® Service - December 9th
- Priority Mail Express International® Service - December 16th
Canada
- First Class Package International Service® - December 9th
- Priority Mail International® Service - December 9th
- Priority Mail Express International® Service - December 16th
Caribbean
- First Class Package International Service® - December 9th
- Priority Mail International® Service - December 9th
- Priority Mail Express International® Service - December 16th
Central & South America
- First Class Package International Service® - December 2nd
- Priority Mail International® Service - December 2nd
- Priority Mail Express International® Service - December 9th
Europe
- First Class Package International Service® - December 9th
- Priority Mail International® Service - December 9th
- Priority Mail Express International® Service - December 16th
Mexico
- First Class Package International Service® - December 9th
- Priority Mail International® Service - December 9th
- Priority Mail Express International® Service - December 16th
Middle East
- First Class Package International Service® - December 9th
- Priority Mail International® Service - December 9th
- Priority Mail Express International® Service - December 16th
2024 Holiday Shipping Dates for Military Mail
Recommended send-by dates for expected delivery before December 25.
USPS Ground Advantage® Service
- APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 090-092 - November 4th
- APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 093 - November 4th
- APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 094-099 - November 4th
- APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 340 - November 4th
- APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 962-966 - November 4th
First-Class Mail® Service
- APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 090-092 - December 9th
- APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 093 - December 9th
- APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 094-099 - December 9th
- APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 340 - December 9th
- APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 962-966 - December 9th
Priority Mail® Service
- APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 090-092 - December 9th
- APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 093 - December 9th
- APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 094-099 - December 9th
- APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 340 - December 9th
- APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 962-966 - December 9th
Priority Mail Express Military® Service (PMEMS)
- APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 090-092 - December 16th
- APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 093 - N/A
- APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 094-099 - December 16th
- APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 340 - December 16th
- APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 962-966 - December 16th
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us directly through the chat box on our website or at hello@VESYL.com.