How to prepare a
parcel for shipping

While the well-known saying advises against judging a book by its cover, in the world of shipping, first impressions count. If you’re a business sending parcels to customers, you’ll want to know how to pack a parcel effectively to make sure your products arrive safely and in good condition. After all, a negative delivery experience can have a lasting impact on your brand. In a recent survey we conducted with Triangle of over 600 consumers, only 20% were willing to forgive a retailer after a negative delivery experience.

In this guide, we’ll share our top tips on getting your parcels ready for shipping. Follow these easy steps to decrease costs and damages, reduce delays and undeliverable parcels, and deliver a positive recipient experience.

Whatever items you’re sending, it’s important to make sure your packaging is up to the job. The condition your products arrive in when they reach your end customer is a key part of the online shopping experience.

When preparing parcels for shipping, we suggest packaging your items in either a six-sided box or a padded envelope. Where possible, use paper bags and envelopes for lighter items; these options can be 90% lighter than rigid corrugated boxes of a similar size. Use a high-quality corrugated cardboard box and consider a double wall for heavier and fragile items.

Choose size-appropriate packaging and make sure your box closes easily. Don’t forget to check any size and weight restrictions for shipping carefully with your chosen shipping provider.

Your parcel has a long journey ahead, which may include travelling on a conveyor belt. Packaging needs to be strong enough to withstand any potential falls and bumps. Fragile and heavy items should be secured within the box to ensure they don’t move around, reducing risk of damage and safety issues.

The next stage of preparing a parcel for shipping is wrapping and packing. Don’t skip this step, as it’s important to ensure the contents of your parcel aren’t damaged during transportation.

Wrap your items securely with packaging cushioning products to fit neatly inside the outer packaging. Use enough dunnage to avoid air in the parcel and to stop the items from moving around. We recommend securing any liquids with a leakproof inner liner to prevent leakage. Apply heavy cardboard around items with sharp edges and points to ensure shipments do not pierce packaging.

For fragile items, you’ll need to take extra care. We recommend using a high-quality double-walled corrugated cardboard box. Wrap your fragile items individually and use a soft cushioning material. Mark fragile items and those with sharp edges with a clear identifier on the outside. Flowers will require specific packaging to protect them during transit.

Yes, we have packaging solutions available to buy for all retailers who ship parcels with us. These include 100% recycled and recyclable paper bags, wallets, envelopes, corrugated boxes, shuttles, dunnage, and many more. These packaging solutions are manufactured to the same strict high-quality requirements as Amazon orders, at competitive pricing.

Once you’ve finished packing your items, use a strong tape to seal your parcel. Pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes such as paper tape will keep your parcel secure. We recommend to seal all seams using the H-taping method:

1. Apply one strip of tape along the centre seam of the box.
2. Apply two strips of tape across both edge seams.
3. Repeat the H-taping method so both the top and bottom of the box seam are sealed.

The final step is labelling. Make sure your packing efforts don’t go to waste and label your shipment correctly using the following checklist:

When palletising your shipments, it’s important to package your items in such a way that they can be stacked or have items stacked upon them. For large items, ensure they are secured to a pallet or fork-movable base for safe and damage-free handling, as these shipments will be handled by a forklift. To reduce the risk of damage, pallets should be built and secured to withstand shocks and vibrations that can occur during transit.

Following these guidelines will help your business to lower costs, minimise the risk of damage, and ensure on-time deliveries. Most importantly, your customers will be delighted when their items arrive in pristine condition.

Now that you’re ready to ship, you’ll need a delivery service you can trust to deliver your parcels to customers safely and on time. Whether you're a large retailer shipping 500+ parcels per day or a small e-commerce seller, we can offer fast and reliable parcel delivery for your customers. Simply select your business size below to get started.