Your Shipping Supplies Options & Costs
Shipping Supplies Packaging Supplies Want to ship something that weighs a ton? You’ll need a lot of shipping supplies boxes, tape, tape dispensers, labels, and shipping containers; and a good bit of time to load them up and seal then up. The better option is to find a shipping service that can do the job for you.
And while shipping supplies stores can be found all over the country, some of the places you’ll find shipping supplies are Chinatown, hospital & hospital supply stores, office supplies, hardware stores, neighborhood stores, and the like. Some of these stores can sell either basic supplies or – more advanced – shipping supplies, such as packing tape, bubble wrap, and mailing envelopes.
If you’re looking for a no-frills shipping supply store (one that doesn’t have shipping supplies, tape dispensers, or envelopes), then head to your local CVS or Walgreens. Those stores carry the basics to help you ship anything that you can buy in their drugstores. In a pinch, you can even use the bubble wrap from the packing supplies section and tape to cushion your purchase.
Tips for Picking the Right Mailer or Box for Your Products
Ship longer items in a box as they will take up less space. Longer cardboard boxes can be used for long products, such as curtains, bulbs or rugs.
For narrower boxes, use a closed bag to prevent the contents taking up too much space. Closed bags tend to be a better option for smaller items.
If you’re shipping delicate goods, use bubble wrap as it’s a better alternative to crushed paper, consequently, keeping the goods in good condition.
Keep a record of the dimensions of the product that you’re shipping. Enter this information on the shipping label (for the shipper) and on the package (for the receiver). For example, if you’re shipping a large sofa, enter the dimensions of the cushions on the label.
If you’re shipping furniture and large items, consider using furniture movers.
If you’re mailing out digital goods like games, DVDs, or music, make sure they’re not stored in the cloud and, instead, remove them from the place you store them on your computer.
Make sure you’re shipping the right items. Before printing out the label, check the contents of the box. Ensure that nothing else will fit.
Small, Foldable & Durable Products
When you are one of those people who works at home — whether your work is for yourself or a business — then guess what?
Your space is limited. You can’t afford the overhead cost of buying expensive products.
Shipping Supplies & Packing Supplies is an order.
Not only will it save you money, it will also save the environment. What? You live in a small apartment? You don’t have any space to store bigger packaging? Then, this is a must-have for you.
In this article, I’ll tell you how much wow you’ll get if you are buying products from them.
Age: 4 years
I have had the pleasure of knowing Global Trading for about a year.
They introduced me to the products that I mentioned above. I would say I have purchased one or two of each product from them. I am still able to purchase them whether online or offline (I am currently in the process of upgrading my home unit).
There are so many brands that have benefited from these products. I love the whiteboard and the metal chain which I use to hang it up. The chalk comes in handy when I need to draw a quick diagram. I also purchased the blue board and the items from extra-thick tape.
Dimensional Flat & Thin Items
Measurements for Boxes UPS, FedEx, USPS & Flat Rate Boxes.
These packing supplies measure a variety of flat and thin items based on Postal Service, UPS, FedEx and USPS dimensional sizes.
Large, Bulky Items & Multi-item Shipments
Examples are items with heavy parts like furniture, refrigerators, dishwashers, or computer monitors. Items made of multiple materials such as pinball machines, chandeliers, cabinets, garage doors and refrigerators. Cloth, velvet, or soft furniture. Yoga mats. Full wheelbarrows, motorcycles, and kayaks.
It is critical to include all the pertinent information on each box and to make sure that it is labeled with the name of the item, its weight, and its dimensions. If key information is left out, the carrier will assume the item weighs less than it does and will select a less-than-ideal shipping method. Including the full address of the shipper will speed up delivery if a carrier is required to make a delivery. Some addresses also include the package's destination or the shipper's name. Lastly, if you are unable to weigh or measure an item, take a careful and accurate measurement so that the item can be correctly marked and packed.
Additional thoughts when packing for a delivery inside the USA or Canada:
When there are two people and/or packing the items between items, it is important to consider the floor area taken up by items.
The size of the container and the height of the container will determine the number of items that can be loaded in the container.
It is important to allow sufficient space in the container for walking around, maneuvering the door and storing the items.
Heavy, Fragile, Oversized Items & Bulk Shipments
Shipping costs can be pretty pricey, so there’s always the option to ship your package via air freight. For those items that are too heavy to ship via air freight, it is possible to ship via ground freight, which is cheaper than air freight. However, the length of time to arrive at your destination will be longer.
If the dimensions of the package are either oversized, or if it’s extremely heavy, it is advisable to contact a shipping company that specializes in heavy or oversized items.
For items that are extremely large in size or weight, it is best to use a freight forwarder. Freight forwarders can provide you with all the necessary forms of documentation and can deal with the shipping agents. They will also make the arrangements for the pickup and delivery of these oversized shipments.
For instructions on how to ship fragile items, skip to the next step.
Your Packing Supplies Options & Costs
After reading this guide, you should have a great idea of what packing supplies you’ll need. And you’ll have a good idea about how much you should be spending on them. However, if you feel like some packing supplies you’ve picked up are just missing something, don’t worry. Here’re some of the most common packing supplies and how to use them properly.
Bubble Wrap
Bubble wrap was actually designed to protect electronic equipment during the shipping process. However, it’s also great for wrapping other things as well. You can use it when packing fragile items like televisions, flutes or even plants. You can also use bubble wrap to hold your contents together in the box.
Duct Tape
Duct tape is great for just about everything when it comes to packing supplies. It’s very useful for securing boxes and boxes. You can wrap it around the top of a box to keep it closed, over boxes with holes in them, or even over the box’s handles.
Shrink Wrap
Shrink wrap is another useful packing supply that can be used for anything. I use it to wrap my shoes and other shoes that size a miss. One of my favorite uses of shrink wrap is blocking lights.
Tips for Picking the Right Packaging Supplies for Your Products
If you’re delivering an item via reliable and affordable shipping services, the last thing you need to worry about is the quality of the packaging. However, when your items are going to be shipped in bulk quantity, this becomes a huge problem, especially if the packaging is sub-standard and is going to compromise the safety of your products. This is where reliable packaging supplies come in to play, helping you choose from the right-sized bags, boxes, wrappings, and so on.
Accessible Place for You
With both businesses and individuals looking to ship packages to thousands of locations every day, a lot of packaging material is sold online. These businesses and online marketers have their own particular preferences, but the important thing is that they have the facilities and teams to ship the material they sell. When you’re shipping to any location, regardless of the number of items you’ve ordered, make sure that you order multiple boxes from the same supplier. The ability to track where your shipment has arrived to and the tracking details within each box ensures that you can ensure that every package does land at the right destination.
Unbreakable Products
Unbreakable products are ideal for shipping and storage. They are durable and are a great way to avoid breakage of fragile products. When you order unbreakables, you can order a range of different sizes, making them suitable for shipping and storage.
There are a number of different uses for unbreakable products:
Shipping boxes: Products that are sometimes delicate can be stored in shipping boxes. Shipment boxes are also known as packing boxes, shipping cushions, and shipping crates. These products are often large and not easy to ship without special packing material to cushion the items. With the help of unbreakable products, you will be able to prevent damage, protect shipping, and maintain the condition of your products during shipping and storage.
Packaging equipment: Unbreakable products can also be used to cushion equipment. For example, if you need to ship a custom made piece of equipment, the safety of the equipment is important. Unbreakable products are a great addition to the safety of your equipment.
Storage: Unbreakable products are also essential for storage. When products need to be stored for an extended period of time, unbreakable boxes are ideal. This is true if you are storing sensitive products, or if you are storing books and artwork. Unbreakable products can also be used to store other objects.
Flat Fragile Items
Don't Forget
The best packing and shipping supplies for fragile items are different from those you’d use to pack furniture or heavy items. You don’t want the books in your attic to end up bent and damaged from a rough trip. There are extra precautions you need to take when dealing with fragile items too.
It’s always a good idea to wrap your precious books with some bubble wrap. Bubble wrap helps cushion your books from bumps, which could bend their spines. Bubble wrap like the Blue Master,s are even see-through so you can see each book’s condition.
If you’re using packing boxes or special shipping boxes, you’ll need to write the return address different than that of the package’s main address. The reason for this is because most labels and envelopes can’t go through the mail machines quickly enough to keep packages safe.
Large & Bulky Pre-Packaged Items
When you are shipping large purchases like furniture or huge parcels, it’s almost always more economical to pre-package shipping materials yourself.
If the package’s too big to fit in a standard shipping box, you can use laundry/down/blanket bags. Just like on the laundry, fill up all the empty spaces in the bag without crushing or bending the bag. And you can use double sided tape to seal up the bag. The biggest advantage in using the bags is that they aren’t just a temporary shipping box. So they are quite lightweight and inexpensive to use.
If your package’s small enough to fit in a standard shipping box then a single shipping box will work just fine.
Odd-shaped & Fragile Goods
Other Things to Consider when Choosing Packing & Shipping Supplies
After figuring out how much you are shipping versus what you can ship, you need to consider a few things. It’s important to consider a few things, such as how the items will be packed and any regulations you might have to follow.
If you’re shipping anything of value, it’s paramount to consider insurance. This is often out of your control, but it’s important to know it’s an option, should something go awry.
Furthermore, depending on the item you’re shipping, it should be punctured in some way. This is best done with a knife or cutter; however, it can also be done with scissors.
If you’re not shipping anything of value, then you can choose to box things. For this purpose, you should know the proper packing supplies to choose.
Packing Supplies
Keep in mind that you should probably use the most secure packing materials as possible, especially if you are concerned about what a dog or another animal could do to your goods.
Plastic Wrap
If you box your item, it should be wrapped first, then put in the box and the box should be taped shut. This is the first layer of security.
Certain Goods Need Special Packing Considerations
Nowadays, you can find shipping supplies at almost any home, business and industrial supply center. But in the past, they were kept under lock and key. However, advances in technology have made some items easy enough to ship even without the special packing supplies. However, some items like perishable products need special care. Perishables must be packed in specialty packaging to prevent spoilage, moisture and rusting. Wood products also need special care to prevent warping and splitting.
Other items interact with each other when packed. There are certain things you should be on the lookout for when packing items for shipment. For example, the way you pack books will interact with the way you pack heavy duty equipment. A metal can interact with the way you pack a glass. Metal, plastic and glass are usually unaffected by each other. Yet they pack differently.
Products with a liquid or gas content must be properly packaged to prevent damage and makes it so the product can survive its intended life cycle in good condition. Some products must be packaged in a container with a tight seal. Others are extremely sensitive to humidity and can even be permanent hazards to your health.
This is why many packing supplies are required to keep your products in good working condition.
Customers Appreciate Eco-Friendly Packaging
Creating a sustainable shopping experience is often challenging for companies. Customers are more concerned about how their products will be shipped, packaging, and other shipping supplies than the actual product.
They are also looking for companies to do more to decrease their carbon footprint. These two interests often go hand in hand.
Customers want a package that’s easy to recycle and reuse again. It needs to be durable enough to sustain any abuse it may encounter during shipping and also deliver the product in a safe way to your customers.
Customers also want a package that’s easy to open, in case the product arrives smooshed or damaged. A package that is difficult to open has multiple variables to consider. The packaging needs to be rigid to keep the shape, it needs to be sturdy to keep the contents safe, and it needs to be easy to open with minimal effort.
Good Shipping Supplies and Good Packaging Can Help You Win Customers and save Money
For companies who want to be more environmentally friendly in all their decisions, the needs of customers are multiplying and shipping supplies can help make your business more sustainable.
Key points to consider for creating environmentally friendly packaging and shipping supplies include:
Branded Packaging Creates a Memorable Unboxing Experience
It’s not uncommon to see your favorite online retailer ship a well-branded box. Just like the retail store, they know that customers will associate the product with the experience of opening the box. But even if you didn’t order it directly from the retailer, you can definitely capitalize on branded packaging.
The choice of name brand boxes varies from product to product, but generally, you can get a more accurate description of the contents when you inquire directly with the manufacturer.
If you are ordering online, you cannot make out the dimensions of the box when you are shopping. But you can write to the manufacturer and ask. And it’s often easier to work with them when they already have the dimensions of the boxes.
If you choose to make use of a branded box, it helps if you have a variety of boxes, otherwise you may not be able to find the right one for the right product.
On the other hand, if you’re shipping on your own, you should know the details of the product and the box that you’re using. First, ask yourself how much more sturdy the box is than the packaging that it’s replacing. Also, make sure that your box is strong enough to stand up to the load of your product.
Bottom Line on Packing & Shipping Supplies
Whatever you ship, you need the right packing supplies; just a few extra plastic or paper bags, bubble wrap, or packing tape can make a world of difference. You may not think the size of your shipping shipment is worth the extra money, but think of it as a way to reduce your shipping costs in the long run; fewer and smaller shipments mean things that can be delivered to your customer in a more timely manner, and less waste and pollution.
Frequently Asked Question
Q: What products do I use to make shipping supplies?
A: Shipping supplies are also called packing supplies, as they are used in packing products. You can use packaging supplies that you would use to wrap a product or you can find packing supplies used for shipping boxes.
Q: How to choose the right packaging supplies?
A: It’s important to choose the right packing supplies for your shipping. If the packing supplies are good quality, you can count on a firm and strong box, which gives your package the best protection. It also means that the product will be in better shape during transport.
Q: How long does it take to wrap a product?
A: Depending on the size and weight of the product, it will take you approximately 3-5 minutes to wrap it. It can take less time if the product is small. If the product is large, it will take longer to wrap and more packing supplies are used to protect the box.
Q: Is there a standard size for each product?
A: If you are shipping a large item, contact the company directly to find out how small they prefer to ship their products. Typically, sizes for each product can be found online or on the packaging.
Q: Can I reuse the packing supplies?
When should small vs medium vs large pocket bubble wrap be used?
Small Pocket Bubble Wrap is used for smaller items that you are packaging for shipping. You want to use small bubble wrap on any item you think will fit inside a small box. Whether it is an envelope you are packaging or a small box that you are using for your local mailing needs.
Medium Pocket Bubble Wrap can be used for a variety of things, it is a good size for medium sized items that are fragile, in need of cushioning, and/or are packaged for shipping. It is also commonly used for general purpose packaging.
Large Pocket Bubble Wrap is the same size as medium, just a bit thicker. It can be used on larger fragile items, heavier items to give it more stability and structure, and it can be used to create custom boxes or envelopes.
So a general guideline is, if the item being packaged is smaller than an envelope, you will likely use small pocket bubble wrap. Anything smaller than a small envelope, will be inside a medium pocket bubble wrap or larger.