Want to reduce the amount of returns you'll receive this holiday season? Find a logistics partner that's cognizant of pick and packing best practices.
A product can sustain damage in a number of ways. For instance, electronics necessitate insulated packaging when exposed to extremely cold temperatures. In addition, glass objects require molded Styrafoam to prevent them from shifting during transportation. Listed below are three packing considerations supply chain management professionals take into account.
1. Choose the appropriate box
As Midland Container Account Manager John Revitte and Packaging Designer Scott MacFarland noted in a presentation, logistics partners shouldn't select packages at random. The weight, dimensions and materials used are all factors that should be considered in this regard.
For instance, MacFarland and Revitte outlined the differences between a regular slotted container and a full overlap container. While RSCs are typically used to ship hardware of modest weight and sensitivity, FOLs possess a more robust design and feature double bottom and top covers, which make FOLs optimal for carrying heavy items.
2. Give them some cushion
Remember those egg-drop competitions in which you used to compete in elementary school? Think you would have done better if you used bubblewrap instead of packing peanuts? The materials your logistics partner uses to protect your items depend on the products themselves, but there are a few general rules distributors follow, which were acknowledged by MacFarland and Revitte:
Cushioning should provide at least a one-inch buffer between the product and box walls.
Bubblewrap is best used on small, random shaped objects, but shouldn't be employed to protect sharp items.
Corrugated inserts are good for square or rectangular products, and are inexpensive. However, these materials cannot effectively defend sensitive materials from vibrations
Air pillows are great for encasing round shapes and providing plenty of buffer room between objects and boxes.
Foam corners can accommodate those who are transporting sensitive square or rectangular objects that aren't too heavy.
3. Avoid complicated shapes
Delivery experts shouldn't have to spend more time than is necessary stacking a truck. Packaging World advised organizations to avoid "odd shapes and complicated packaging." Efficiency is key, and intricate packaging designs aren't as "revolutionary" or "extra-protective" as some inexperienced warehouse workers would assert. Bottom line: Keep It Simple, Sally.
With these three considerations in mind, retailers will be well positioned to find a logistics partner that can accommodate all of their packing needs.