Packing and shipping comes with numerous different hurdles you’ll need to clear to get your products where they need to be. First, it’s essential to ensure you have the items and staff on-hand to effectively pack and ship your products in a timely manner. In addition, you’ll need to ensure your items are secure and protected to survive the trip to your warehouse, your distributors, and/or your customers’ home.
Your Packing and Shipping Stock List
To ensure you are fully stocked with all the packing and shipping supplies you’ll need for success – and to avoid unnecessary pauses in production and shipping – we’ve built a list of the most essential items:
- Boxes. When most people think of shipping supplies, corrugated boxes are the first item on the list. However, it’s essential to have the right boxes on hand for each of your products. Consider whether you need corrugated RSC boxes, chipboard cartons, mailers, or mailing tubes, and be sure to account for all product sizes and shapes. Don’t forget to identify your products inside your boxes with packing slip envelopes.
- Tape and sealant. Depending on the size of your operation, you’ll need several types of tape. Packaging tape, hot melt tape, cold temperature tape, hot melt glue, and more can be used to construct and seal exterior boxes, while glass yarn filament strapping tape helps groups of boxes stay firmly on each pallet. For specialty packaging applications such as electronics, you may need to consider anti-static tapes. In addition, investing in tape dispensers and glue guns for each will speed the process. Along with carton sealing tape, Polypropylene strapping can help maximize shipping density to save money.
- Flexible packaging. Flexible packaging can be an ideal alternative to hard corrugated boxes or can be used within boxes for an additional layer of protection or organization. Whether you need external packaging like padded mailers and bubble mailers, or internal poly bags, vacuum sealer bags, and vacuum sealers, have your items on hand before you begin shipping.
- Cushioning. Depending on the nature of your product, you’ll likely need to add a layer of void fill or cushioning to a standard corrugated box to protect your items during shipping. Doing so can prevent the negative effects of abrasion, shock, and even vibration that can affect your shipment before it arrives at the destination. Paper, tissue, or air pillows can fill dead space in boxes, while bubble wrap, bubble bags, foam rolls, and foam sheets can be applied to the product itself for surface protection and cushioning.
- ESD Packaging. If you ship sensitive circuit boards, chips, or other electronic devices, it’s important to ensure harmful static charges do not damage your items. Circuit boards, small electronic parts, and other highly sensitive items benefit from specially designed Faraday Cage boxes lined with ESD foam to prevent damage. In addition, if you ship sensitive electronic items, you’ll need ESD mailers, anti-static bags, and pouches to eliminate static charge. Finally, ESD cushioning, foam, and cushion bags prevent unwanted electrical charge from damaging your items when shipped in standard corrugated boxes.
- Labels. Finally, you’ll need a variety of labels to ensure you know what’s in each box as well as where it is going. Shipping labels, inventory labels, mixed use labels, international labels, and barcode/UPC labels are just a few of the potential label types you may need.
Turn to Correct Products for Your Shipping and Packaging Needs
Whether you’re just beginning to set up your packaging and shipping facility or are striving to build a better stock of necessary items to ship your products, Correct Products is your solution. Browse our full line of packing and shipping supplies to ensure your best solution is always on hand.