How to Avoid Damages with UPS/FedEx

UPS delivers over 16 million packages in a day, and FedEx almost 4 million. Both companies estimate that of these many million packages, only approximately one percent are lost or damaged. Sounds good - unless your package is one of the over 150,000 packages lost or damaged in a day. And if you are, the first response you'll typically hear from the carrier is that it was your fault due to "insufficient packaging" or something similar. How can you minimize the chances of your package being damaged in transit with your parcel carrier?

How are Packages Damaged?

Many people suspect that most damages are caused by drivers or other package handlers.  This is not the case.  Most damages occur on the many systems of belts that are in the main hubs of the carriers.  This is also why both carriers have surcharges on items not encased in cardboard, oversize, and/or overweight.  All it takes is one package to create a jam and others pile up behind it, getting damaged by each other or the complex system of belts and conveyors in the hub.  Heavy packages can get pushed in to lighter packages, packages can get knocked off of the conveyors, they can get caught between different levels of belts, etc.

How to Avoid Damages
Both UPS and FedEx have very specific guidelines about what constitutes "insufficient packaging" (or "it's the shipper's fault") or other reasons that lead to a claim being denied.  The best way to prevent this is to follow their guidelines as closely as possible.  UPS, for example, provides very specific guidelines for avoiding damages and/or loss:

Sometimes it's not the carrier's fault

1. Use a box strong enough to support the weight of the contents
2. Ship cases in corrugated shipping containers
3. Securely seal contents at risk from leakage
4. Use at least two inches of appropriate cushioning material to protect items from each other and the corners, sides, top, and bottom of the box
5. Reinforce package edges to protect from bending
6. Securely seal package closures and seams with reinforced tape
7. Include complete address information and telephone numbers on the label
   http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/service/claims/hlp/preventing.html 

Select the Right Box
Not all boxes are created equal, and size alone is not the only factor to consider.  Your box needs to be rated for the weight of the contents.  Most boxes will have a Box Maker's Certificate, typically printed on the bottom.  This will let you know the strength of the box (pounds per square inch) and the associated weight limit of the box (in pounds).  If your box strength is not in line with the contents of your box then your claim could easily be denied by your carrier.  The link below will let you know what UPS is looking for (FedEx should be comparable) when determining if your package was packed adequately or not.
http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/ship/packaging/guidelines/how_to.html

Protect Your Product
Once it is determined that your box was of sufficient strength, the carrier will then look inside the box to make sure that the contents are adequately protected.  There are several means of protecting the contents of your box:

• Bubble Wrap
• Inflatable Packaging/Air Bags
• Peanuts/Loose Fill
• Crumpled Kraft Paper
• Corrugated Liners and Inserts
• Foam
• Engineered Enclosures

Whichever means you choose, keep these important criteria in mind:

• Each item in the box should be surrounded by at least 2" of cushioning - separating them from the sides of the box as well as any other products enclosed in that same box
• Contents should not move at all when the box is shaken or jostled
• Consider that there may be settling, particularly with loose fill and kraft paper, during the course of shipment and plan accordingly
• Improper (unaccepted) cushioning would be items such as clothing, blankets, towels, newspaper/newsprint, and pillows.

Protect with Poly Bags
It is also advisable to wrap your product and/or line your box with a plastic poly bag.  This will bring additional protection, specifically from water damage and fall-out.  This is particularly important in colder climates where a package can be exposed to snow which then melts and can weaken the box and/or seep in to the box to potentially damage the product.   It's also important if you choose to use loose fill (packing peanuts) for your cushioning.  With no poly bag lining the box, your loose fill could fall out if the side walls of the box are punctured or torn, significantly reducing the protection available for the contents of your package.  For help in selecting the right poly bag, please look at this previous post regarding how to select poly bags.

Securely Seal the Box
A previous post addressed how to choose the right carton seal tape.  If all of the previous criteria are met but an inappropriate tape is used, your product can still be lost (through fall-out) or damaged and your claim can still be denied.

Do not use the following tapes - they will hinder your claim and can result in your product falling-out or otherwise being damaged:

• Masking tape
• Duct tape
• Cellophane tape
• String/Twine
• Paper over-wrap

Both the top and the bottom of the package need to be adequately sealed.  Pay particular attention to this if you are re-using boxes.

Protect the Label
Last, make sure the label you prepare for the package is securely affixed to the box.  Before you affix the label ensure that the surface is clean and dry.  To be safe, you can use a label protection tape, which is simply a carton sealing tape that is wide enough to more than cover a standard UPS or FedEx label.  Use of label protection tape will ensure that your label does not come off during transit, which can result in a box being lost or, at the very least, delivery delayed.  Label protection tape comes in 4 inch wide and a 5.65 inch wide options.  It is technically also a carton seal tape and can be used to secure the package as well as secure the label.

Fragile Doesn't Matter

Marking your package as fragile certainly won't hurt, but there's no guarantee it will help.  The typical line for any carrier is that they treat all packages with the same degree of care.  To label a package as Fragile implies that the carrier has two standards of how they handle packages, and that is not the case.  It may help when loaders are packing the truck or when the driver is handling the package, but, as mentioned at the outset, most damage occurs in the package centers when the packages are on automated belt/conveyor systems.  Marking your packages for "This Side Up" or other similar directions is helpful, but none of these things absolve the shipper of ultimate responsibility that the product is packaged correctly and securely.

The Shipper is Responsible
Ultimately, the shipper is responsible for damages, so if Vendor A ships to Distributor B who ships to Buyer C, and the damage occurs between B and C, Distributor B is responsible even if they did not at all alter the package they received from Vendor A.  Similarly, if Buyer C returns the package, and damage occurs on the return shipment, Buyer C is still responsible as the shipper of that package.

Therefore, when in doubt, re-do it, even if it means repackaging the product in its entirety.

Delivery companies are package carriers.  While they take precautions to protect the products in their care, packages are exposed to many hazards on their way from your location to your customer - some within the carrier's control and some not.  Since the product belongs to the shipper until it is signed for by the consignee or receiver, it is up to the shipper to make sure that the package is protected as much as and as securely as possible.  Damage is always possible, so make sure you follow the above guidelines to maximize your chance of a successful claim.

Remember, it's acceptable if the packaging is damaged, as long as the contents are not (from the carrier's perspective).  The carrier can only take care of the package.  It is the sole responsibility of the shipper to make sure the contents are protected as securely as possible.

If you have any questions on what material to use - particularly when it comes to tape and poly bags - please contact our inside sales group and we will be more than happy to help you with this.