ParcelPedia Podcast

Box Size Matters: Discussing Avoiding Costly Shipping Mistakes

• James Banks • Episode 15

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What Are Some Common Mistakes People Make When Shipping Items, and How Can They Avoid Them?

Wondering why your carefully packed shipments still arrive looking battered or why that small package cost so much to ship? ParcelPedia owner James Banks unpacks the common shipping mistakes that cost you money and peace of mind.

Box size mismatch tops the list of shipping blunders. That small notepad in a large box might seem convenient, but you'll pay dearly for that empty space through dimensional weight calculations. As James puts it, "You're literally paying for air." Beyond the unexpected costs, items rattling around in oversized boxes are more likely to arrive damaged - a lose-lose situation that's easily avoided with appropriately sized packaging. Perhaps most surprising is the truth about those "Fragile" stickers. While delivery drivers generally treat marked packages with care, most damage actually happens during automated sorting when no human eyes are watching.

Visit us at 8992 Preston Road in Frisco or call 972-335-1450 for expert shipping assistance. Mention this podcast for 10% off select shipping services and let us help transform your shipping experience from a source of stress to a reason to smile.

To learn more about ParcelPedia visit:
https://www.ParcelPedia.com
ParcelPedia
8992 Preston Road, Suite 110
Frisco, Texas
972- 335-1450

Speaker 1:

Welcome to the Parcelpedia podcast, the ultimate guide to all things shipping and business services in Frisco, texas, from US mail and FedEx to private mailboxes and packing supplies. We've got you covered. Stay tuned for a special discount code to save on your next order. And now delivering expert tips and insider insights with a smile, here's your host, james Banks. Owner of Parcelpedia.

Speaker 2:

Ever had a package arrive looking like it went through a wrestling match. Avoiding common shipping mistakes can save you money, stress and a very disappointed recipient. From bad packaging choices to incorrect addresses. We're unpacking the most frequent errors and how to sidestep them. Welcome back everyone. I'm Sofia Yvette, co-host, slash producer. Back in the studio with James Banks. James, how's it going?

Speaker 3:

Hey Sophia, I'm doing well. How are you?

Speaker 2:

I'm doing well also, Awesome. So, James, what are some common mistakes people make when shipping items and how can they avoid them?

Speaker 3:

Oh for sure. This is a great, great question. I will say off the top number one mistake is box size mismatch. So a lot of times people will send something in a box just simply because it fits in the box, but you have to take into account all the things that that affects. So say, I have a little notepad here, six by four, pretty small. If I do that and say, oh, I got a box laying around 24 inches by 18 inches by 10 inches, let me just toss in a mat and I'll ship it to my brother. He says he needs a notepad. When I show up to Parcelpedia and put that on the scale, they're going to tell me a number that I'm probably not happy with because it's just a little flimsy.

Speaker 3:

Notepad Boxes and shipping are. It's an algorithm but it's very based on size and weight and one thing they use is called dimensional weight. So even if I have ounces to just one pound, if the box is so big that it's going to take up X amount of space on the truck, on the plane, on the next truck, they're going to have you basically paying for all the boxes that you're taking space for. So something small, something that should only be, maybe a $3, maybe even less could easily cost you 20 upwards, almost $30. And you're literally paying for air. So that's one of the biggest mistakes I see and that's one thing we always offer as parts of beauty is just a box swap. So you bring in the box whatever you have. It's a good way to recycle them as well. That way they'll go in the landfill and we look at it and we say, ma'am, sir, this box is just too big, it's not doing you any good. It's going to make you spend more money than you need to. We'll take it off your hands. We'll provide you a box that we have that's appropriately sized for you. We'll give you that new price. You'll say I like that and we'll ship it out and it'll just save the item. It'll keep that safe because it's not going to be rattling around, this huge box, and it just makes more sense for when your recipient gets it, because that box that's full of air has nothing to keep it safe. It will, like you said, look like it went through a wrestling match. Hulk Hogan got a hold of it and it's torn to shreds and we don't want that. So size is the number one thing. Box size matters it really does.

Speaker 3:

Packing materials If you have a fragile item, packing is very it can almost feel counterintuitive. Sometimes you feel like you got to get that thing stuffed full. You can't let it even budge an inch. But if you have it so tight where it's compacted in there, the vibration will get to it. And if it's something fragile, like glass, ceramic, those vibrations will break that, even if you have it completely in the middle with, you know, padding all around it. It's not so much about tightness, it's just about keeping it still around it. It's not so much about tightness, it's just about keeping it still. So a little cushion to give a little give with paper, with foam, with bubble, that's okay. You don't want it rattling, of course, but just a little give is better than being completely packed together.

Speaker 3:

Materials I see sometimes, unfortunately, the wrong materials used. Most people know to put it in a cardboard box, so that normally is fine. But the tape it matters. Painter's tape is a no-go, that is tape that is meant to be peeled off and it will peel off halfway. It won't peel off in the beginning, it will only peel off halfway in the trip. Every time. I guarantee you, duct tape is a no-no. Carriers do not like duct tape. I think something with the metallic properties, so they say no to that. Um, and as far as what is good for packing fragile items, bubble really only you can use. You can use foam, but if something breaks and you want a claim, they only really respect bubble. So bubble wrap is important and we provide all your packing materials. If you're not sure what you need, just let us know what you're shipping and we'll help you out.

Speaker 2:

The importance of choosing the right box and packing material sounds like it's very important. Can you share a story of when someone did not do that?

Speaker 3:

Yeah, unfortunately those stories are you know, they come up too commonly Typically what it is it comes in with a box and it's already taped, completely taped over labels on there. It's ready to go. They put it on the scale, I grab it, I feel the item sliding inside and it has weight and I tell them hey, I know you already got it packed, but we can repack this for you. You know we will charge it. No, just send it as it is. Okay, you got to respect the customer, so we do that.

Speaker 3:

And inevitably it was a cog like a big metal gear for transmission and it poked through the box eventually because it was so hard and so heavy and it wasn't secured. So it poked through the box, got lost. Long headache of claims trying to track it down, trying to find it. Fortunately we did. We were able to get it packed back up and it was nice and big and heavy, so it didn't get hurt. It just ripped out of the container and we got it packed right and we sent it again.

Speaker 3:

But it just shows that you know boxes they do matter what kind of use and they do have different types of boxes for things like that. If you have something heavy and sharp. You may need a double wall box, which is basically a cardboard box with twice the thickness all around, which we have and we provide. If you're shipping something that's very thin and you don't need a big bulky box, we have what's called frame or TV boxes, which are very long, very tall, but narrow and thin, so frames can slide in and they're not rattling around in a big box and no one wants to pay for air.

Speaker 3:

Air is meant to be free. It's given to us, it's there for you to breathe it in. We should not be charged for it. So please, if you're going to ship anything, just let us look at it. Let's take it off your hands and just take care of it for you. We're here to take care of you. We're not trying to do anything to you other than help you and help you, save some money for you and get your packets to your recipient safely.

Speaker 2:

James. Are there certain shipping methods that are more prone to delays or damage?

Speaker 3:

Shipping methods. For shipping liquids it's tricky. If you don't have it in a completely sealed container. The smallest chance of any leak, you will see a delay. And that's just how the drivers are trained. That's how the employees at the receiving stations are trained. You see a box that clearly has a leak or any kind of moisture. You stop it, you get it off the line and you mark it, you flag it, you do what you have to do. You just don't let it keep going, because there's conveyor belts, there's machinery. These things have to go through. You can't afford to have a whole plant go down because we have a gallon of liquid spilling all over the machine. So definitely those things.

Speaker 3:

If you're going to send liquid, bring it to the pros. Let's do it for you. Don't try to do it on your own, please, because you're going to have a headache down the line. It's liquid, right, so it's tricky to do, but it can be done and we've done it with success plenty of times. So mail way to wrap it in brown paper and write your address on there and put stamps on it. You can ship like that, but paper only holds up to so many perfect conditions. You get a little bit of rain, a little humidity, you're probably going to be having a bad time. So I always recommend a box at least to ship your items, or bubble mailers.

Speaker 2:

Bags are fine too bubble mailers bags are fine too. So, James, is it true that putting fragile on a box just makes it more of a challenge for delivery drivers.

Speaker 3:

You know, I know, I see what you're doing to me, sophie. You're trying to bait me into this one here, but I'm not going to fall for it. I got my delivery driver's backs. Okay, we're all in this together. They treat fragile like as if it's their own child. Okay, these drivers really do a good job.

Speaker 3:

Sometimes it's really machinery. It's not actually human hands when you see damage and things like that to boxes. Boxes cannot be sorted by hands for the entire route. It's just impossible. Your package would take two, three weeks to get there from Texas to Florida. So a lot of the sorting in these facilities is done by machines with big, large conveyor belts going up ramps and downhill, and so a lot of damage occurs there and that's why packing is so important. It's just to prevent those things. So no, putting a fragile studer is not, like you know, a kick me sign or anything like that. They'll treat your package right. I've seen drivers plenty of times sort all the fragile to one side, get the big heavy stuff on there first and get the fragile on the top, where they're not going to get anything on top of them. So they do what they're trained to do, which is take care of your items. It's just the inevitables that you try to have to plan for, which is non-human hands, it's machinery.

Speaker 2:

Love it, james. We'll catch you in the next episode. Have a fantastic rest of your day.

Speaker 3:

Thank you.

Speaker 1:

Thanks for joining us on the Parcelpedia podcast. Don't forget mention podcast at our store. To snag 10% off select shipping services, Stop by at 8992 Preston Road, Suite 110, Frisco, Texas, or give us a ring at 972-335-1450. We're here to make your shipping a breeze. Until next time, keep shipping and smiling.