The holiday season can be stressful when it comes to shipping. Whether you’re shipping gifts, or just find yourself in need of shipping services, finding an affordable, reliable and efficient way to ship your items on time can be difficult. Here at Barrington Freight, we’ve decided to put together some of our top tips for shipping your items during the holiday period to ensure a timely and reliable process.
Pick the right gift
This may be a given in some respects, but if you find that you’re shipping gifts this year, it could very well be worth changing up your ideas in favour of something that is easy to mail. Avoid anything fragile or breakable if you know your parcel is going a long way to avoid any broken hearts when the shipments arrive at their destination. Clothes, books, DVDs and some toys are all safe bets and don’t cost too much to ship either, just make sure that you check the prohibited items for your shipping company just to make sure that you can actually send the gift that you want to send!
Pick the right packaging!
Picking your packaging is just as important as picking the gift in the first place. Smaller items should be fine in a well-padded envelope, but for larger items, be sure to pick the right box. Boxes that leave a few inches on each side of your item and allow for plenty of padding are perfect if you have an item that might get dented or broken. Using a new box that is sturdy and strong might cost you a little more than simply wrapping your delivery, but think of the money you’ll save and the extra peace of mind knowing your item is well protected.
Consider the deadlines
When it comes to shipping during the holiday seasons, it’s important to consider the deadlines that companies will set for delivery, and how much it might cost you if you leave sending things until the last minute. If you miss a deadline, your item won’t be delivered, especially in the busy holiday season for shipping. Similarly, the run up to the big holidays tend to be slower when it comes to shipping simply because of the sheer volume of parcels being shipped. Be sure to account for extra time when sending your items, even as far as how long you may need to wait at a post office or for a courier to pick up your items.
Flat-Rate shipping
All year around, there are often flat-rate shipping options that can work out cheaper for you around the holiday season. Flat rate boxes and envelopes mean that no matter the weight of the item inside, the shipping will cost the same amount. This can be particularly useful if you have small but heavy items. Seeking out deals like this are worth seeking out, as they can save you time, effort and can ultimately be more efficient.
Insurance
If you’re really concerned about the items you are shipping around the holiday season, look for insurance. Not every company will offer insurance with their shipping, or you may have to pay a little extra to get it. When it comes to expensive or rare items, this kind of insurance is definitely worth the extra cost for the extra peace of mind. If something happens to go wrong or your parcel is damaged or lost, then your insurance will cover the costs of the lost items and potentially more, depending on the cover.
