It is said that sellers and entrepreneurs can master the art of selling however, they cannot ensure 100% safe deliveries or storage without any damage to the material. Any damage to fragile items is possible while storing, handling, or even transporting them. Be it due to any reason, such damages can increase the cost.
So, if your merchandise list also contains some fragile and easy-to-break items, you might know the pain. This blog will be addressing those pain points and is a guide to storing and handling fragile items safely.
1. Sort Products
The first step to ensure damage-free storage and shipping is to differentiate between fragile and bulky items. All glassware, porcelain, chinaware and similar items are the most common fragile items that need great care while handling and shipping. Hence, it is important to divide your inventory between fragile and non-fragile items. Avoid all possible ways of mixing these two types of items.
2. Cleaning The Inventory
Right before shelving or storing fragile items in your storage area or warehouse, make sure that all the fragile items are clean and dust free. Else, any dust buildup can weaken the product surface or body over time. Hence, the product will be prone to damage.
3. Cushioning The Products
Once fragile items are cleaned properly, cushion them with a protective layer. The most preferred cushioning is paper wrapping due to its eco-friendly and frugal nature. It ensures the safety of fragile items.
Apac Ecocell Paper Wrap comes with honeycomb textured paper that provides a cushioning layer to fragile items. It is easy to use due to its paper nature that doesn’t involve excessive use of sharp tools like scissors to cut it. Moreover, its interlocking technology lets you wrap and secure it around the item easily.
4. Selecting The Right Storage Temperature
Room temperature is ideal for the storage of fragile items. Higher temperatures can cause breakage due to the expansion of the fragile material. Whereas, extremely low temperatures can also impact and damage fragile items or can cause wrinkles on the glassware surface. Hence, it is advised to regulate the temperature of the storage room.
5. Packing Fragile Items
Right before storing fragile items, it is mandatory to pack them into reliable cartons or boxes after cushioning them with Apac Ecocell Paper Wrap. First sort the fragile items as per their type or size. Second, put similar kinds of fragile items in one box. Fill the remaining space with some void fillers or crushed paper layers. It will keep the material intact in its place and will avoid damage due to movement.
6. Securing Fragile Items
Once you complete placing the items into the carton, secure and seal the carton tightly with packaging tape. Apac Bopp Packaging Tapes come in a variety of sizes, colours and prints. You can start with the brown or red tape from this collection. Red tape helps you identify the material easily even from a distance.
To seal the carton, choose a two inches wide tape with a thickness of more than 48 microns for reliable sealing. Apply tape perpendicular to the carton surface and secure the grip with a second layer of tape. For the second layer of the tape, make an H with tape on the carton. It will add an additional seal to the carton.
7. Shelving Fragile Items
It is one of the best practices to place fragile items or cartons containing fragile items at eye level. Hence, the material should be placed on the first row of the shelf for visibility. Avoid placing the uncovered fragile items on the shelf. Also, before you place the cartons of fragile items on the shelf, place fragile label stickers or tape on the cartons. Apac Bopp Packaging Tapes also include tapes for fragile items. You can seal the carton using this tape as well.
8. Avoid Frequent Movement of The Fragile Items
Once the items are placed carefully in the storage room, try to restrict or avoid frequent movement of the boxes. Else, it can cause damage to the material. It is better to move material only in case of order fulfilment. To avoid unnecessary movement of fragile items, it is advisable to store them in a dedicated area, corner, or room.
Key Takeaways
Fragile items need keen attention and care. Otherwise, the material is prone to damage during handling, storing and transportation. To keep the material safe, it is suggested to sort, clean, cushion and seal the fragile items properly. Also, it is important to store fragile items at room temperature and avoid frequent movement of the items.