If your business sells goods online, then you’ll more than likely need to ship them to the customer for them to receive the items they’ve paid for. However, ensuringthese goods reach the customer in the condition they expect requires careful planning and execution from packaging to delivery.
If items are damaged then customers have the right to return them to you under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which means you may be less profitable as you’ll lose money on the damaged items and will have to refund the customer.
So, if you want to keep your goods safe in transit to keep your business profitable and consumers happy, our tips below should be able to help. Read on to find out more.
Use proper packaging
To ensure your goods are robust enough to deal with a few bumps en route, you’ll need to put them in the right packaging. We recommend putting them into a cardboard box that is packed with either bubble wrap, air bags or another soft material that can deal with any damage the box receives during transit. This should reduce the risk of items getting scraped or breaking, so they should arrive at the customer’s door in perfect condition.
Careful handling
When loading items into a van, shipping container or lorry, proper handling is a must and failure to do this could result in the goods being dropped and smashing. Smaller items should be easy for packers or drivers to handle but bigger equipment may need some accessories for safer handling. This includes the likes of bungee cords like these from RS and heavy-duty machinery.
Safe driving
If you employ fleet drivers, be sure to hire ones with a reputable history in the industry. These people tend to be better drivers and know how to handle a vehicle filled with goods in transit, so shouldn’t take risks while out on the roads.
Although these drivers are experienced, we recommend giving them training on how to drive safely before they head out on their first delivery run. This should keep safe driving practices in mind for the foreseeable future.
Get the right insurance
Even with great packaging and reliable drivers, accidents can still happen. This makes getting the right business insurance for your goods, drivers and vehicles vital as it could help you recoup any money lost if there’s an accident during transit.
Getting your goods from the factory to your customer’s home is no small task and dangers can be around almost every corner. That’s why using the tips mentioned above should help you mitigate the risk and give you peace of mind that you’ve done all you can to fulfil your orders well, every time.
