How to Pack Your Cardboard Box

Are you wondering what the best way to pack your cardboard box is?

It might seem so simple. But there is an art to packing a parcel. Doing it correctly can ensure that it gets easily sorted by the courier service. That means it will arrive on time and your customers will be happy.

Whether you're shipping products that perfectly slip into a parcel or weird-shaped objects that require filling material to protect them, we've got you. This guide will provide you with all the expert tips on the best way to pack a cardboard box. Here's everything you need to know.

Choosing the Right Shape

Cardboard boxes come in all shapes and sizes. So how do you know the best one to ship your products? Here's how you can tell.

Boxes

A simple cardboard box is always the ideal choice. The flat surfaces allow address labels to attach easily. This helps the sorting machines read them easily and organise the parcel correctly. Cardboard boxes are also the most stable item on a conveyor belt.

Satchels

There's nothing wrong with using a satchel to ship your products. However, you need to ensure they're not overfilled to the point where they become round. It impacts attachments and makes it difficult to sort the parcel easily. An expert tip is to place the address label on the centre. The machines can read it and won't bend or peel during transportation.

Poster Rolls

You should always avoid using cylinder poster packages to ship your products. These parcels can roll on conveyor belts and cause delays to your shipment. With some courier companies, additional fees or charges may apply. Instead, select a longer rectangular shape. It will achieve the same result without it rolling on a sorting machine.

How to Choose a Durable Cardboard Box

It doesn't matter if you're sending a parcel to a place in your postcode or an office across the country. We recommend always choosing a double wall corrugated cardboard box to ship your products. It will provide the best protection at all times. It's also great for any products with sharp components.

But if you want to keep your packaging box intact? You should use a larger cardboard box and place a filling material inside it to protect your item. It will provide the additional cushioning required when the parcel is on conveyor belts. Watch how to do it properly here:

How to Protect Fragile Items

You don't need to be afraid of shipping fragile items. You can use these techniques to ensure your item arrives safely at its destination.

Before you start, check the prohibited and restricted items list. Prohibited items mean you can't use our services to send those objects. Restricted items refer to pieces that aren't suitable for shipment by our services. They can be sent, but transit warranty won't apply.

Once you've got the green light to send your parcel, follow these steps to pack your fragile item:

• Wrap the individual objects using a cushioning material
• Use a filling item to reduce movement inside the box
• Seal it up and then place it into a larger, sturdy outer box with filling material in between the two parcels

Expert Tips to Pack Your Cardboard Box

To ensure you get the fastest, safest, and most successful delivery of your item, there are other expert tips you can employ when you pack your cardboard box. Some of the best include:

• Don't place ribbons, straps, or strings on the outside of your box as it gets tangled in sorting machines and makes it difficult to scan labels
• Choose a packaging that is matte and bright in colour
• Avoid dark, shiny, and slippery parcel materials as sorting machines have trouble reading it
• Always secure your box with enough tape but never over the barcode
• Fill any empty space with filling materials to avoid it from collapsing
• Avoid overfilling a cardboard box as it can split the material
• Take a moment to upload your cardboard box dimensions to Interparcel's Parcel Presets page. You can then enable Smart Boxing to package multi-item orders as efficiently as possible.

How to Choose the Right Courier to Send Your Parcel

Once you have packed your cardboard box, all that's left to do is organise a courier service to pick up your parcel and deliver it. If you've followed these steps and taken note of the expert tips, your customer should receive their item without any issue.

Interparcel's multicarrier shipping solutions make it easy to find the best courier service to ship your parcels. You can sort carriers based on price, estimated shipping times, or your past experiences with the company. Find out more about how Interparcel makes shipping easier here!