SUCCESSFUL SHIPPING HINTS

Many have written of their woes in shipping 'stuff' from 'here to there'. It arrives damaged (externally or internally) and then the battle over 'who is gonna pay the damages' and 'how long will it take to get reimbursed?' wages.

Here are a few handy tidbits to think about when you ship/mail 'stuff'. My background in this is based upon 20 years of dealing with contractors who ship stuff for Uncle Sam using Military spec packaging and Commercial packaging.

1) Decide what the criticality and importance of what you are shipping is. Is it IN THE LEAST BIT FRAGILE (not just glass - but adjustments, controls, panels, meters, etc.)

2) Is it something that can't be replaced? Sentimental value? etc.

If the answers are YES to either #1 or #2 (or both) then here are some tips.

TIP #1 ASSUME THAT EVERYONE WHO HANDLES THE PACKAGE - OTHER THAN *YOURSELF* has the grace of an elephant, the grasping ability of a lobster, and the concern for YOUR stuff as a gorilla.

TIP #2 ASSUME THAT EVERYONE WHO HANDLES THE PACKAGE - OTHER THAN *YOURSELF* has about as much interest in your package as you do about the puddle of water your car tire rolled through on the interstate during the last rain storm.

TIP #3 ASSUME THAT YOUR PACKAGE LABELING WILL BE SUBJECTED TO THE WORST POSSIBLE ATTEMPTS TO OBSCURE, OBLITERATE, OR MAKE UNREADABLE ANY MARKINGS YOU PUT UPON THE PACKAGE.

TIP #4 ASSUME THAT ANY COMPANY YOU SEEK TO RECLAIM DAMAGES FROM WILL RESIST YOUR EFFORTS and you document EVERYTHING accordingly!

NOW... PACKING!!!

TIP #1 - DON'T SCRIMP ON THE PACKING MATERIALS! Get triple-wall cardboard boxes (OR if that is not available double-walled boxes that have packaging certification stamps on theem).

TIP #2 - GET A BOX AT LEAST 2-3 times BIGGER than what you are shipping.

TIP #3 - USE COMBINATION PACKAGING - that is.. you pack the item in an INNER container (box, jug, paintcan) with cushioining material and THEN this gets packed inside an OUTER CONTAINER which also has cushioning material between IT and the INNER CONTAINER.

TIP #4 - SELECT PROPER CUSHIONING MATERIAL - NO SHREDDED NEWSPAPER!!! Use LARGE bubble wrap. Use the SOFT foam. Use GOOD styrofoam peanuts ONLY if the item is durable in and of itself - peanuts do not stop shifting unless REALLY packed tightly!.

TIP#5 - use blocking material to hold object steady inside the inner pack along with the bubble wrap/foam. Put the bubble wrap/foam around the object and block it so it won't move inside the inner box.

TIP #6 - Make sure you have at least 2-3" between the INNER container and OUTER package. Put in PEANUTS and pack 'em in there good!

TIP #7 - TAPE both the inner and outer box WELL AND LABEL THE INNER BOX WITH NAME AND ADDRESS INFO as well as YOUR return info.

TIP #8 - Make sure your return address label is LEGIBLE and CLEARLY READABLE. MARK It 'FROM' and cover it with CLEAR TAPE! Do the same withthe TO label. MAKE SURE IT SAYS 'TO"and it also is clear andlegible. Blockprinting does best! COVER IT WITH TAPE!

TIP #9.. MAKE SURE THE OUTER BOX IS WELL TAPED! Each corner.. each seam, each edge.

Put FRAGILE stickers or THIS END UP depending on what you need on the box.

NOW.. the tips may seem like overkill but trust me.. I have shiipped spectrum analyzers, tubes, radios, glass items, etc all over the Country and have had outer packages cut, dinged,scraped, dropped and kicked. But the inner package did it's job.All but one arrived whole, in one piece,and the stuff inside was fine. Theone time I had an inner box damaged was when someone hit the box with a forklift. It went through the outer box, into the inner box and punctured it. BUT the cushioning an dbubble wrap saved the item and it arrived intact.

It cost me more.. But I had peace of mind. The receiver of my box had peace of mind (and my packaging care left a GOOD taste in their mouth for future work) and I never had to deal with a carrier for damage.

Of course.. I took pictures of the packaging process - just in case - but never had to use 'em.

Anway.. hope that helps. Of course.. your situations and circumstances will be different, so MODIFY as you need to.

73
Chuck K3FT

[N5OZQ]

What a great synopsis! I can honestly say that in my 20+ years of shipping things, the majority at least as fragile as radio gear, that I have yet to be aware of any damage of things that I shipped when these rules were adhedered to (and I say THIS only due to some 'learning curve' incidents in the early days.) I would also like to add my .02 worth:

- I recommend wrapping each article in at least a plastic bag, or wrap, or more ideally in styrofoam wrapping sheet. This keeps the chaff of other materials out of the gear. It also spreads out the contact pressure of peanuts or blocking. I have seen bubble wrap chafe finishes when used 'bubble side in'. THIS CAN BE GUARANTEED TO HAPPEN IF AN ARTICLE HAS BEEN REPAINTED WITHIN THE LAST WEEK OR SO. Ideally, any finish should be allowed a very sufficient time to cure if this is at all a consideration.

- I will take exception to adding 'stickers' for THIS SIDE UP, FRAGILE etc. unless you care to invest it 'Tip-N-Tell Indicators' similar to the ones shown here:
http://monkeypackagingtape.com/cat_labels.htm
since it has been my experience that the common commercial carriers most of us use, UPS, USPS, FedEX - don't pay that much attention, and that these can be an invitation to someone having a bad day.

Lastly, I will say that I NEVER have anything packed by someone that I do not know or have not done business with. These days that leaves this chore up to me, which insures proper packing and saves a buck in the process. My experience comes from seeing that quite a number of things were packed and delivered to locations globally, including a collection of Texas Instruments' artifacts during their 50th Anniversary expos in the early 80's, including the first silicon boulle and Jack Kilby's prototype for the IC, without incident.

GL & 73'
Tom

Tom's points are VERY valid! TUVM, OM!

His comment about wrapping the item FIRST in a durable plastic wrap PRIOR to putting it inside the INNER PACKAGE is a GREAT ONE! (I forgot thatone.. how I could, I dunno, cuz it's STANDARD practice for Commercial and Military shipments.! Again.. GOOD SHOW, TOM! TUVM!

The 'fragile' labels and 'this side up' are more for my desire to have a COMPLETE package job. Tom is 100 percent correct. Many times the handling company pays VERY LITTLE attention to the orientation at all. BUT.. at least with the BRIGHT RED/WHITE eveidence of the stickers.. it puts them on notice anyway andMAY.. just MAY.. remind someone BEFORE they play 'inside the 20 yard line drill' with your package to STOP, PAY ATTENTION, and follow the labels.

BUT pack it as if they won't HI.

The TIP AND TELL indicators are REALLY cool. YOu stick 'em on the outside and they have little beads inside a arrowhead shaped compartment. The pointy part of the arrowhead is coated (on the inside surface) with sticky stuff. IF IT'S TIPPED!!the beads roll out and stick to the stickystuff and you have proofpositive the package was tipped. If they try to bugger up the tip n' tell it rips and then you know RIGHT away! We put one one two adjacent sides.

Another thing for sensistive stuff.. is you put a 'shockwatch'on the unit inside. It is a small cylinder that will break and stain the inside of the shockwatchwith a reddish dye. IT DOES NOT ESCAPE AND CANNOT DAMAGE ANYTHING. but it is a positive indicator that the box was shocked beyond some value. We put one right alongside the tip n' tell on adjacent sides. Again.. it is irrefutable evidence thathe package was treated roughly..

Again.. it MAY add a bit to the shipping cost.. but trust me.. your reputatoin as a seller rides 100 percent on the shipment. If it's broken.. EVEN IF YOU MAKE GOOD ON IT.. you still have a customer in whom you have lost integritybecuase you skimped on the shipping. HOWEVER! If you packed well and good.. and the receiver can see this when they get it.. They won't have a problem withyou but with the shipping company because it will be obvioius they had to go to great lengths to screw up your package! HI.

Believe me.. I've seen units dropped, kicked, punched, trashed, run over, and put through gyrations that would make the Samsonite Gorilla green with envy and STILL arrive intact!

73 and good packing!

Chuck K3FT

those who wish more info.. email me at k3ft@erols.com

[N5OZQ]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (K3FT @ April 07 2003,16:32)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Another thing for sensistive stuff.. is you put #a 'shockwatch'on the unit inside. It is a small cylinder that will break and stain the inside of the shockwatchwith a reddish dye. IT DOES NOT ESCAPE AND CANNOT DAMAGE ANYTHING. but it is a positive indicator that the box was shocked beyond some value. We put one right alongside the tip n' tell on adjacent sides. Again.. it is irrefutable evidence thathe package was treated roughly..[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
What we found with shock indicators was that they would usually come through broken (even with goods intact.) In and of itself this usually was not a cause for concern, given time in transit, mode etc. This was also 15+ years ago, and they were somewhat new to the general audience then. Getting a shipper to pay attention to that alone proved tenuous at best. However, as you point out, when used in concert with the Tip 'n' Tell's, the story was very clear - that the property had been mishandled. We came to the conclusion that for all (our) practical purposes, shock indicators were a waste of time and money. People not paying attention to the labelling was the culprit, and the Tip 'n' Tells invariably accomplished the goal of verifying if that was the case.

Many thanks for the kind words!

GL &amp; 73'
Tom

[w5djw]

I sell some radio equipment from time to time, and I ALWAYS ALWAYS ship via a professional packer and shipper, like the new UPS STORE, I know you tightwad hams will want to flame me but if they pack it and it gets broken they have no one to blame. I have shipped R-390A's with no broblems( except the buyer complaining about the cost). I let the buyer know up front that I only ship via UPS STORE, and why, or they can come to my home and pick up, and they bid accordingly.

Yes, letting the store folks pack your stuff will help place the responsibility squarely on their shoulders for making good any damages incurred and that is a good thing, indeed!

My perspective has always been that, sure , the packer will make good on whatever the damages are insured for and that makes YOU whole which is good! BUT.. since the mission and prime directive is to make sure the buyer/recipient gets the items in the same condition they were in before packing/packaging then the perspective changes.

The shipper has NO vested personal interest or reputation in your package arriving in one piece BEYOND the liability they may incur to make YOU whole. They won't have the bad taste in the mouth like the buyer will who, when they look to buy from you AND recalls that you let the UPS store pack it MAY just shy away from buying from you again.

Of course.. this may happen if YOU pack it and it breaks, of course! But honestly, I've found that when a personal stake is invested in something.. the person who has invested in it tends to go the extra mile to make sure whatever it is is done as best as it can be done. Plus they will tend to be much more responsive and responsible IF something happens.

Again.. it's a persepctive issue I believe. Your decisoin to let them pack it is a good one and it is asound one too. I am NOT denigrating your decision.

I was just trying to point out the other sideof the coin.

73
Chuck K3FT

HAPPY SHIPPING!

[N5OZQ]

FWIW -
If you do a little checking, I think that you will find that 'The UPS Store' is, in reality, a re-packaging (no pun intended) of Mailboxes. I am sure that it is one of the existing packer/shippers that is under a new name. Just as an example, please see:

http://www.qrz.com/cgi-bin....t=28150 (http://www.qrz.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=10;t=28150)

for multiple pages that should if nothing else demonstrate the dynamic of adding another party/entity to your equation.

Along with K3FT, I'm not trying to put ANYONE down here. I would highly recommend that anyone that feels competent pack their own 'stuff'. It will be ME that looks bad if a piece of gear goes through scathed. It will also be ME that stares at the party that sends me a mess (as has happened) and with very little care abt who packed it at that point. I, like many, am in this as a hobby, and not as a means to have to deal with some beaurocrat or idiot that has no idea of what the gear is all abt (and might have a job at the pack 'n' ship because he/she could not remember the line &quot;do you want fries and a coke with that, Sir?&quot;)

I'll take my chances with myself.

73'
Tom #N5OZQ

THE UPS STORE used to be MAILBOXES, ETC.

UPS recently purchased them and in April began converting
the MBE's to UPS STORE.

Funny thing.. the MBE I use for other incoming mail has a nice sign on the door.

&quot;REGRET THAT WE CAN NO LONGER ACCEPT FEDEX PACKAGES!&quot;

I laughed.. Especially since the note was right below the big &quot;THE UPS STORE&quot; sign.. Gotta love a droll sense of humor!

K3FT