Many people are afraid of sending larger or even bulky and heavy items: complex to pack, expensive and at all – how can freight such as furniture be transported at all? We talked to someone who needs to know: Thomas Zinkel from the logistics company and Etsy partner iloxx not only has background information on the stages of a parcel on his journey but also valuable tips and hints that make shipping cost from us to singapore
– even larger items – child’s play.
Why parcel shipping starts with correct packaging?
Wrapping an article with some paper or simply putting it in a cardboard box is not packaging! You have to keep in mind that the parcels in handling depots are not transported by people, but run purely over belts and are also pushed and tilted from belt to belt. As a rule of thumb, a parcel must survive a fall from a height of 80 cm undamaged. And quite frankly, the drivers don’t treat the parcels very squeamishly when it comes to picking them up and delivering them. Correct packaging is therefore extremely important!
Correct packaging and what you should rather leave behind
Each article should be wrapped in bubble wrap and packed in polystyrene chips at a sufficient distance from the carton. Newsprint is absolutely out of place. Also the cardboard should be closed at all edges and openings with a package adhesive tape, not only with a few Tesa strips.
Only if the parcel is correctly packed will the goods arrive at the customer’s premises as a whole and in the event of damage will the logistician’s insurance cover the costs. On the iloxx page we have detailed instructions with short videos that show step by step how to pack various articles correctly. From normal parcels to bulky goods.
Shipment of large-heavy-bulky items and furniture
Many are afraid to send big and bulky things: bigger things, bigger problems. And this shipment is not a book with seven seals either. Basically, you have to know that shipping large or heavy items works differently than shipping parcels: Almost exclusively people work here instead of machines, which is why shipping costs more. Nevertheless, proper packaging is also extremely important here.
In the area of bulky goods, the goods must also be wrapped in bubble wrap and strapped to a pallet. This is the only way for the driver to pick up the goods with a pallet truck and stow them safely in his vehicle. Here, too, it should be borne in mind that the driver does not only travel because of a pallet, but that the goods are handled in one lift and sometimes loaded several times. So you can’t pack and protect enough! Therefore it is better to put a little more bubble wrap around the articles and rather strap them twice on the pallet than once too little.
Even if two people usually pick up and deliver furniture during transport, you should not send furniture unprotected on its journey. There are special edge protectors made of cardboard or plastic with which all edges of the piece of furniture must be prepared. In addition, moving parts such as drawers or doors must be fixed. Only properly protected is it possible for the buyer to enjoy the piece of furniture. You can also find concrete tips on bulky goods or furniture shipping under our videos.
When does the insurance come into force in the event of a claim?
All packages are insured up to 520 € and can be insured even higher on request. Exceptions are easily fragile goods such as porcelain or the like, as well as incorrectly packaged packages. For this reason, please always pay close attention to the above points.
Can I track the shipment all the time?
It goes without saying that iloxx offers tracking throughout the entire transport period. This enables recipients and dealers to track where the parcel is at any time. And if desired, we will automatically send a tracking link to the customer when the parcel is taken over.
What happens if the recipient is not at home?
The DPD driver currently drives to the customer up to three times to deliver the parcel. In the near future, however, the recipient will become the director of the shipment and will be able to determine changes to the delivery address at short notice in addition to postponements and time windows. And last but not least there are the DPD shops where the parcel can be stored.
How iloxx works for commercial senders
At iloxx, we do not have standard prices for dealers, but instead create individual prices that are precisely tailored to the respective requirements. The procedure is as follows: The dealer contacts us and then receives a favourable price list corresponding to his shipping volume and shipping characteristics, as well as fixed pick-up days. Now the dealer can start orders via various API interfaces, csv imports or manually in the iloxx portal, print out the labels on his printer and stick on the package.
The DPD driver then collects the parcel on the agreed dates and scans and weighs it in the entrance hub. And only these parcels that have actually been transported are invoiced at the end of the month according to the actual weight. Interested? Well then, there are contact possibilities here.
