It’s really important that you package your items well to keep them safe on their journey. If your goods are not packaged sufficiently and become damaged any compensation cover provided on our services will be invalidated. The following advice will help ensure your items are well protected and are delivered on time.
Our company packaging guidelines hereprovide specific packaging advice for delicate and unusual items.
Please see below a quick guide to help you package items.
General packaging advice
Packaging must always be of a suitable strength and thickness for the size and weight of the goods being posted
Always box your items using a new rigid cardboard box which is strong enough for the weight of the contents and internal packaging
Ensure there is no space in your parcel for the contents to move and damage each other e.g. use polystyrene chips to fill any voids and create a rigid parcel
Internal packaging material must be sufficiently strong e.g. large items need thick protection e.g. polystyrene surrounds / boards or strong air bags. Bubble wrap is suitable for the cosmetic protection of large items only
Electrical items and computers must be protected by thick rigid packaging e.g. polystyrene surrounds
Fragile items e.g. glass, ceramic, stone, plaster etc. must always be suitably packaged to avoid damage from being stacked with other items. Individually package and boxed such items and then place them in a larger box
Musical instruments should be sent in a hard case. Gig bags or trapezoid cardboard guitar boxes are not suitable
Never use soft cases or jiffy bags to send tablets, laptops or similar fragile electrical goods
Never strap boxes / parcels together. Put everything in the same box or send as separate parcels (we offer competitive consignment pricing when several parcels are going to the same address on our UK and International Express services)
Labelling and sealing your parcel
It's very important to correctly label your parcel so that we can correctly see the address it's being delivered to.
Make sure the service barcoded labels are securely attached to the parcel and are clearly visible
Always seal the parcel well, top and bottom, with plastic or reinforced carton tape, not ordinary household tape
Never use string, plastic strapping, shrink wrap or bubble wrap on the outside of your parcel as they can get stuck in our machines
In all instances, including when you are not applying the label itself (e.g. when you have selected for your driver to bring labels) please ensure you have clearly written your recipient's address and the consignment number on the package.
Labels glued on to luggage items can become detached. Put the label in a clear plastic envelope and attach this to a handle or strap on the item using a bag tie. For added security, place a second label inside the luggage within the main compartment, or exterior pocket
Labelling an item as “fragile” is not a substitute for adequate packaging
We do not guarantee the orientation of items sent on our services. Labelling an item “This way up” will not guarantee it will remain in the requested orientation during delivery
Clearly address your item and include contact phone numbers
Make sure the recipient’s name, address, postcode and phone number are clearly written on the outside of the parcel and if possible included these inside
Write your own name, address, postcode and phone number on the outside and inside of the parcel as the return address in case there are any queries during transit
Include a local phone number for international destinations, e.g. not a UK mobile number
For international services the telephone numbers of the sender and the recipient must be written on the customs declaration (Despatch Pack CP72)
Check all documentation is accurately completed to avoid any delay in transit
Customers sending internationally will need to declare the parcel’s contents and value on the customs declaration (Despatch Pack CP72).
Please check that we can accept your parcel
Please read our compensation exclusion page to confirm if any compensation exclusions apply to the goods being sent. We do offer inclusive compensation in our prices and additional compensation can be purchased for those goods requiring it.
Some goods are not able to be sent on our services, or can only be sent subject to restrictions e.g. in a certain quantity / of a certain volume etc. Please read our prohibitions and restrictions and sanctions pages for full details
For export parcels it is your responsibility to ensure that goods you are sending are not prohibited customs abroad, please see our country directory pages for more information
Items packed in kraft paper cannot be sent via our globalexpress service
