Fragile Couriers?

[VEIGHT]

Anyone know of a national courier that has a fragile option?

We have some boxes that despite enough packaging round it to make amazon look environmentally friendly, they keep arriving damaged.

I know DPD / APC have security options but that doesn't help either.

[schmunk]

Sorry, not helpful, but this was my immediate thought...

[dmsims]

Where are you ?

[Nickyboy]

Unlikely, everyone use automatic sorters nowadays so you can write whatever you want on it regarding handling but machines can't read. If they're arriving damaged there must be an issue with the way they are packaged. What are the contents out of interest?

[NovaPower]

I the Spring / Summer I send fragile items on a daily basis. Unfortunately there is no 'fragile option' - you just have to pack as well as possible, hope for the best and accept that a small percentage of parcels will get broken in transit. I read somewhere that a package will go through 14 pairs of hands during transit, plus sorters, conveyors etc.

That said, my hierarchy form best to worst:

UPS
DPD / Interlink
Hermes
Royal Mail / ParcelForce

You haven't mentioned what size parcel you are sending, but I found that a double wall box with quality bubblewrap / sealed air and sent with UPS to be the safest.

[e30m3Mark]

AVOID YODEL.

DO NOT USE YODEL.

Honestly, just don't.

[raddog]

We use UPS every time for very fragile things although they're not perfect. The back of their vans are racked out so less chance of the 50" TV or cement mixer falling on your box.

Failing that a micro palllet with one of the pallet networks is usually around £35 on an economy service, depends on what your main product is I guess.

[VEIGHT]

Some good info - thank you.

I'm based in Essex and it's a wooden display unit for retail. Around 20 kilos and 1m high x 40cm x 40cm.

We currently have triple walled boxes, the product in foam 'inserts', bubble wrap then wooden panels sides, top and bottom.

We can drop them from waist height and they are intact so god knows what they do with it.

I might try UPS as the van racking sounds helpful.

[Phil Dicky]

I used to use Parcel Force when I sold a lot of glass and crystal...had very few problems as longs the box was marked fragile.

[hotchy]

Cant remember who delivered but you can get fragile seedling plants delivered online and the muds not even out the tubs upon arrival. Have a gander on there websites to see if they say who delivers for them? Always impresses me those we things turning up perfect.

[Camelot1971]

A vote here for UPS - they have been excellent when shipping guitars.