Packing Orders for Shipment

Packing is the last check before an order leaves the building, and the last chance to catch a mistake. You confirm the order is right, protect it for a rough trip through carrier hubs and belts, and put it in a package that costs as little as possible to ship. A customer never sees the warehouse, but they do see what you packed.

What You Will Be Able to Do

• Set up a pack station and verify an order before it is sealed.
• Choose the smallest box that still protects the contents.
• Calculate dimensional weight and explain how it affects cost.
• Cushion, fill and seal a box so nothing moves.
• Label and stage a package so it scans at every point.

Set Up Your Station

A tidy station is faster and makes fewer mistakes. Before you start, have these within reach:

• Boxes and mailers in the sizes you use most.
• Void fill, such as air pillows, packing paper or bubble wrap.
• A tape gun, and a safety knife with a retractable blade.
• A scale and a label printer, loaded and working.
• Space to lay out the order and check it.

Verify the Order

1. Scan the order to bring up the packing slip on your screen.
2. Lay out the items and scan each one to confirm the SKU.
3. Check the quantity of each line.
4. Check each variant, such as size, color and model.
5. Inspect for dents, tears, stains, broken seals and out-of-date stock.
6. Read any special instructions, such as gift wrap or an insert.

Follow special instructions exactly. If you are not sure how to carry one out, ask your supervisor before the box is sealed.

If an item is damaged, take it out, report it and get a replacement picked if one is available. Do not pack it and hope. If something is missing or wrong, flag the order. A damaged item goes to the damaged-goods area, not back to the shelf.

Choose the Package

The rule is to use the smallest package that fits the items plus enough room for cushioning.

Allow room for cushioning on all sides. Carriers commonly recommend at least 2 inches between a fragile item and the box wall, and 2 to 3 inches for anything delicate. A box that is too small leaves the item touching the wall, where every knock reaches it. A box that is too large wastes fill, lets items shift and can cost much more to ship.

Check that the box is strong enough for the weight. Most boxes print a strength rating on a bottom flap. Do not reuse a box that is soft, torn or crushed.

Dimensional Weight

Carriers fill their trucks by space as much as by weight, so they charge for both. Dimensional weight, or DIM weight, is a weight calculated from a box's size. The carrier charges the greater of the actual weight and the DIM weight.

To find it, measure length, width and height in inches, and round each to the nearest whole inch. Multiply them together, then divide by the carrier's divisor. A divisor of 139 is common for US parcel shipments, but it varies by carrier, service and account, so check yours. Round any fraction up to the next pound.

Worked example. A 9-pound order is packed in an 18 x 14 x 12 inch box.

1. 18 x 14 x 12 = 3,024 cubic inches.
2. 3,024 divided by 139 = 21.8, which rounds up to 22 pounds.
3. The carrier charges for 22 pounds, not 9.

The same order fits safely in a 12 x 10 x 8 inch box.

1. 12 x 10 x 8 = 960 cubic inches.
2. 960 divided by 139 = 6.9, which rounds up to 7 pounds.
3. The actual weight of 9 pounds is greater, so the carrier charges for 9 pounds.

Choosing the smaller box cut the billable weight by more than half.

Pack It So Nothing Moves

Follow this order:

1. Line the bottom with a layer of cushioning.
2. Place heavy items at the bottom, with lighter ones on top, so nothing heavy can crush what is below.
3. Wrap fragile items individually, keep them away from the walls and keep them from touching each other.
4. Separate items that could rub or knock together.
5. Bag liquids in case of leaks, and keep them upright with the caps tight.
6. Fill every gap. Air pillows, crumpled paper and bubble wrap all work. Use foam inserts for high-value items.
7. Top with cushioning before you close the flaps.

Do the shake test. Close the box and shake it gently. It should make no rattle or shifting sound. If you hear or feel anything move, add more fill. A box that shifts in your hands will be far worse on a conveyor.

Do not overstuff a box, either. A bulging box is weak and can burst at the seams.

Add the Paperwork

The packing slip lists every item in the shipment so the customer can check their order. Put it where the customer will find it, and leave pricing off if it is a gift or if your site's rules say to. Add any return labels and inserts the order calls for. International orders may need customs paperwork, such as a commercial invoice, usually attached to the outside of the box in a document pouch.

Seal and Label

1. Tape the center seam on the top and the bottom. For heavy boxes, also tape the edge seams to make an H shape.
2. Use packing tape, not masking or cellophane tape.
3. Remove or cover old labels and barcodes on a reused box.
4. Put the shipping label flat on the largest face of the box, away from seams and edges.
5. Keep the label smooth. Never run tape over the barcode, because it can stop scanners reading it.
6. If a label wrinkles or prints badly, void it and print a new one.
7. Add handling labels, such as Fragile or This Side Up, if required. They help, but they do not replace good packing.

Some products, such as lithium batteries and other dangerous goods, have strict packing and marking rules. Only people who have had hazmat training may prepare them. If an order contains one, follow your site's procedure or ask a supervisor.

Stage for Shipping

Put finished packages in the right staging area, sorted by carrier and service level. Keep the labels facing out so the shipping team can scan them. Packages that miss a carrier cutoff miss the delivery promise, so know your cutoff times.

Quality Checks

Sites catch errors in several ways, and you should expect to see them:

• Weight check: the system compares the actual weight to the expected weight, and a big difference triggers a recheck.
• Random audit: a supervisor opens finished packages and checks them.
• Photo record: some sites photograph high-value orders before sealing.
• Self-check: take a few seconds to compare the slip to what is in the box before you close it.

A pack rate of 20 to 40 packages an hour is a common range, but it depends on the product and the order size. Accuracy and low damage come first.

Staying Safe at the Station

• Keep the knife blade retracted when not cutting, and cut away from your body.
• Replace dull blades, because they need more force and slip.
• Keep the things you use most within easy reach and work at about elbow height.
• Use a mat on a hard floor and shift your stance, because standing still all shift is tiring.
• Slide heavy boxes along the table or a roller instead of lifting them. Ask for help or equipment when a box is too heavy.
• Keep the floor clear of packing materials so nobody slips or trips.

Common Mistakes

Check Your Understanding

1. You have a 12-pound order and a choice between a 20 x 16 x 12 box and a 14 x 12 x 10 box. Both fit with cushioning. Using a divisor of 139, which is cheaper to ship?

The first is 3,840 cubic inches, or 28 pounds by DIM weight. The second is 1,680 cubic inches, or 13 pounds. The second box bills at 13 pounds instead of 28, so use it.

2. While checking an order, you notice one of three items has a torn seal. What do you do?

Take it out, report it and get a replacement picked if one is available. Do not pack it. Put the damaged item in the damaged-goods area.

3. You seal a box of glass jars and hear a faint clink when you lift it. What should you do?

Open it and add cushioning, keeping the jars apart. Any sound or movement means the contents are not held in place.

4. A label prints with a wrinkle across the barcode. There is a line of boxes behind you. What is the right move?

Void it and print a new one. A label that will not scan can delay or lose the package, which takes far longer to fix.

Key Takeaways

• Verify every item before you seal the box.
• Use the smallest box that fits with room for cushioning, at least 2 inches around fragile items.
• Carriers bill the greater of actual weight and DIM weight.
• Heavy on the bottom, light on top, and no movement inside.
• Label flat on the largest face, with no tape over the barcode.