How to Ship Electronics. Electronics contain thousands of tiny, fragile parts. These parts and electronics cases are often made of hard plastic that can easily dent or break from impact.
Gadgets like tablets, smartphones and e-readers are very popular gift ideas. You can prevent costly damages and returns when shipping electronic devices by packing carefully and correctly. Here are three tips to keep in mind when you ship your high-tech gifts. Create a Shipment
It is important to exercise the utmost care when packing electronics for shipping both because they are delicate and because electronics often require extra packing steps to be taken due to the nature of their contents. Use these steps to ship electronics safely.
- Separate the equipment into as many pieces as possible.
- For packing a printer, for example, you would want to separate the paper tray from the main body and remove any cords.
- Place small components of the device into their own plastic bags and label them.
- For cords, bundle them and use twist ties to keep them together. Unbundled cords can take up a lot of space.
- Wrap large pieces of equipment in 2 layers of bubble wrap. Tape the bubble wrap to itself with heavy duty tape.
- Fill a large cardboard shipping box halfway with packing peanuts.
- Put the largest piece of equipment into the box, covering about a third of the device with the packing peanuts.
- Place the various wrapped components inside the box so they do not touch each other.
- Fill the rest of the box with packing peanuts.
- Close the top of the box and shake it gently. If there is movement inside, open the box and reposition the devices, adding more packing peanuts as needed.
- Shut the box and tape it both vertically and horizontally.
- Obtain another large cardboard shipping box, about 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to 5.08 cm) larger than the original box.
- Pour a thin layer of packing peanuts into the new box.
- Place the first package into the second box.
- Fill the remaining space with packing peanuts.
- Check again for movement and repackage as needed.
- Close the box and tape the top flaps shut using at least 6 pieces of heavy duty tape. If the seal breaks, packing peanuts will escape and destroy your secure package.
- Tape around every seam of the outer box.
- Label the box as “Fragile” and make sure to include a return address.
- Weigh the package on a precise shipping scale to determine shipping price.
Protect Batteries from Heat and Static Electricity
Lithium-ion batteries–the rechargeable cells that power most high-tech devices–store a lot more power than typical dry cells. Because of this, shipping electronics requires extra precautions.
Air transit in particular brings air-pressure and temperature changes causing build-ups in static electricity. A high-powered device like a laptop can also create a lot of heat in a closed container if accidentally powered on in transit. Enough static electricity or several hours of extreme heat can cause a lithium battery-powered device to short-circuit, smolder, or even set fire.
But today’s global trade means that a gadget may ship halfway around the world before reaching stores, so retail packaging addresses these issues for you. Strict international safety regulations govern the retail packaging of lithium battery-powered devices, so it’s best to leave your gift unopened in the manufacturer’s original packaging when you pack it in your shipping box. If you need to pre-program your present before sending it, pay close attention to how the device is packaged when you remove it. Repack the same way and with the same materials as originally packaged, and be sure the device’s power is off before it goes back in the box.
If you don’t have retail packaging to work with, the most important things to ensure are that battery terminals are not exposed and that power buttons can’t be turned on. Electronics are designed to keep batteries grounded when attached, so don’t disconnect removable batteries. Cover or secure power buttons with electrical tape or cardboard, and place the device inside a plastic bag to insulate it from static electricity.
Get Help from the Experts
You can call on the professionals if you’re short on the time, materials, or confidence to pack and ship your high-tech gifts on your own. The UPS Store Certified Packing Experts® have specialty shipping supplies and can help you choose the right shipping method for electronics. And if The UPS Store does the packing and shipping for you, your shipment is covered by the Pack & Ship Guarantee.
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