PACKAGING: THE ESSENTIAL STEP BEFORE SHIPPING

Damaged, chipped, scratched or even broken, your parcel arrived at its destination but not in good condition. You blame yourself because you neglected its packaging and your parcel didn’t survive this small oversight.

Send your item with peace of mind by taking a few extra minutes to handle its packaging. Cocolis will guide you.

MAIF is your friend; help them out!

We’d love to blame the neighbour, the dog, or just bad luck, but here there’s no doubt: the sender is responsible for the parcel.

Of course, there’s Cocolis insurance. By using our service, your parcel is covered by MAIF with no excess, but only if the items have been properly protected during transport.

So, it’s up to you to ensure your packaging is “sufficiently protective”.

The steps to follow:

• Take a photo: It’s not about making an album or a portfolio of your parcel, but taking a few shots from different angles before saying goodbye. You know what your item looks like, but do others? (the carrier, the insurer, the recipient). So: cheeeese!

Cocolis tip: When you post your ad, it’s much more appealing to add a photo of your item. Kill two birds with one stone.

• Specify its value: This will be essential in case of damage or theft. You’ll mention this amount when booking, after choosing your carrier and just before paying on Cocolis. Please note, we recommend not indicating the value of the item in your ad.

Cocolis tip : Ideally, keep your invoice (it’s easy with online purchases; just create an invoice folder in your email inbox). Otherwise, online sales sites or online flea markets will help you easily estimate your item.

• Choose the right packaging: A box, a carton, a pouch? Ask yourself how sturdy your product is. A battered old dictionary and a porcelain vase don’t need the same treatment. It’s like people who feel the cold—they need more layers.
• Pick the right container: Match the container to the contents. If you choose one that’s too big, you’ll take up unnecessary space in your carrier’s boot and overuse padding techniques (see next point).

Cocolis tip: Ask your local shopkeepers. They handle boxes every day that end up in the bin. It would be a shame not to give them a second life. Keep the packaging from your new purchases and the box from that new pair of shoes; they’ll surely come in handy for your next parcel.

• Pad the item: Fill empty spaces to prevent the object from moving during transport. Bubble wrap, crumpled newspapers, stuffed rags… as long as it keeps things in place.

Cocolis tip: No old holey socks or newspapers lying around? Cocolis loves packing peanuts made from corn starch. We don’t make necklaces out of them anymore because they dissolve in your sink in 5 seconds when in contact with water.

If your item is fragile, don’t hesitate to stick a little “fragile” label or write it on the box: it’s a simple reminder for the carrier.

• Seal it securely: Forget the flimsy transparent tape that peels off in a flash and go for strong adhesive tape. You don’t have to use the whole roll, but don’t hesitate to go around several times. We recommend sealing your parcel in front of your carrier so they can see the condition of the item being shipped.

Cocolis tip: Why not choose adhesive tape made from renewable resources? It sticks just as well, but is much more recyclable.

You’ve got it: to give your item the best chance of arriving in good condition, tell your carrier everything about your item.

But keep in mind that your carrier is an individual and doesn’t have the skills of a professional transporter, nor the equipment to package your item if you haven’t done it. If you want to use a packaging and transport expert, go through a professional transporter: yes, there are some on https://www.cocolis.fr 😉