shipping Best way to package and ship your product?

Jad1034

Jad1034

Thanks for your help. We are looking for the best way to ship our hot sauce to customers. We would love to hear suggestions on the best and most cost effective way to package and ship our products. This includes orders of 1 jar all the way up to shipping cases of 12 jars. Thanks again for the help and advice!

Clint
Granddaddy's Sweet Southern Heat
 
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Hi Clint! and Welcome!

I'm in the same situation as Tigahb8, no UPS stores out here where we live in the middle of nowhere....



Just a few quick thoughts, as it pertains to our shipping....hopefully others will share what works in more metropolitan areas-


Buy GOOD! bubble wrap! I'd purchased some bubble from Reliable Office Supply and was very happy with how it performed. Just recently, I purchased some really cheap bubble wrap off of eBay......CRAPPY stuff! Who would of thunk bubble wrap could be an issue? The first time I used the cheap eBay bubble wrap, I tore off 2 feet, just like the old stuff. Bubbles were popping as I was trying to tear the roll at the perforations. Placed the sheet on the table and laid the 10 oz glass bottle on the wrap, started to roll it up...and it sounded like the concession stand at the movie theater! POP! POP! POP! POP!

Packaging materials are one of those things where you may spend a little up front, but save a bundle in the end. One bottle of broken sauce would pay for the difference in cost if I'd bought the good Reliable Office Supply rolls.

So, beyond materials, for myself, using the USPS flat rate shipping works for larger orders. Most of my bottles are larger 10 oz or 12 oz bottles. They won't fit in the small flat rate boxes. 5 oz woozys or other small bottles will fit into the small flat rate boxes. Heartbreaking Dawns, RedHawk Peppers, and many others who sell in the 5oz size can fit (3) 5-oz bottles in a small flat rate box for about $5.50. That's a great option for that size bottle.

I can fit up to 8 larger bottles in the medium flat rate USPS box for $10.95. When I've priced it out to use UPS, it's usually $17-30 for the same weight box.



If you are sending one 5 oz woozy or smaller bottle, USPS first class mail, in a small box (provided by you) will usually run you $2-3 USA shipping.



I haven't figured out any shipping for cases of product that won't run at least $1 per bottle, so I'm looking for options also.
 
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For 5z glass woozie bottles.......
 
Do most people just use the boxes that USPS includes in the price of flat rate shipping (small, medium, large boxes) for all of their shipping needs?  Does anyone reuse the boxes that the 12 5z bottles come in?  If so do you add additional insulation (bubble wrap, paper) or only reuse with the corrugate divider already in there?  It seems like the divider would work by itself but wasn't sure with the added weight of the sauce.  Does anyone find it makes more sense to purchase a particular box from the likes of Uline, etc?
 
Just trying to get an understanding for different configurations.  For 3 bottles or less = small flat rate box, for 4-12 bottles medium flat rate box, etc.  I'm going to pickup some of the free boxes from USPS and play around but just wanted to see what others have found to work.  Also based on what i've seen so far, USPS seems to be the most cost effective vs UPS or FedEx?
 
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already answered above.....
 
 
If you have access to UPS and FedEx....definitely explore those options.  Most customer orders will be 1-6 bottles.  When you get to the wholesaling level, you will hopefully be shipping multiple cases.  Then it's time to look at shipping accounts with any of the Big3.
 
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