Shipping Your Furniture by Hayley M. Massey
When you think of the mail, and sending packages you think of small envelopes and boxes with new prizes just for you. The idea of shipping a large item seems daunting and almost impossible. I recently just purchased a Court Vanity Mirror Bench made by Ethan Allen and cherry wood. It was my yearly splurge. The economy has shifted in a way that people can go couch shopping on the luxury of their phones or computers while sitting on the only piece of furniture they have, a beanbag.
We as a society are expected the same ordering and shipping experience we have when we order new shoes or a book. We want to be able to track our order, pay for fast shipping, and if we hate it, we want to return it hassle free. In this day and age, things like furniture will travel much farther distances than they have before, including ordering from overseas. The important thing to remember when shipping furniture is it has to look the same when it arrives than when it was sent.
We always will have high expectation, but when it comes to shipping our personal items our expectations are even higher. I want to discuss a few ways to ship furniture that will have an experience that will meet any person's expectations.
Who should ship your furniture?
The rule of thumb is to choose an experienced carrier. The experienced know how to ship good together to save money, and to move them in a way to minimize damage. The piece of furniture benefits from the different techniques to avoid movement during transit. Carriers use block and brace strategies, and they use stable loads tightly packed together to minimize incidents.
Another aspect is organized carriers have services for not only tracking your item, but you can see where your item is anytime in the shipping process.
How can I know a carrier will ship it?
The first step is to find out the pieces measurements and weight. Make sure that your furniture is within the limitations of the specific carrier. If a piece is too large, a fee may have to be paid or the person shipping the package may have to look into freight shipping. The size and weight measurements are also what you need to determine the shipping cost of the item.
How can I personally keep my item safe?
The first thing to consider is how you will item be traveling. If it is across seas, it needs to be able to withstand a roll and life affect. If it is traveling on the ground it needs to withstand increased handling and vibrations. For example, there are items like granite that damage from vibration, so the item needs to be packaged in a way that it will not feel the transports vibrations.
For you items that are big, and oddly shaped it is smart to us a thicker cardboard to keep the item stable. Doubling up a box or using a crate is some other options. The use of bubble wrap or foam around delicate parts something to consider, along with placing 'cushioning' in all of the empty spaces. If you are shipping an item like a rug, rolling it and binding it with rope is to help keep its shape. Then covering it in plastic will protect the rug as a whole. Considering what and how to ship you item yourself will ensure you item will be safe no matter what.
How can I ship something large very fast?
We live in a world with same day shipping, so people are very inpatient when it comes to shipping. People will pay more money to obtain their item quicker if needed. Always look into all of the carriers shipping options and choose the one that fits into your time frame and finances.
How can I make sure my carrier communicates with me?
Large shipments usually require a scheduled time for delivery. This can interfere with you busy schedule so needing a reliable form of communication is necessary. When you ship the item, make sure to pass on your phone number and your email address, along with the carrier's contact info. If there is no communication from you carrier, do not be afraid to follow up yourself.
What if I want to return the item I bought?
Another expectation of customers in these days are that returns need to be simple. Free shipping is also very common on returns so that should make the process easier. Furniture items do need a schedule pick-up and some extra packaging, so it can be difficult, but it comes to choosing a great carrier who will make it easy for you.
Shipping furniture may seem like a difficult chore, but if you follow up with your research you should see success in sending, or receiving a priceless item. The option to ship large items, opens up a whole door in the commerce of buying items. The sky is the limit with today's technology and transportation.