Shipping Perishable Goods: Top Tips For The Summer Heat

Today’s customers expect to receive the items they want in the best condition all year round. For perishable items, this can pose some issues, particularly in summer. If you are a business that ships perishable goods such as fresh food or flowers, you must get every step of the journey right and avoid delivering things spoiled. Here are some of our top tips for shipping perishable items in the summer heat.

Plan Ahead

Review your inventory and make a list of the perishable items you stock. Make a plan of action for each item’s shipping and ensure you have all the materials you need for each. Know how long you have to send the items before they spoil and build your plan around this timeframe.

Label Them As Perishable

Clearly label items that are perishable so that your shipping company can quickly identify them. You should place labels on each side of the parcel stating that the package holds perishable items and showing which way up the item is to be kept. 

Package Your Perishables Appropriately

You will need good insulation packaging. You can buy pre-prepared perishable packaging, which will include insulation or make your own. Ensure that the insulation is up to the task, particularly if shipping goods like meat which can spoil and cause food poisoning if improperly shipped.

You should invest in coolants such as dry ice, traditional ice or freezable gel packs. You will need good quality insulation to prevent these from melting and waterproof packaging to avoid leaks.

Choose The Right Shipping Company

You should find a shipping company that provides next day express delivery. The company you choose should have a good reputation and experience in handling perishable items. Check out the e-commerce shipping options from LSO for an idea of the quality, cost and speed of services you should look for in a shipping company for perishable items.

Ship Items At The Right Time

You should send your items early in the week to ensure they arrive as quickly as possible. Shipping later in the week can mean that parcels are left over the weekend before being delivered. You should prepare all of your perishable packages to send between Monday and Wednesday.

Minimize Air Space

The more air space in a package, the more chance perishables will have to spoil. You should minimize the airspace in your packaging using thermal liners or bubble wrap to further insulate the space.

Conclusion

It is vital to have the proper packaging and reliable shipping partner to ship perishables during the summer successfully. You should test out several different packaging options to find the one that works best for you.