How to Ship Infant Formula: A Complete Guide to Sending and Packaging Formula
With the current shortage of infant formula, many shippers and individuals are asking us how they ship infant formula and how to do it properly. The good news is that there is no wrong way to send baby formula as the carrier doesn’t consider it a hazardous material… However, in terms of type there are a few things you need to keep in mind which packaging you should be using and what you The type of service that should be selected. This guide is all about how to ship infant formula, how to best package it for shipping, and how to save the most money on the label. Read on for the scoop!
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Use corrugated cardboard boxes instead of envelopes to ship infant formula
First things first: If you’re considering using envelopes or plastic envelopes to ship your formula, think again!you should no way Use an envelope to send the recipe; instead, Use corrugated cardboard boxes.Most formulas come in cans or relatively delicate cardboard packaging, and if your package is subjected to any stress in transit, using a box will give you more protection than an envelope, and honestly…it probably will. In this case, the worst thing that can happen is that the jar or package bursts from the pressure and spills the formula everywhere; that would defeat the whole purpose of sending it in the first place!
If you’re looking for boxes, ULINE has a huge selection of brand new cardboard boxes in all sizes on their website. USPS also allows you to order free Priority Mail packaging from their website, which you can view here.
Use protective packaging such as bubble wrap or air pillows to take up space in your box
After placing the formula package in the cardboard box, you may notice that there is still a fair amount of space inside. Again, to prevent any pressure from opening the recipe container, you need to fill this empty space as much as possible. Several good packaging materials for this purpose are bubble wrap and air pillows. The more you have in your box, the better!
To see if you’re using enough packing material to protect your items, a good test is to bump your package up and down, then flip it over a few times. If you can feel your formula container moving inside, it means you need to cram more packing material into the box.
Choose an expedited shipping service like USPS First Class Package or USPS Priority Mail
When sending baby formula, you need to consider two things: temperature and speedAlso, recipes that are on the road for a long time won’t necessarily spoil… but given the current domestic shortage of recipes, delivery speed is critical.
That is, you don’t necessarily need The absolute fastest service, but you also don’t want to opt for a longer ground service that can take up to a week to deliver. Our recommendation is to choose one of the air USPS services that offer package delivery within 1 to 3 business days. These services are listed below:
For the best combination of affordability and speed, we recommend First Class Package or Priority Mail. If your package weighs less than 16 ounces, First Class is the cheapest service you can get; if it weighs more than 16 ounces, Priority Mail is your best option. Delivery time for both services is 1-3 business days, depending on how far the package needs to be shipped.
Priority Mail Express will ship your infant formula to your destination the fastest of all three options…but it’s probably significantly more expensive than regular Priority Mail, so it’s probably not worth it. It’s up to you at the end of the day, though!
Save Money on USPS Labels with Online Shipping Software
Just like shipping anything else, you should never go to the post office to deliver your package! Instead, use online shipping software to buy and print your own labels. When you use online shipping software, you can not only buy labels from the comfort of your home (or office) for your own convenience. You can also put money back in your pocket by accessing special discounts that carriers like USPS typically reserve only for larger shippers.
For USPS, this special level of discount is called commercial pricing. Historically, USPS has typically only allowed large commercial shippers to send more than 50,000 packages per year.However, by using online shipping software, you can get these discounts free in most cases.Depending on what you’re shipping, these discounts can Save you 89% off A fee for shipping the same package at your local post office. If you’re sending a lot of packages, that can save you a lot of money!
Another amazing thing about buying postage online is that you can skip those headache-inducing lines at the post office by simply dropping your package in the lobby. Going a step further, you can even schedule a free pickup from USPS, who will pick up your package while your carrier delivers your mail. This means you can deliver baby formula without leaving your home and save the most money in the process. Talk about a double whammy!