How to Ship a Product For Review
You don’t need to be an engineer or a packaging specialist to deliver a product to reviewers, but there are a few things you should know. Your packaging should be appropriate to the item being shipped; it should include a letter of introduction; and you should receive confirmation--after all, you don’t want a reviewer to say he never received a product if he actually did. Below are nine steps to make packaging and shipping your review products easy, timely and cost-effective.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Select a carrier. Make a list of all the carriers in your area, complete with phone and address. Call each one and ask for information on weight and size limitations, pickup and delivery times, and rates. For the most accurate cost comparisons, package a few of your products and take them to a branch for each carrier. Once you have gathered the information, make a chart for easy comparison. This will help you delineate the cheapest carriers, the fastest carriers and the most reliable carriers.
-
2
Select appropriate packaging materials. Selecting the right packaging increases the chances that your product will arrive in perfect condition. Keep several types of packaging material on hand if you have a variety of products to ship. Here are some rules of thumb: corrugated cardboard boxes for books, videos and breakable items; bubble mailers for CDs and DVDs, and inexpensive jewelry pieces; padded mailers for unframed prints and unframed original artwork; mailing tubes for posters or large prints and original paintings; wooden crates for very expensive or heavy items.
-
-
3
Write a thank you letter. Thank the reviewer for taking time to review your product, then follow up with specifics like when the product will be reviewed, facts about the product, and an email address to notify you when the product has been reviewed.
-
4
Include a CD of images. You can include a link to your website with product images, but a CD with images of your product in various sizes and formats makes it even easier for the reviewer to provide proper images to his publisher or art director.
-
5
Include a video footage code. When submitting your product to be reviewed on a blog, include a link to a web page on your website that has a code to embed video footage about your product onto the blogger’s blog. Do not include a DVD of the video footage as the blogger may not have the proper equipment necessary to load the video onto his computer, let alone onto his blog.
-
6
Wrap your product. Insert cushioning under, around and on top of your product if necessary. On top of everything, include your letter and/or CD. More rules of thumb: Wrap breakables, expensive glassware, and paintings in tissue paper, then bubble wrap. Fill the bottom of the box with foam peanuts and insert the item into the middle of the box. Fill the remainder of the box with foam peanuts, making sure to surround the item. This process will secure the product for shipping, preventing it from moving around and becoming damaged in transport. Depending on your product, double -package the item. In other words, package the item in a small box, then insert the small box into a larger box. Secure the smaller box into the larger box by surrounding it with foam peanuts or bubble wrap.
-
7
Seal the package. Choose packaging tape that offers a strong adhesive.
-
8
Address product. Place your return address in the upper left hand corner of the package, leaving plenty of room on the right side for postage. Place the reviewer’s name, company name, and address in the middle of the package. If you're taking your package to a shipper, you might be required to affix a label on the box, but at least you'll have the address info handy.
-
9
Ship product. Ask for delivery confirmation or a signed return receipt when shipping your product for review. This will let you know that the product arrived. Purchase insurance on products that are expensive or cannot be replaced.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Order a variety of boxes. Select boxes that hold your product comfortably (after bubble wrapping), but securely.
Do not package small products in large boxes. The extra material adds weight and increases the cost of shipping.
Don’t use cheap or everyday household tape to seal the boxes as they are likely too flimsy to hold well. Likewise, do not use duct tape as it will not hold for long.
