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 Refrigerated freight, or more commonly referred to as reefer freight, is a method of shipping temperature-sensitive goods such as fruits, meat, seafood, vegetables, dairy products and other foodstuffs. Medications that require certain temperatures are also shipped through this method. The temperature of a reefer freight container cannot rise above a predefined limit in order to preserve the quality of the shipment.
When using a reefer freight to transport items, the following tips should be considered to ensure that the goods arrive in fresh and in perfect condition
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 The costs of shipping materials can add up especially if you send out items on a regular basis. Using cheap or even free shipping materials is the best way to go if you want to get the best value for your shipping expenses. Here are some tips on where you can get inexpensive shipping supplies, and sometimes, even for free!
Go Online. There are numerous shipping supply websites which offer affordable and discounted rates on their products. Some even accept coupons codes that will further increase your savings.
Save cash by buying in bulk. This is a great tip for frequent shippers. You can save a lot if you purchase shipping supplies in bulk, whether from online or regular shipping supply shops. These stores usually give substantial discounts if you buy in mass quantities.
Get free shipping supplies from the post office. Just visit your local post office and ask for shipping materials. You can also go to the USPS website and order the supplies you need online and wait for them to get delivered.
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 The United States Postal Service (USPS) offers Media Mail shipping, a cost-effective way to send educational materials, such as books, video tapes, CDs, DVDs, etc. Through this option, items can be shipped with discounted postage rate and can be delivered within 2 to 10 days.
Using Media Mail is easy, but there are rules and regulations that must be observed when using this service:
There are restrictions on the type of media that can be sent via Media Mail. Video games, computer drives, or digital drives of any kind are not allowed to be shipped through this option. Promotional materials or advertisements are also not allowed inside a Media Mail package. Inserting a birthday card in the package can cause your parcel to be sent back because the card isn't an approved item by the USPS.
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 Using the appropriate shipping box is important in successfully shipping a package. Aside from serving as a container, it should also provide protection that will ensure that the items inside will arrive safe and undamaged. Here are some tips in picking the best shipping box.
Always use a box that can accommodate your item and allow enough room for cushioning materials. A box which is too small does not allow adequate space for cushioning while a box which is too large leaves too much room for an item to move around. You can even be charged a surcharge for huge boxes.
Only use a heavy-duty corrugated box when shipping items. Other boxes, such as gift boxes or shoe boxes, may not be strong enough to provide protection and can easily get crushed.
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 Unless shipping perishable items, live animals or other stuff that needs to be delivered ASAP, you can save a lot of dollars by avoiding options such as 2-day and next day shipping as these always cost more. If a package needs to arrive before a specific date, ship it in advance so you don't have to pay that extra rate. A good option is sending a package via Priority Mail through USPS. It's not as expensive as next day shipping but packages can arrive within 2 to 3 days depending on how far the destination.
Save on postage costs by printing them online. The USPS website allows you to print postage and labels online at a discounted price. The discount may not be that much but when you are shipping a lot of stuff, every savings count!
Re-use and recycle packaging materials. Don't throw your boxes away. Save the ones from the packages you receive and you can re-use them when you need to ship something. Just make sure that the boxes you are reusing are still in good shape. Also remove or cover the previous labels before reusing the boxes. The same goes for bubble wrap and packing peanuts.
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Shipping Tips