If parcels are sent by courier, packaging is not a detail. It is the difference between a satisfied customer and a return with a broken product. Any online shop loses money on three fronts: parcels damaged in transit, oversized packaging costs, and time spent packing.
This guide shows what materials are needed for each type of product, how to replace bubble wrap with cheaper and more efficient alternatives, and how to standardize the packaging process to get more parcels out the door in less time.
- 1. Basic kit for parcel packaging
- 2. Corrugated cardboard vs bubble wrap. Direct comparison
- 3. Anatomy of a well-packaged parcel
- 4. How to package correctly, step by step
- 5. Fragile products: bottles, ceramic, electronics
- 6. How much a correctly packaged parcel costs
- 7. Common packaging mistakes
- ✅ Interactive checklist before dispatch
- ❓ Frequently Asked Questions
1. Basic kit for parcel packaging
A complete packaging setup for a small warehouse has 7 essential pieces + 1 optional accessory that saves several minutes per day:
📦 Durable cardboard box
The base of the packaging. A 5-layer CO5 box (3 smooth + 2 corrugated) withstands stacking and rough handling in courier warehouses.
View CO5 boxes
🟫 Corrugated cardboard for void fill
Protects the product against shocks. 100% eco-friendly alternative to bubble wrap, at a lower cost and with similar protection.
View corrugated cardboard
🎞️ FRAGILE adhesive tape
Seals the box and alerts the courier that the package must be handled with care. Red text on a white background, with maximum visibility.
View FRAGILE tape
🏷️ FRAGILE stickers
On the sides of the box, where adhesive tape does not reach. One roll of 500 pcs is enough for hundreds of parcels.
View sticker roll
🔄 Sticker roll holder
Optional accessory that secures the roll in the packaging area. Unroll the sticker with one hand and apply it instantly, without searching for the roll for every parcel.
View roll holder
🔪 Professional cutter
For opening boxes from suppliers and cutting cardboard to size. The SK4 blade lasts 3 times longer than standard ones.
View ASSIST cutter
🧤 Grip gloves
Handle boxes faster and avoid cuts. The silicone layer on both sides gives grip on slippery cardboard.
View warehouse gloves
✉️ Padded mailers
For small, flat, and slightly fragile products (jewelry, small electronics, cables). Integrated interior bubbles, durable kraft paper, low weight.
View padded mailers2. Corrugated cardboard vs bubble wrap. Direct comparison
Bubble wrap has been the standard for decades. But for most parcels sent by online shops, corrugated cardboard is a better choice in almost every way. Here is why:
How to use corrugated cardboard as filler
Corrugated cardboard comes as flexible sheets of corrugated cardboard (recycled offcuts). The usage process is simple:
- Tear a sheet to the desired size (it tears easily, without a cutter).
- Wrap the product 1-2 times, directly over it or over its individual box.
- Fill the empty spaces in the box with crumpled pieces of corrugated cardboard.
- Seal the box. Done: protection similar to bubble wrap, at half the price.
3. Anatomy of a well-packaged parcel
A parcel that arrives intact at its destination has 5 layers of protection, each with its own role. If one is skipped, vulnerability increases exponentially.
4. How to package correctly, step by step
The standard process for a fragile parcel. Follow the order; each step has a role.
Assemble the box and seal the bottom with adhesive tape in an H shape (one strip down the middle + two on the side edges). For products over 3 kg, use 3 parallel strips.
Tear off a piece of corrugated cardboard and place it on the bottom of the box, in a “nest” shape. Cover the entire bottom surface. This is where the impact is absorbed if the package falls.
Wrap the product in 1-2 layers of corrugated cardboard. For fragile items (glass, ceramic), make 2-3 layers and secure with tape on the cardboard (not directly on the product).
Place the product in the center, so there is at least 3-5 cm of space between the product and the box walls. If the product touches the box directly, any impact reaches it.
Stuff crumpled corrugated cardboard into all remaining spaces. The product must not move when you shake the box. Quick test: shake gently, and if you hear movement, add more filling.
Close the lid and apply adhesive tape in an H shape or 3 parallel strips. The tape must extend beyond the edges by 5 cm on each side for maximum adhesion.
If the product is fragile, apply FRAGILE adhesive tape over the regular tape on at least 2 sides. On the sides, stick 1-2 FRAGILE stickers. Couriers stack marked parcels on top of the others.
Stick the AWB on the flattest side of the box, away from tape and stickers. If you are in rain/humidity, protect it with transparent tape over it.
5. Fragile products: bottles, ceramic, electronics
For products with a high risk of breakage, the protocol is different. More care, specific materials.
🍷 Bottles (wine, oil, liquids)
The risk: direct impact between bottles or with the walls of the box. The solution: individual packaging + separation.
- For 1 bottle: use the dedicated box for 1 wine bottle, additionally wrapped in corrugated cardboard and placed in a CO3 box.
- For 2 bottles: use the box for 2 bottles. A layer of corrugated cardboard between the bottles is mandatory, even if they seem to fit tightly.
- For larger packages: CO5 box with individual dividers + corrugated cardboard on the bottom of the box and on top.
🏺 Ceramics (mugs, plates, bowls)
The risk: side impacts and vibrations. Mugs in particular crack at the handles, not on the body.
- Wrap each mug individually in 2-3 turns of corrugated cardboard.
- Pay special attention to the handle; add an extra layer there.
- If you send 36 mugs at the same time, use the dedicated 36 pcs mug box directly, which fits perfectly into a CO5 420x280x330 box for safe transport.
🔌 Electronics and electrical products
The risk: shocks, static electricity, moisture.
- Keep the manufacturer’s original packaging if available (it has absorption calibrated for the product).
- Wrap the original box with one more layer of corrugated cardboard and place it in a larger exterior box (double packaging).
- For cables and small accessories, use kraft padded mailers with air bubbles.
📄 Documents and small flat items
No box is needed for this. Padded mailers with air bubbles are the solution: integrated protection, silicone strip sealing, low weight (= low courier cost). For flat items up to 170x225 mm, size C13 is sufficient.
6. How much a correctly packaged parcel costs
Actual calculation for a standard fragile parcel (e.g., a ceramic mug, 30x20x15 cm, 0.5 kg):
At 100 parcels per month, the savings are ~460 lei. At 500 parcels, ~2,300 lei per month. The difference adds up quickly and, at the same time, also reduces your business’s plastic waste volume.
7. Common packaging mistakes
Box too large
The product moves freely inside the box during transport. Even with filler, if the space is too large, repeated impacts weaken the protection.
✅ Fix: Choose a box with max. 3-5 cm free space on each dimension compared to the product.
Sealing only down the middle
A single strip of adhesive tape down the middle of the box. The lid opens partially at the first jolt, and the products can fall out.
✅ Fix: Apply tape in an H shape (3 strips) or at least 2 parallel strips on the lid and bottom.
No void fill or empty recycled paper
The box seems full, but the product moves when shaken. Regular crumpled paper compresses quickly and no longer protects.
✅ Fix: Use corrugated cardboard, which does not compress, absorbs shocks, and fills the actual volume of the box.
FRAGILE marking on only one side
The box is positioned in the courier’s vehicle with the “normal” side facing up. No one sees the marking and the parcel is treated like a regular one.
✅ Fix: Apply FRAGILE tape on at least 2 opposite sides + stickers on the other two. The courier sees the marking regardless of orientation.
Bottles not protected from each other
Two wine bottles in a box without a separator hit each other during braking. The result: at least one broken, probably both.
✅ Fix: Use dedicated boxes with compartments or place a rigid layer of corrugated cardboard between bottles.
Reusing worn-out boxes
The box has already made 2-3 trips and has bent corners or a weakened interior layer. It looks okay on the outside, but its strength is 40-50% lower.
✅ Fix: Reuse boxes only if they are intact. For fragile products, use only new boxes.
AWB attached over adhesive tape
The AWB comes off during transport (the adhesive tape does not adhere perfectly to the AWB paper) and the parcel arrives without delivery details.
✅ Fix: Attach the AWB directly to the box, away from taped areas. If needed, cover it with transparent tape on top.
✅ Pre-shipment checklist
Check each item before handing the parcel to the courier:
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is corrugated cardboard really better than bubble wrap?
How many parcels can I pack with a 4kg box of corrugated cardboard?
Can I use newspaper instead of corrugated cardboard?
Do I need to put FRAGILE on every fragile parcel?
What should I do if I receive the parcel broken?
Can I reuse boxes received from suppliers?
Which adhesive tape should I choose for high volumes?
Are bubble mailers sufficient for slightly fragile products?
Ready to save on packaging?
You can find the entire packaging kit (boxes, corrugated cardboard, tape, stickers, cutter, and gloves) in one place.
View warehouse packaging kit Order corrugated cardboard
