Sending something valuable: how to limit the risk before you drop off the package
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
5 min reading time
A package worth 400 euros requires different choices than a package worth 15 euros. What you record, which shipping method you choose, and how you package it so that a claim holds up.
There's a difference between a €15 package and a €400 package, and that difference isn't in the box. A second-hand lens, a gold chain, a laptop you sold on Marktplaats: the moment you drop it off at the collection point, the risk lies somewhere between you, the carrier, and the buyer. Who bears that risk depends on choices you make before dropping it off.
This article is about those choices. Not about what to do if something goes wrong, but about how to reduce the chance of it happening and how to ensure you have something to fall back on if it does.
Step 1: Determine the value and write it down
Start with a number. What is the content worth if it disappeared today? Not the new price from 2019, but the amount you would have to refund to the buyer or for which you would have to repurchase it.
That number determines the rest. PostNL states on its page about insured shipping that the maximum compensation depends on the value of the goods in the package, and that you must be able to prove that value — for example, with an invoice. You must also declare the value to be insured yourself at the PostNL location. Without proof of purchase, sales confirmation, or a screenshot of the advertisement, you'll be empty-handed later. So, before shipping, save:
The invoice or proof of purchase for the item
The sales confirmation or message stating the price
Photos of the item, including the serial number if applicable
Photos of the packed parcel, with the shipping label clearly visible
The last one is the cheapest insurance there is. Four photos on your phone take thirty seconds and show that the item was intact and how it was packaged.
Step 2: Choose the shipping method that matches the amount
Standard shipping with track & trace is fine for most packages. You can see where the package is and you have proof of delivery. Above a certain amount, that becomes insufficient.
PostNL offers two more robust options for this. With insured shipping, the package is handed over personally after the recipient has signed, and the contents are covered by PostNL up to a maximum of €5,500 in case of loss or damage. For lower amounts, PostNL refers to registered mail, up to a value of €500. Rates and conditions change; for the current situation, check PostNL's page on insured shipping or with the carrier you use.
The practical rule of thumb: if the compensation for loss would hurt you, a few extra euros in shipping costs is not up for discussion. Calculate it – for a €300 package, an extra €5 is less than 2 percent of the value.
Step 3: Pack so that a claim will hold up
Insurance covers damage, but not always damage caused by poor packaging. Carriers have requirements for packaging, and these are checked in the event of a claim. Three things do most of the work:
A box that doesn't touch the contents
The contents must be loose in the box, with padding all around. Rule of thumb: at least five centimeters between the product and each wall. For something fragile, a box-in-box works: the product wrapped in bubble wrap (roll of 500 mm x 500 m, €12.95), that entire item in a small box, and that box again with padding in a larger one. A 15 x 15 x 15 cm cube box (€1.99) is a usable inner box; for the exterior, choose something more spacious, for example a moving box of 480 x 430 x 330 mm (€3.50).
For expensive contents, you want to be able to show that the box hasn't been opened in transit. Security seals with VOID effect (60 pieces, €9.95) leave a visible pattern when removed. This is not a lock, but it significantly shortens any subsequent discussion.
Step 4: Make the exterior boring
This is most often forgotten. A box with an electronics manufacturer's brand name on it tells everyone in the chain what's inside. If you're sending something valuable, use a neutral outer box without logos, without a product description on the label, and without transparent packaging. A recycled letterbox box A5+ (bundle of 100 pieces, €24.00) is exactly that: brown, anonymous, nothing special.
For jewelry or small items, a presentation box works inside, but not as outer packaging. A white packaging box with magnetic closure 9.5 x 9 x 10 cm (€5.00) is nice to receive, but should be placed inside a regular shipping box — magnetic closures can open during transit.
When you should NOT send something
Sometimes the honest conclusion is that shipping is not a good idea. For a unique item that cannot be replaced, compensation does not outweigh the loss. For a buyer an hour's drive away, personal handover against cash payment or a direct bank transfer is often faster and risk-free. And for items that carriers exclude — certain batteries, liquids under pressure — insurance is useless anyway, because they are not allowed to be shipped.
The short version
Determine the value and keep proof that the value is correct.
Above a few hundred euros, choose a shipping method with a signature and coverage.
Pack with padding all around, tape in an H-shape, and box-in-box where necessary.
Seal the box and make the exterior nondescript.
Photograph the item, its serial number, and the sealed package with the label.
All materials for this can be found at Verpakken & Verzenden, with tape and dispensers in the Tape collection and flat formats at Letterbox Packaging. Not sure which box size or filling material suits what you are sending? Send the dimensions and weight to info@verpakkingdeals.nl, and we'll help you figure it out.
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