Two or three boxes per order: split, number and have them arrive together
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
6 min reading time
When do you split an order across two or three boxes, and how do you ensure they remain identifiable as one shipment? Practical rules for weight, numbering, tape, and costs.
A customer orders a bundle of letterbox boxes, two rolls of tape, and a roll of bubble wrap. All together, it just fits into one large box, but then that box weighs fourteen kilograms and the roll of film presses against the top flap. You have two choices: squeeze and hope, or split the order across two boxes. The latter is almost always wiser - provided you do it well, because two separate boxes not identifiable as one shipment are guaranteed to result in an email asking where the rest is.
When do you split an order?
There are four situations when it's better not to cram everything into one box.
Weight. Above ten kilograms, a box becomes unwieldy for anyone lifting it, and the bottom becomes the weak point. Two six-kilogram boxes survive the journey more easily than one twelve-kilogram box.
Volume. A box that you have to force shut is under tension. In the bottom of a roll container, that seam will open. Better to have two boxes that both close easily.
Shape. Something long or round forces you to use a box size that is much too large for the rest of the order. In that case, pack that one item separately and the rest compactly.
Combination of heavy and fragile. Placing a bottle next to a box of screws is asking for trouble. Heavy and fragile items do not belong in the same box, no matter how much void fill you put between them.
Do not split for convenience. Two boxes cost more in shipping than one, and that is an expense you either bear yourself or pass on. Split if one box becomes unsafe, too heavy, or too full.
Choose boxes that match
Two identical boxes are easier to stack, easier to scan, and easier to find than one large box plus a tiny one. If you split regularly, it pays to keep two or three standard sizes and fit everything into them.
Heavy items at the bottom of one box, small items separately in a second box
Fragile plus heavy
Fragile items in their own box with ample void fill
One long item plus the rest
Long item separately, rest in a standard size
Flat item that can fit through the letterbox
Separately as letterbox shipment, rest as parcel
Numbering: 1 of 2, 2 of 2
This is the part that is most often skipped and prevents the most questions. Clearly mark each box with its number and the total number of boxes. Write it large, with a marker, on at least two sides - the top and one long side. Boxes rarely lie top-up in a container.
It also helps to:
Put the packing slip in box 1 and note on the other boxes that the packing slip is in box 1.
Briefly state what's inside each box, for example, "box 2 of 2: tape and film". This immediately lets your customer know if anything is missing.
Register both boxes simultaneously in your carrier's shipping portal. Many systems can link multiple parcels to one shipment; check what this is called with your carrier and whether it affects the rate.
Email your customer before shipping that two packages are coming, possibly on different days. One sentence is enough and saves you a support question.
Closing and protecting per box
Each box is a separate shipment and must therefore be sealed and intact on its own. Tape both boxes just as carefully - there's a good chance that the box you sealed "quickly" will be the one that arrives damaged.
The same applies to void fill: both boxes must be full enough that nothing shifts. A bubble wrap roll of 500 mm x 500 m (€12.95) is economical if you split often, as you use a small piece per box. Small loose items that you send as a second parcel can also be put in a metallic bubble wrap envelope of 33 x 23 cm (€0.80 each). If you want to make it visible whether a box has been opened during transit, you can place a seal on it: the VOID security seal stickers, 60 pieces cost €9.95, about €0.17 per seal.
What it costs and when it's better not to split
Calculate it once for your own situation. A second box will cost you the cardboard, tape, void fill, and a second shipping rate. If your product is just under a rate limit in terms of weight and size, one slightly larger box may still be cheaper than two small ones - this varies per carrier and per contract, so look at your own rates instead of a rule of thumb.
What you almost never recoup is a second box that you only make because you didn't have a suitable size in stock. That's an inventory problem, not a shipping problem. If you often encounter this, see if an extra box size can get the majority of your orders into one parcel.
Get started
Do you want to replenish your boxes, tape, and void fill all at once before the busy months begin? Check Packaging & Shipping for boxes and shipments, Tape for rolls and dispensers, Protection & Void Fill for film and filling, and Letterbox Packaging if part of your order can go through the letterbox. Unsure which sizes you need for your assortment? Email your situation to info@verpakkingdeals.nl - we'll help you think about a set of standard sizes to minimize splitting.
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