Packaging Guide
Box strength, cushioning, sealing — the part sellers control
Last reviewed 28 Oct 2026
Box Ply Slabs
< 4 kg: 3-Ply | > 4 kg: 5-Ply rigid box
2–3 cm Buffer Gap
Cushion all 6 faces with bubble wrap
H-Pattern Sealing
Center seam + both lateral flap edges
Triple-Seal Liquids
Cap tape + Zip pouch + Bubble wrap
Standard 4-Step Packaging Workflow
Follow this 4-step order on every parcel to prevent damaged claims and carrier rejections.
Packaging Do's & Don'ts (Visual Audit)
Side-by-side comparison of compliant sealing vs common transit failure points.
DO THIS (Carrier Approved)
- Use fresh, rigid corrugated boxes with flaps meeting flush.
- Apply heavy 2-inch tape in an "H" shape across all 6 seams.
- Wrap liquids in a sealed zip-lock bag before boxing.
- Fill all empty space so the parcel never rattles when shaken.
AVOID THIS (Rejection Risk)
- Never reuse old, softened boxes with dented corners or tears.
- Never seal with only 1 single strip down the middle (flaps burst open).
- Never use household cello-tape, string, or paper wrapping.
- Never overfill a box until the top flaps bulge upward.
Four things that decide the packaging
- Dimensions — choose the smallest box the item fits in, with 2–3 cm clearance
- Weight — heavier parcels need thicker board, not more tape
- Fragility — decides cushioning depth and whether a divider is needed
- Physical state — solid, liquid, powder, or perishable changes everything
| Factor | What it controls |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | Box size, volumetric weight, freight cost |
| Weight | Board ply, tape pattern, edge protection |
| Fragility | Cushioning depth, dividers, fragile label |
| Physical state | Leak-proofing, insulation, orientation marks |
Choosing the box
- 3-ply corrugated box — items under 4 kg that are not fragile
- 5-ply corrugated box — items over 4 kg, or anything fragile
- Tamper-evident box or sealed bag — invoice value above ₹7,000
- Never reuse a box that is crushed, torn, wet, or has old labels on it
- Remove all previous barcodes and shipping labels before reuse
Box size: right vs wrong
An oversized box collapses under stacking load and transfers impact straight into the product. An undersized box bulges and splits at the seams.
- Leave 2–3 cm of cushioning on every side
- The box should close flat without forcing the flaps
- Volumetric weight is (L × W × H) ÷ 5000 — oversized boxes cost more freight
Flyers and polybags
Use a flyer for soft goods (apparel, fabric, documents). A flyer is a protective skin, not a container — it only works when it is not stretched.
- Use 60–80 micron hot-melt LDPE polybags
- Tamper-evident bag or sealed flyer for invoice value above ₹7,000
- Squeeze test: the flyer must have slack after sealing, never taut
- Check for punctures and seal the full opening width, not just the middle
Internal cushioning
Cushioning absorbs shock and stops the product moving inside the box. If the item rattles when you shake the closed box, it is not packed.
- Wrap the item in 2–3 layers of bubble wrap or foam sheet
- Fill all voids so nothing shifts during transit
- Keep the product at least 2 cm away from every wall of the box
- Place the heaviest item at the bottom, never on top of a lighter one
Which material does what
| Material | Cushioning | Void fill | Surface protection | Divider |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bubble wrap | ||||
| Foam sheet | ||||
| Air bags | ||||
| Shredded paper | ||||
| Crumbled paper | ||||
| Corrugated divider |
Liquids: leak-proof first, cushion second
- Tape the cap or use a heat-shrink sleeve on every bottle
- Place the bottle in a zip-lock or leak-proof pouch, then wrap it
- Never ship a liquid in a flyer on its own
- Pack bottles upright and mark the box 'This side up'
- Perfumes and aerosols are surface-only — Air will be blocked at booking
Sealing the box
Tape is structural. A single centre strip is enough for a light box, but a heavy box needs H-taping — centre seam plus both edge seams.
- Use pressure-sensitive BOPP tape, 48 mm or wider
- Light parcels: seal the centre seam on top and bottom
- Heavy parcels: H-tape both the centre and the edge seams
- Never use cello tape, masking tape, or string
- The flap must not lift when you press the corner
Let the booking screen enforce this for you
Every rule on this page runs inside the rate calculation. Carriers that cannot legally move your cargo are removed from the quote list, with the reason written next to them.