How To Ship Jewelry for Your Ecommerce Store
by Jaidyn Farar
Carriers have been working for years to perfect the art of package delivery. But while shipping is usually quick, safe, and convenient, things sometimes go awry. And when you’re sending jewelry, shipping mishaps have expensive consequences.
Do you remember the time a delivery driver stole $450,000 worth of jewelry, stones, and precious metals over the course of several months?
Or when a package handler stole almost $40,000 worth of jewelry on the job?
And what about the time a package containing gold bracelets and coins worth $5,100 fell into the wrong hands?
The lesson is clear: when sending high-value items like jewelry to customers, it’s vital to take extra precautions to protect products from damage, theft, and loss. Let’s explore how to ship jewelry the right way, including the risks you’ll face and the steps you need to take.
Risks when shipping jewelry
It’s not uncommon for products to run into trouble during transit, and when those products are valuable, replacing or repairing them isn’t cheap. When you understand the risks of shipping jewelry, you’ll be better prepared to avoid them.
- Theft. While carriers put stringent measures in place to prevent theft, they can’t put a stop to it completely. From porch pirates to dishonest warehouse workers, there are plenty of people out there who will take the opportunity to steal jewelry.
- Damage. Jewelry is often fragile. And if a piece gets broken, customers won’t want to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to fix it—they’ll expect you to cover the cost.
- Customer dissatisfaction. In addition to having a high monetary value, jewelry is often sentimental and personal. (Think: custom engagement rings.) Losing someone’s jewelry is a great way to lose a customer forever.
How to package and ship jewelry
So, how can you keep jewelry safe and secure during shipping? From packaging to carrier selection, we’ll walk through the best way to ship jewelry for your ecommerce store.
Step 1: Select and wrap jewelry
Before shipping a single order, you need to know how to package jewelry. Fortunately, the process is pretty straightforward. First, choose the jewelry you’re going to ship. After making sure it’s clean and undamaged, wrap each piece individually in soft material like tissue paper, bubble wrap, or cotton. This will help prevent scratches and tangling.
Step 2: Secure jewelry in small boxes or pouches
Next, place the jewelry in small jewelry boxes or pouches to provide an extra layer of protection. For delicate pieces, consider using boxes with a cushioned interior. If there’s any chance that the jewelry will move around during shipping, either add extra cushioning material or secure it using punch holes or wire.
If you use a pouch, pull the drawstrings closed. If you use a box, make sure it’s tightly shut. If boxes don’t stay closed on their own, wrap them with bubble wrap or tissue paper to prevent them from springing open.
This step is a great place to infuse some personalization into the package. To provide a great unboxing experience, consider using custom boxes or pouches with your brand colors and logo. You could even splurge on specially designed tissue paper!
Step 4: Place the jewelry in sturdy outer packaging
Now that your jewelry is securely packed into a small pouch or box, it’s time to add an extra layer of protection.
You’ll need a slightly larger package—we recommend opting for small, sturdy boxes made of durable materials like corrugated cardboard. Place the jewelry box or pouch inside, making sure the package is large enough to accommodate the jewelry but doesn’t have too much empty space.
Next, fill up any extra space in the box with filler material like bubble wrap, packing peanuts, air pillows, or shredded paper. These materials will help absorb shocks during transit.
For a personal touch, include a thank you note for the customer. You can also include instructions for caring for their new jewelry or information on the warranty.
Step 5: Seal the package (and keep it plain)
Once everything is inside the package, close it and secure it tightly with packing tape.
Remember that shipping jewelry is like a covert mission: anonymity is key. If packages look like they contain valuables, thieves will target them. Don’t mark the package “fragile” or “valuable,” and don’t include your company branding on the outside—leave that for the unboxing experience.
With that, your package is nearly ready to go out into the wide world.
Step 6: Create a label
To ship the package using a carrier, you’ll need to create a shipping label for it. You can either integrate with individual carriers to generate labels, or you can use a shipping API like EasyPost to automatically find the best shipping rates and create labels.
Step 7: Offer secure shipping options
After packages leave your business, you have a lot less control over what happens to them. But these secure shipping options will increase the odds that shipments stay safe.
- Request a signature upon delivery. To prevent your jewelry shipments from being stolen from doorsteps, require a signature upon delivery. When a signature is required, packages never sit on porches or in mailboxes unattended. Though some may find signature deliveries inconvenient, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
- Provide accurate delivery times. Make sure customers are home when their delivery arrives by communicating shipping timelines. Transparency helps manage expectations and reduces concerns about delayed deliveries.
- Package tracking. While you should give customers accurate delivery times, it’s also important to recognize that things don’t always go as planned. By allowing customers to track their jewelry packages in real time, you’ll help them stay aware of unexpected delays. Plus, if the package gets lost in transit, tracking can help you locate it.
- Let customers choose between doorstep delivery and location pickup. Some people might not be available during the day to pick up packages. Offering an alternate pickup location, like a retail store or the carrier’s office, takes porch piracy out of the equation.
Step 8: Insure the package
Shipping insurance is a good bet no matter what you’re selling. But when you sell high-value items like jewelry, insurance becomes a necessity, providing a financial safety net that protects your business and customers. Since many carriers offer built-in insurance only for items valued at $100 or less, it’s important to explore other options to get higher coverage limits.
Step 9: Choose a shipping carrier
Each carrier has its own rules and regulations for jewelry shipping. For more specific information on rates and policies, we recommend getting in touch with carriers individually. For now, here’s a quick overview of three major carriers: UPS, USPS, or FedEx.
- Shipping jewelry through FedEx. Normally, the maximum declared value when shipping jewelry with FedEx is $1,000. But they also offer a jewelry shipping program that allows participants to declare values up to $100,000 for domestic shipments and up to $25,000 for international ones.
- Shipping jewelry through USPS. USPS doesn’t directly state their maximum declared values or other restrictions, but some service levels have built-in insurance for packages worth up to $100.
- Shipping jewelry through UPS. When shipping jewelry through UPS, it can’t be worth more than $500, and UPS only assumes liability for up to $100. Unless you have a contract with UPS, you can’t ship gold or other precious metals.
The cost of shipping jewelry
How much does it cost to ship jewelry? You’ll love this answer: it depends. There’s no set-in-stone cost for shipping jewelry. Instead, cost is determined by a variety of factors, including weight, dimensions, carrier, insurance, and item value.
For a rough approximation of shipping costs, check out the EasyPost rate calculator. Just enter your package dimensions and weight, plus the locations you’re shipping between, and you’ll get a side-by-side comparison of carrier rates.
By optimizing package sizing, shopping for the best insurance options, and implementing a multi-carrier shipping strategy, you’ll keep shipping costs low.
Ship jewelry with EasyPost
And there you have it! With the right packaging and secure delivery options (not to mention a safety net of package insurance), your jewelry will stay safe on the road.
EasyPost helps ecommerce businesses find the most cost-effective and secure methods for shipping jewelry. With address verification and package tracking, you’ll be able to ensure your shipments stay on track and make it into the right hands. Plus, you’ll save time and money with automatic rate comparisons and built-in discounts.