Packing Fragile Items So They Arrive in One Piece

Why fragile items break: drops, crushing and vibration

Three forces do almost all the damage in a parcel network: a drop transfers a shock straight through anything touching the box wall, a heavier parcel stacked on top crushes anything without support underneath, and vibration over a long journey works small gaps into bigger ones. None of this is about carrier carelessness specifically — it's what happens to any box moving through a sorting and delivery chain, which is exactly why the packing itself has to absorb the impact rather than rely on gentle handling.

The box-in-box method

For example, many sellers use roughly 5 cm of filler on every side of the inner box as a starting point — it isn't a carrier requirement, just a practical habit that gives a drop somewhere to dissipate before it reaches the item. If you can hear or feel anything shift when you shake the sealed box, open it and add more filler before sealing again.

Glass and ceramics

Wrap each piece separately — bubble wrap or several layers of paper, taped so it can't unwrap in transit — even when several pieces are going in the same box. Fill hollow parts (a vase, a mug, a bowl) loosely with paper so the shape can't collapse under pressure, and stand plates on their edge rather than laying them flat, since a stack of flat plates concentrates weight straight down through every piece. No two hard pieces should ever touch directly inside the box; a layer of filler between them is what stops a knock from becoming a chip.

Electronics and screens

Use the original manufacturer's box inside an outer box whenever you still have it — it was designed around that exact device's weak points. Without the original box, protect a screen with a cut-to-size piece of cardboard taped over it before wrapping, remove or tape down loose parts (a laptop charger, a lens cap, a battery door), and centre the device in filler so it can't slide into a corner or press against the box wall. Vinted's Catalogue Rules cap electronics bundles at two battery-powered devices per listing — a detail worth knowing before you decide what ships together, separate from the physical packing itself.

For batteries specifically, follow the carrier's and marketplace's own published rules rather than a general guess: there is no single battery-shipping limit shared by all carriers, so check the label options at drop-off if you're shipping anything with a built-in or loose battery.

Filler and tape: what works

• Crumpled paper or bubble wrap fill empty space so the item can't move
• Air pillows work well for light, oddly shaped gaps
• H-taping (tape along every seam, not just the centre) keeps a box from opening under pressure

No carrier promises special handling for a box marked "fragile" — Orlen Paczka's FAQ links a video on packing a parcel safely but states no specific rule for fragile items. Treat "fragile" as a label for yourself while packing, not a guarantee of gentler handling once the parcel leaves your hands.

Photo proof before sealing

Three photos, taken in this order, are your evidence if a dispute opens after the fact: the item working and undamaged before you touch the packing materials, the item inside the box surrounded by filler right before you close the lid, and the sealed, addressed box on a scale. Keep all three until the buyer confirms receipt. On Vinted, the buyer has 2 days from the delivery notice to report a problem with the item; on OLX, Pakiet Ochronny gives the buyer 48 hours to claim and the seller 120 hours to respond, with OLX deciding within 30 days — having the packing photos ready before either window opens is what turns a dispute into a quick resolution instead of a guessing match. The claim process itself, including what happens when a parcel is lost rather than arriving damaged, is covered fully in what to do when a Vinted parcel is lost and OLX delivery protection.

Fragile packing checklist

• Wrap each fragile piece separately, even inside a shared box
• Fill every side of the inner box, not just the corners — for example, about 5 cm is a common starting point
• Stand plates and flat glass on edge, never flat in a stack
• Protect screens with cut-to-size cardboard and remove loose parts
• Shake the sealed box: nothing should move or rattle
• Photograph the item intact, then packed, then sealed on a scale, before it leaves your hands

Good packing habits carry over directly into related categories: the same box-in-box thinking applies to reselling used electronics and to the lens and body separation covered in the camera resale guide.

The supplies themselves — boxes, tape, fillers and their running cost — are covered in shipping supplies for resellers.