Fragile goods examples and advice

Most people recognise that fragile goods are those which can break easily. The problem with that literal interpretation is that it doesn’t cover the full range of circumstances and scenarios. In addition, the impact of fragile good stretches to more than just about the durability of the item. In this article we’ll take a closer look at the topic of fragile goods and as same day couriers, provide you with some sound advice.

As mentioned above, anything fragile is relatively easy to spot or point out. The obvious example could be something which is made of glass which can break easy. Many people are unaware however that many ‘everyday’ items are equally and just as fragile and require special or extra attention when being transported. A TV, washing machine, or fridge are all common examples of something which would require special care.

Perhaps a different way of determining whether something is fragile is not how likely it is to break, but how likely it is to get damaged, and whether that damage would impact the item in a significant way. This could then potentially bring in a load of items you would never have regarded as fragile, and you quickly start to see that transporting most goods is a very delicate and highly skilled process.

Whether items are fragile or not, is not just about the breakability or durability per se. High value items may not be physically fragile, but because of the high cost involved, require extra care and attention because damage can literally cost thousands of pounds. Items which often come under this definition include things like machinery, industrial equipment, or anything which is classed as luxury. The term ‘high value’ can obviously have a quantifiable figure to a certain extent, and as a general rule, anything which would cost a substantial amount to replace would be something to be considered as high value.

For fragile or high value items therefore, appropriate insurance is key. This is also especially important when any of these items are being transported, so at least you do have some peace of mind if the unforeseen or worst happens. Many courier companies have their own limits on the type and amount of insurance they offer. We at Rock Solid Deliveries offer an insurance value up to £10,000, so you can be confident that even if you are sending fragile or high value items with us, you will be covered.

If your item is above the courier’s insurance threshold (or you are just not sure) then we advise you to make contact and discuss for further details. We don’t recommend you simply just take the risk that the standard allowance will suffice, because fragile or high value items can often have a complexity associated with them, making quantifying (for value terms) very difficult.

Sometimes fragile items might not refer to their value or durability but their uniqueness. If there are only so many of the items ever made, (or maybe so many remaining,) this can also attract the label of fragile due to the rarity of the items. Adequate insurance here is definitely key, because although no amount of money could bring something back if it is rare and unique, you do at least need to ensure you have some amount of cushioning.

Next time you need to determine whether something is fragile or not, try to think about more than just whether the item is likely to break. If something is costly, special or of significant meaning, then it seems sensible that you would want to take extra care of it, and using a fragile items service would be exactly what is needed.

Have something classed as fragile that you need to send by courier? Have a look at our fragile items page for further details.