Transporting consumer electronics – how to do it safely?
You’ve bought consumer electronics online and are looking for a way to bring it home? Or maybe you are moving to a new home and need to transport your TV and PC? Find out how to safely transport consumer electronics!
On shorter routes you can usually transport consumer electronics by yourself. Most TVs and PCs will easily fit in most cars and even really big TVs (more than 50”) can fit in SUVs or sedans. However it doesn’t mean you don’t need to take any precautions – consumer electronics may be relatively manageable in size, but it’s also pretty delicate cargo.
Preparing consumer electronics for transportation
First step is to properly secure the item you wish to transport. It’s safest to ship consumer electronics in their original boxes. They are not only the best fitted in size, but also contain additional layers of protection – for example Styrofoam boards, which protect the corners of the device from damages and absorb most of the shocks on the road.
So, if you are buying a new TV – don’t throw the box away ? But if you already did, don’t worry – there are other ways to ship your consumer electronics safely.
First of all, find a box that will be as fitted to the size of your cargo as possible. Also it is important for the cardboard to be as sturdy as possible and in good shape – otherwise it may tear when moved. To be extra sure your cargo is safe, you can strengthen the floor of the box with some wide duct tape. All the empty spaces in the cardboard should be filled with Styrofoam (that’s safest) or bubble wrap (it’s good to additionally wrap the whole item in it). Pay special attention to the corners of the device, as they are especially prone to damage. The less free space is left in the box at the end, the better.
TV in its original box; source: Clicktrans.com
Placing consumer electronics in a transporting vehicle
When it comes to speakers or CPUs, it’s all about securing them properly, so they won’t move during sudden turns or braking. With TVs and computer screens there are a couple more things to remember:
- TV should be transported upright – it concerns all the TV types but is especially important with plasma TVs (transporting them horizontally or even tilting them for the time of shipping can lead to serious damaging)
- If you are transporting more than one screen, never place them on top of each other
- If you are planning to transport TV or computer screen on the car seat, remember that it should face away from the seat – otherwise you risk damaging the screen
Transporting consumer electronics with transport providers
You’ve bought consumer electronics online and need to transport it home? You don’t have a vehicle big enough to safely fit your flat screen in? Or maybe there is a different reason you won’t be able to transport your consumer electronics by yourself? No matter – a transport provider can do it for you.
While searching for a right hauler you don’t have to worry about space – even the biggest TV should be able to fit in every transporting vehicle a hauler might own. However it’s good to ask if the transport provider has carrier liability insurance – if so, you’ll be entitled to compensation if the cargo is damaged on the road. Consumer electronics is usually rather expensive, so it’s good to be prepared for any unexpected occurrences.
And after transportation?
When your consumer electronics safely arrive to its place of destination, you can consider the shipping complete. Unless the cargo was transported in sub-zero temperatures (e.g. during winter) – then there is one more thing to remember. Do not turn on the device immediately after transportation! You should let it rest for a few hours (preferably for a whole night) before you start using it again. The reason for this is humidity, which may condense on the device when there is a big temperature difference. If you turn on a TV that has been covered with condensed humidity, you can badly damage it.
The cost of consumer electronics transportation
It mostly depends on the route length and its type (whether it’s domestic or international route). Among price-defining factors you may also find the dimensions of the cargo and whether or not it should be considered a fragile good.
For transporting consumer electronics on international routes you’ll pay approx. £60-85.
1 TV from Basingstoke and Deane (UK) to Piła (Poland) for £63
https://clicktrans.com/delivery/tv-basingstoke-and-deane-pila
1 TV and 1 speaker from Kwidzyn (Poland) to Harrow (UK) for £84
https://clicktrans.com/delivery/tv-and-speaker
