A quarter of delivery drivers arrive at customers’ houses with faulty or broken goods at least once a month as a result of jolting caused by potholes in the roads, according to a survey by packaging group Versapak.
Electronic goods, such as laptop computers, mobile phones and tablet devices, were the most likely products to become damaged during transport.
Almost a third of the 1,829 adults surveyed said they had received damaged goods after shopping online. A separate survey of 306 delivery drivers found that 54 per cent had found that goods had been damaged during delivery. And 21 per cent revealed that, owing to the fragile nature of cargo they transported, damage to goods occured as often as once a day.
The product groups most likely to suffer damage were:
1. Portable electronic devices (laptops, tablet devices, mobile phones etc)
2. Glass homeware (glasses, mirrors, lamps etc)
3. Crockery (plates, bowls, tupperware etc)
4. Television and computer screens
5. Wooden furniture (tables, chairs, desks etc)
Versapak reckons companies should invest in durable and protective transport bags for the transport of high value goods to reduce the amount of damage.
