Selling dairy or refrigerated non-dairy products on Bubble Goods can be a great way to reach new customers, but these products need a little more planning when it comes to shipping.
Bubble Goods is a dropship marketplace. We do not hold inventory or ship orders from a Bubble Goods warehouse. When a customer places an order, your brand packs and ships it directly to them.
Because of this, your team needs to have a shipping setup that can keep your products safe during transit across the continental U.S.
š¦ Make Sure Your Product Is Ready to Ship
Before you start selling a temperature-sensitive product, make sure you have a reliable way to keep it at a safe temperature from your facility to the customer's door.
As a general food safety guideline, the temperature danger zone is 40Ā°F to 140Ā°F. Your packaging should be designed to keep your product out of this range for the expected time it will be in transit.
Depending on your product, this may include:
- An insulated shipping liner
- Gel packs or other appropriate coolant
- Dry ice, if needed
- A sturdy shipping box
- Packaging that prevents leaks or damage
The right setup will depend on your product, where you are shipping from, the time of year, and how long the package may be in transit. Test your packaging before shipping at scale.
š§ Use the Right Coolant
A refrigerated product needs more than a cold pack thrown into a box.
Make sure your packaging has enough insulation and coolant to keep the product at the appropriate temperature for the full expected transit time.
Gel packs: Use the appropriate number and type for your product and shipping conditions.
Dry ice: Some products may require dry ice. If you use it, make sure your packaging and shipping process are appropriate for dry ice and that your customer receives instructions for handling and disposal.
š Pay Attention to Your Shipping Days
Shipping day matters when you're selling refrigerated products.
Many Bubble Goods sellers ship orders only on Mondays and Tuesdays. This helps prevent packages from spending unnecessary time in carrier networks over the weekend.
For example, a package shipped on Monday or Tuesday has a better chance of moving through the carrier network during the week than one shipped later in the week.
Think about your own shipping schedule and how it works with your product's shelf life and temperature requirements.
If you only ship on certain days, make sure your shipping settings and customer expectations reflect that.
š·ļø Label Your Boxes
Every box containing a perishable product should have a "Perishable" sticker or label on the outside.
This gives the carrier and customer a clear indication that the package contains a product that needs appropriate handling.
Your product should also have the appropriate storage information, such as:
- Keep refrigerated
- Keep frozen
- Refrigerate after opening
- Use by date
- Other applicable storage instructions
š Include Instructions for the Customer
Your customer should know exactly what to do when their order arrives.
If storage instructions are not already clearly printed on the product, include them inside the box.
For example:
Please refrigerate immediately upon delivery. Keep refrigerated according to the storage instructions on the product.
Make sure the instructions match the actual requirements of your product.
Using Dry Ice?
If you ship with dry ice, include instructions explaining how the customer should safely handle and dispose of it.
Don't assume the customer will know what to do when they open the box.
š§Ŗ Test Your Packaging Before You Ship Nationwide
Before expanding your shipping footprint, test your packaging in real shipping conditions.
It's helpful to test:
- Different shipping distances
- Warm and cold weather
- Your longest expected transit time
- Different shipping days
- Potential carrier delays
The goal is to know that your product will arrive safely even when the shipment doesn't go exactly according to plan.
If your product does not stay within its required temperature range during testing, adjust your packaging or shipping process before continuing to expand.
šŗšø Know Where You Can Safely Ship
Since Bubble Goods is a dropship marketplace, your brand is responsible for getting the order from your facility to the customer.
Ā
ā Before You Launch
Make sure you have all of these covered:
We understand that Bubble Goods is a dropship marketplace and we ship orders directly to customers.
We have an insulated liner appropriate for our product.
We use the right gel packs, coolant, or dry ice.
We have tested our packaging for our expected transit times.
Our packaging is designed to keep the product out of the 40Ā°F to 140Ā°F danger zone.
We have a shipping schedule that minimizes weekend transit.
We can safely ship to the areas we plan to serve in the continental U.S.
Every box has a "Perishable" sticker on the outside.
Storage instructions are included inside the box if they are not already on the product.
We include dry ice handling and disposal instructions when applicable.
We have a plan for carrier delays and extreme weather.
Ā
š„ The Bottom Line
Dairy and non-dairy products can be a great fit for Bubble Goods, as long as your fulfillment process is set up for temperature-sensitive shipping.
The goal is simple: customers should receive your product safely, at the right temperature, and with clear instructions for what to do when it arrives.
Get your shipping setup tested and working before you scale, and you'll be in a much better position to grow your business on Bubble Goods.
