FedEx Office Experts Offer Holiday Pack and Ship Tips

MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Dec. 3, 2014) - With 290 million packages expected to be shipped worldwide between November 28 and December 24, FedEx is doing its part in giving Santa a helping hand this holiday season. To make packing and shipping holiday gifts easy for Canadians, FedEx Office®, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE:FDX), is offering advice on how to prepare and pack precious holiday shipments this holiday season.

"The care and sentiment we put into our holiday gifts should not end with the purchase of the gift but, more importantly, with proper packaging and delivery," said Brie Carere, vice president of Marketing and Customer Experience with FedEx Express Canada. "Our colleagues at FedEx Office are specialists in ensuring every gift is professionally packaged while matching each shipment with a delivery service that meets every Canadian's timeline and budget."

In order to ensure your holiday shipments are packaged properly, FedEx Office offers the following suggestions:

- Tip 1: Prep Your Item

Start by looking at your gift - is it sturdy or fragile? Does it have square edges, i.e., is it shaped like the box it's in? Use cushioning wrap to "square off" any odd angles to protect them during shipment. If your item is shallow or hollow inside, like a vase or bowl, fill that space to protect it - packing peanuts, cushioning wrap or firmly crumpled paper all work.

- Tip 2: Choose the Best Box

Use a new, sturdy box that's a few inches larger than your gift on all sides to allow for plenty of cushioning. If reusing a box, make sure it's still strong enough to stand up to shipping (no torn flaps, no holes or corner dents, no water-damage, etc.). And be sure to remove all old shipping labels.

- Tip 3: Cushioning Is Key

Protect your gifts by using at least 1 inch layers (preferably 2 inches) of cushioning around the item - top, bottom and all four sides.

- Tip 4: Fragile Gift? Double It

When you've got a breakable item to ship, use two boxes. Cushion your item with at least three inches of packing peanuts or other cushioning material, and seal it in a box. Place that box within a second, slightly larger box, with another layer of cushioning. All that added padding is added protection for your fragile gift.

- Tip 5: Pack In the Address

Sometimes winter weather can streak or remove shipping labels and paperwork can get lost from pouches. Just in case, always put an extra shipping label, business card, or letterhead with the shipper and recipient's address information inside your box before sealing things up. You can also write it on the inside flap of the box.

- Tip 6: Seal It Tight

Keeping winter rain, sleet and snow out of your box is easy. Just seal all the flaps and seams using proper packing tape that is at least 2" (5 cm) wide. No duct tape or masking tape, please! Bonus Pro Tip: Just remember to make the shape of an "H" when taping seams.

- Tip 7: Keep Your Wrappings Inside the Box

Please don't wrap your shipping box in anything. FedEx loves that you wrap your gifts beautifully, but these items can get caught in FedEx sorting machines, so it's best to keep the wrappings inside the box!

- Tip 8: Label It Right

One of the best ways to ensure your package gets to its destination on time is with proper labeling. When using a FedEx shipping label, airbill, or airway bill, fill it out completely and accurately. When using a FedEx shipping label, run your hand firmly over it to make sure it's secure on the box. When using a pouch, make sure the peel-off strip has been removed and the flap is firmly sealed. Place labels or pouches on the largest surface of the box, avoiding corners, edges, and seams.

- Tip 9: When In Doubt, Call in the Experts

Some items are simply too precious to trust to less experienced hands. Or maybe your gift is just a really odd shape and size. Whatever the case, if you don't know how to pack it, the specially trained team members at FedEx Office can help with the customizable FedEx^® Pack and Ship option.

- Tip 10: Plan Ahead to Avoid Deadlines

FedEx is known for its speed and reliability, but we encourage our customers not to wait until the last moment to ship their holiday gifts to friends and family.

FedEx Office has 26 locations throughout Canada offering a full suite of services including printing, packing, as well as domestic and international shipping services with FedEx Ground® and FedEx Express®. Find the nearest FedEx Office near you, please visit www.fedex.ca or visit one of the locations below:

Store Nickname	City	Address
ResolutionAveSteeles	Brampton	60 Resolution Dr
Burlington-Appleby Village	Burlington	491 Appleby Line, Unit 8
Spring Garden PL	Halifax	1469 Brenton St.
Langley Crossing	Langley	6339 200 St.
London Ontario St	London	275 Dundas St.
London-Sunningdale Village	London	595 Fanshawe Park Road, Unit # C01102A
Highway 7	Markham	3150 Hwy 7 East
Hurontario St	Mississauga	4553 Hurontario St.
Meadowvale	Mississauga	6974 Financial Dr.
Sheppard Branch	North York	4804 Yonge St.
Oakville-Cornwall	Oakville	487 Cornwall Road, Unit E-9
Landsowne Mall	Richmond	4651 N 3 Rd. U-150
Scarborough-Steeles Ave	Scarborough	5981 Steeles Avenue East
Bay Street	Toronto	357 Bay St
Bloor Street	Toronto	459 Bloor St W.
Toronto-University Av	Toronto	505 University Ave.
Yonge St	Toronto	2430 Yonge St
WestinHarborCastle	Toronto	1 Habour Sq
Sheraton Toronto	Toronto	123 Queen Street West
Stockyards-St. Clair W	Toronto	1970 St. Clair Avenue West, Unit 105
West Pender	Vancouver	779 West Pender St.
West Broadway	Vancouver	1900 West Broadway Ave.
Fairmont Waterfro	Vancouver	900 Canada Place
Royal Centre	Vaughan	7540 Weston Rd Unit 2
Waterloo-University Ave	Waterloo	170 University Ave W.
Park Royal	West Vancouver	701 Park Royal North

About FedEx Office

FedEx Office® has more than 1,800 stores and locations in the U.S. and Canada, providing convenient access to printing and shipping expertise with reliable service. The company's network features retail stores, centralized production centers, corporate on-site print centers, and on-site business centers at hotels, convention centers and universities. Services include copying and digital printing, professional finishing, document creation, direct mail, signs and graphics, computer rental, free Wi-Fi and corporate print solutions. In addition, the company offers FedEx Express® and FedEx Ground® shipping, Hold at Location, and packing services backed by the FedEx Packing Pledge®. For more information, please visit www.fedex.com/office

About FedEx Corp.

FedEx Corp. (NYSE:FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $46 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 300,000 team members to remain "absolutely, positively" focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit news.fedex.com.