How to ship safely in cold weather
When temperatures drop, shipping delicate living items like plants, reptiles, and other critters requires extra care. Cold weather can impact transit conditions and delivery times, so it’s important to package your items properly to keep them safe.
This guide covers how to prepare, package, and protect your Palmstreet shipments during cold weather.
1. Shipping Upgrades
Shipping upgrades are your best defense against cold-weather damage. The three main upgrades to consider are heat packs, insulation, and 2-day shipping.
You can also offer all three together as a winter shipping bundle for one discounted price.
There are several ways to include upgrades in your process:
Option 1: Include upgrades and build the cost into your pricing (recommended).
Pros: Items stay protected, customers are happy, and your costs are covered.
Cons: Prices may be slightly higher, but customers will understand it’s for seasonal protection.
Option 2: Ask customers to purchase upgrades separately.
Pros: No cost to you.
Cons: Risky — customers may skip upgrades, leading to damage, disputes, and refunds.
Option 3: Add upgrades at your discretion and cover the cost yourself.
Pros: Increases safe delivery and good reviews.
Cons: Costs can add up quickly.
👉 Best practice: Use Option 1. It’s one of the best ways to ensure your packages arrive safely and undamaged. You’ll avoid disputes, disappointed customers, and unnecessary refunds. Customers may notice the increase in prices, but most of them will understand.
2. Using Heat Packs
Heat packs maintain a stable temperature during transit. They come in 40-, 72-, and 96-hour versions; 72-hour packs usually work best for 2–3 day shipping.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and keep these best practices in mind:
Activate the pack first. Open it early to ensure it’s heating properly (activation may take up to 2 hours depending on the manufacturer).
Never let heat packs touch plants or animals directly. Wrap them in paper and secure them to the inside top of the box.
Use one pack per box. Do not overuse heat packs! Multiple packs can overheat small boxes.
Don’t substitute hand warmers. They’re not designed for live shipments.
Choose the right box size. Too small = too much heat. Check the manufacturer’s requirements for box size. You may need to size up a box in order to comply.
Temperature Guide:
Above 50°F: No heat pack usually needed.
40–50°F: Recommended for tropical plants or reptiles.
32–40°F: Essential—use with insulation.
Below 32°F: Strongly recommended to hold shipment until safer temps, even with a heat pack.
Transit Time Tips:
1-day shipping: Heat pack optional unless extremely cold.
2–3 days: Safer to include a heat pack.
Weekends/holidays: Always use insulation + heat pack if packages may sit in a facility.
3. Adding Insulation
Insulation helps maintain internal temperature and keeps heat from escaping too quickly.
Choose the right materials:
Foam liners or panels: Line the inside of the shipping box with ½”–1” Styrofoam or similar foam board.
Thermal/reflective liners like Mylar or insulated bubble wrap.
Paper cushioning: Layered kraft paper or shredded paper provides additional padding and reduces air pockets.
Fill empty space:
Air pockets = cold spots. Fill gaps with paper or biodegradable peanuts to prevent movement and heat loss.
Seal the box securely:
Use strong tape on all seams.
Consider double-boxing (a smaller insulated box inside a sturdy outer one) in extreme cold.
4. Managing Weather Delays and Holidays
Winter weather and holiday shipping volume can cause carrier delays.
Best practices:
Inform customers early about possible delays.
Avoid shipping right before weekends or holidays.
Label packages clearly as “Live Plants” or “Live Animals.”
Share holiday cutoff dates with your buyers.
Pause or limit live shipments during severe storms or peak carrier periods.
5. Checking the Forecast
Always check the weather for origin, transit, and destination points before shipping. If the customer’s location is experiencing a cold snap, snowstorm, or freezing temperatures, consider postponing the shipment. Communicate with customers using our Palmstreet direct messages if you decide to delay for safety reasons.
6. Holding Orders
When in doubt, you can always hold the order. If temps are below freezing during any part of the shipping journey, it’s safer to hold the order than send it on its way. If this is the case, we recommend reaching out to the buyer as soon as possible to inform them of the delay. Here is a message example you can use to communicate with buyers in this scenario:
“Thanks so much for your order! Due to extreme weather, we’re holding order [insert number] until it’s safe to ship. We value your business and want your item to arrive healthy. We’ll keep you updated with a new shipping date soon.”
Some sellers charge a small hold fee by creating a separate listing for this service.
7. Policies and Claims
Even with preparation, winter shipping may lead to some customer disputes. The key is to stay proactive and helpful.
While we encourage sellers to create and uphold their own refund policies, Palmstreet reserves the right to override seller policies that are deemed unreasonable or unfair to buyers. Policies cannot completely exclude refunds for items that have:
Unreasonably delayed (excluding weather or buyer holds)
Damaged beyond typical transit wear
Significantly misrepresented
Dead on arrival (for live animals)
Learn more about how Palmstreet supports sellers and buyers through our Refund Policy and Late Delivery Protection. These guides explain how refunds, replacements, and delivery delays are managed so you can set clear expectations with customers and stay protected during cold-weather shipping.
Preparing for cold-weather shipping helps ensure safe, stress-free deliveries for both you and your buyers. Use insulation, heat packs, and upgraded shipping — and don’t hesitate to hold orders if conditions aren’t safe!
We’ve also made a handy Cold Weather Shipping Checklist infographic you can save or print. It’s a quick, visual reminder of everything you’ll need before sending out your next order in chilly weather.
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