Trying to hide liquid or embrace it? (shipping)

As a current FedEx Ground delivery driver (for now), I can say that I don't give a crap what a box "sounds" like. The liquid sloshing makes me a tad more suspicious, but the noise makers make me think something is broken in the box. Either way, I'm going to deliver the box and let the recipient and FedEx deal with any content disputes. Some of the package handlers do care, but once it gets into a driver's hands, most just don't care. Just my experience...

 

You wouldn't believe how many snow globes I've shipped.......

Seriously though, my standard conversation when pressed goes like this:

UPS: What's in here?
Me: Collectibles.
UPS: What kind?
Me: Dunno, my wife packed it.

That usually shuts all questioning down.

 

I've had three basic experiences with both FedEx and UPS employees:

1. The Hero - This person asks what is in your box with the enthusiasm of a mall cop who got passed over for the armed forces or real police. It is their personal mission to make sure nothing fishy happens on your watch. If you mention liquids, they will give you a powerpoint presentation on all the requirements that must be met--each item individually bagged in a ziplock back, etc--while giving you a side eye that it better not be alcohol. I've run into this person once, maaaaaybe twice. Usually reassuring them that everything is packed well and sealed and that it's homemade marinade because of course I would never ship alcohol! has been effective in my experience.
   
   
2. The Good Cop - This person also wants to nose around to see what's in your box, but they do it like a cool dad might make sure you're using a condom and that you aren't smoking cigarettes. A carefully-crafted nonchalance and the question "so, what we shippin today!?" [air finger guns optional]. Like The Hero, they can be placated with a confident reassurance that everything in the box is in good order--sometimes, you can even just say something generic like "glass" and they will let it go so they don't seem like too much of a busybody. I've run into this person a couple times and usually it's not a big deal.
   
   
3. The Working Joe - This person is overwhelmingly the majority of FedEx/UPS employees and they, for the most part, just DGAF. Usually they won't even ask you what you're shipping because there are no real consequences to *them* if your shipment ends up being against policy.

As far as noisemakers go--I'm against them. I'm more worried about the noisemakers making someone worried that there is breakage. If you claim you're shipping "permitted' liquids, then sloshing (if it can even be heard through the packing materials) is no issue. Especially if your bottles/cans are mostly upright and sufficiently padded.

 

I'm cool with noise makers if it's a box of Mike and Ike's but otherwise feel like a waste. I've gotten noise makers twice and they went right in the trash.

 

I have always been of the belief that masking sound is not needed. Have probably shipped a 100 boxes and everyone has made it with no problems. But have been shipping cans lately, they make a lot more noise than bottles, box I just packed sounds like an ocean!

Still not going to do anything different unless something goes wrong.