In a viral video, a TikToker explains why you shouldn’t put a fragile sticker on your package—unless you want it to arrive destroyed.
In the clip, Chelsea Rose (@thatchickchelsea) explains that she was prompted to discuss the topic of fragile sticker use after watching a TikTok from another creator whose hat—which was covered in fragile stickers—arrived completely “obliterated.”
It reminded her of advice she got from somebody in the shipping industry when she went to send a fragile item.
Chelsea says she was shipping a canvas painting she made for a friend who lived a significant distance from her.
“Despite me wrapping it 85 times in bubble wrap, I wanted to be sure that it arrived safely. So I said, ‘Hey. Can you please put a fragile sticker on this box because there’s a painting in there?’” Chelsea recalls asking the delivery worker.
The person stopped, looked at Chelsea, and said, “I wouldn’t recommend that.”
@thatchickchelsea Don’t use fragile stickers I guess? #shippingwoes #fragile ♬ original sound – Chelsea Rose
The woman implied to Chelsea that sometimes when drivers are having a bad day they’ll take their frustrations out on fragile packages.
Chelsea ended up taking the worker’s advice and did not put a fragile sticker on the package, and the package arrived “in one piece, beautifully preserved.”
“I can’t say this applies to every situation, but do with that information what you will,” Chelsea adds, concluding the clip.
The video has garnered more than 170,000 views and nearly 500 comments as of Tuesday morning.
“I feel like that is illegal somehow… or should be cause like what the hell…” one commenter wrote.
A few people in the comments section confirmed that fragile packages often get mistreated.
“Former FedEx package loader, small packages get yeeted all the time and fragile ones get kicked into the truck. Watched so many coworkers do it,” one person said.
“It’s not even if it’s a bad day … I heard a first-hand witness of someone who kicks and drop the fragile labeled boxes just because they’re labeled,” another shared.
“As someone who used to work for multiple shipping companies, pack your packages to survive the apocalypse. They will likely be thrown, dropped, etc.,” a third added.
Others offered suggestions for other, possibly more effective, ways to make sure a package is treated with care.
“My post office told me to write like Happy Birthday Grandma in crayon like a little kid on the box to evoke their sympathy and gentleness,” a person wrote.
Two separate commenters suggested writing “live animal” or “paint.” The explanation for the latter was that “no one wants to break and clean up paint.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Chelsea via TikTok comment.