eCommerce packaging material is the first physical contact your audience has with your brand. Therefore, it plays a crucial role in making an unforgettable first impression and encouraging customers to purchase again.
Selling on the internet has become easy, yet the competition is getting tougher by the day. Offering high-quality products, proper communication, and quick delivery are the best ways to give the competitors a tough match.
For any online seller, choosing packaging material wisely is crucial. If the buyer receives the product in bad condition or the product is damaged during shipment, he is more likely to return it and may never shop from you again. This, in turn, leads to a considerable loss of money and goodwill for your brand. So packaging plays a critical role - it protects the product, keeps them safe, and maintains the brand image.
In this article, we shall discuss the importance of packaging and how you can choose the best eCommerce packaging material.
Importance of eCommerce Packaging
Have you ever packed a tiny product in an over-sized box? Or have your customers complained that they received a damaged package?
Well, this may seem ordinary or just another story to you, but they are indirectly impacting your business and its growth by providing an unpleasant unboxing experience to your customers. These situations may also lead to customers developing negative emotions and feelings towards your products and brand.
In addition, the sellers and customers have become too accustomed to shipping and receiving products in a plain cardboard box that they are overlooking the opportunity that packaging throws at them.
Well-thought, planned, and designed packaging can boost your revenue by giving the customers a pleasant unboxing experience. Besides, it can also significantly reduce shipping charges and RTO (Return to Origin). Moreover, it helps build trust and promote customer loyalty.
Essentially, the packing material also fulfills its basic functioning, such as product protection, safe delivery, and reduced shipping prices.
Different Types of Packaging
The essential eCommerce packaging that you must be aware of are:
Corrugated Boxes
Corrugated boxes are different from regular cardboard boxes. They are made of a special board, called corrugated, specially made to serve the purpose. Hence, it holds the products better than any other packaging material. They come in different dimensions to meet all the needs of online retailers.
Most eCommerce businesses use 3-ply corrugated sheets, which are lightweight, durable, and resistant to impact and scratches.
Courier Bags
The corrugated boxes come with a volumetric weight that may add to the shipment cost as couriers charge are often based on the parcel’s volumetric weight. So, they are the best option for fragile and delicate products. However, they are not the right option for products like apparel that only require basic protection from factors like dirt, water, etc. So, courier bags can be a great option to ship these products instead of corrugated boxes.
Tamper-proof and waterproof courier bags are easily available in the market. These bags also come with a peel and seal application that can help you seal the courier packet without much effort. Also, once sealed, the packages can’t be opened without tampering with them.
Adhesive Tapes
It goes without saying that adhesive tapes are an essential part of eCommerce packaging. They seal the boxes perfectly and keep them safe. However, the adhesion quality plays a major role here. You can also get the tapes customized as per your requirements.
Stretch Wraps
Though not very common, stretch wraps are required to keep the products safe from dust and dirt. They ensure that the package is neat and clean when it reaches the customers. They can also be used to bind two or more products together.
Considerations to Make Before Choosing the Packaging Material
How do you decide which packaging material do you need? Which is the best type of box? Which packaging insert is appropriate? Is sustainable packaging worth consideration? Let’s discuss critical points that will help you choose the best packaging material for your online store.
Budget
Determining the scope of the budget is imperative. The budget will help determine what material to use and its design or if the design is in the scope at all. Materials like natural fibers and glass are very visually-appealing but not very cheap. They are costly to ship as well. Besides, they are heavy, breakable, and lead to many storage concerns.
There are other options like cardboard boxes, which are budget-friendly and also offer fascinating design opportunities. There is plastic material available as well that can be easily recycled.
Transportation
The functioning of eCommerce packaging is essential. No matter how amazingly you design your packaging, it will be of no use if it doesn’t meet its purpose. A packaging box that cannot protect the products till they are delivered to the end-user is worthless.
The functioning of the packaging very much depends on the product as well. If the product is fragile or bulky, a sturdy box will be the best choice. Buying sturdy packaging that also protects the product would prove to be cost-effective in the long run. Else, you will have to replace the damaged product, which would be more costly. Also, this will hit your brand image, as well.
Packaging Size
If you offer a product in four different sizes, you can reduce your cost by designing two different sized boxes by being economical with design and dimensions.
By incorporating cost-effective measures into your packaging, you can ensure the integrity of your products. Besides, you can also make sure that all your products have consistent packaging. Notably, choosing the right size of boxes also helps save time and money.
Design and Branding
Considering the budget, transportation, and material and incorporating them into the overall packaging design is the key to bringing the best packaging in front of your audience. The material you choose for packaging is a part of the identity of your brand. If there is any disconnect between the material and design, the consumers may get confused and lose trust in your brand.
To make your packaging appealing, you can research your audience and understand their traits before planning any critical marketing decisions. Market research can be a good option to learn about your audience and their values. You can pair those details with your budget, shipping, and sustainability.
By taking into account all the considerations, you can create beautiful, eye-catching, sustainable, and quality eCommerce packaging for your customers. These considerations will help make the entire process of choosing eCommerce packaging material seamless and productive for your products. That said, you need to ensure that your brand’s message is conveyed to the audience efficiently.
Also, bear in mind that packaging design is also crucial for your product and business’s success. You must put as much thought into designing the packaging as you put into designing the product itself. Additionally, ensure that the packaging fulfills its basic functions of protecting the product, durability, and ease in shipping the product. In the end, your packaging should reflect the quality of your products and your brand image.
