As you probably know, shipping can significantly reshape your business and improve the overall performance of your brand. However, the packaging does not only serve as a marketing and branding tool. It can also help you ensure the best possible shipping experience. But something like that will happen only if you choose the best packaging practices.
Shipping has always been a challenging procedure. Even today when technology has drastically improved, entrepreneurs struggle to ensure an optimal shipping experience. Believe it or not, nearly 30% of online products are returned to the seller. There are many reasons why something like that happened. For instance, in some cases, people got the wrong products; in others, the product they ordered was damaged.
All these things can damage your reputation and make your business look unprofessional. You can keep things right by offering shipping out of charge. Yet, in that case, you will deal with major financial losses.
So, how to solve this, and what does packaging have to do with optimal shipping experience? Entrepreneurs must use the best packaging practices to reach the best possible results. We would like to highlight some of the best practices on this page. Let’s get started!
Choose the Appropriate Packaging Materials
One of the packaging purposes is the protection of the products. There is no universal answer on which materials will ensure an optimal shipping experience. It directly depends on the type of item you are selling, its weight and size, and the type of transportation you use. Anyways, we will let you analyze all the mentioned factors and determine the right choice. But remember that all packages need to be strong and durable!
The Box You Use Must Be Sturdy
As we said at the beginning of the article, damaged products are one of the most common reasons why people return products to sellers. That’s why you need to be sure that the boxes you use are sturdy. If they are flimsy, they can easily collapse, which you would want to avoid! That’s one of the reasons why people commonly use corrugated boxes, by the way!
Cushioning Materials Are a Good Choice
After you select the best type of sturdy box, you should do one more thing to ensure an optimal shipping experience. Entrepreneurs commonly decide to use cushioning materials. Based on our experience, we have noticed that businesses often use bubble wraps, packaging peanuts, and foam inserts. These are all good options for different types of products. They will keep the product inside the box in one place and ensure it does not move during transportation.
Educate Your Staff
It is easier to say than be done, isn’t it? We believe a lot of employees participate in these tasks. Because of that, the first thing you have to do is to educate your staff. Also, you should improve the control of the packages before they leave your warehouse. That way, you will be sure that nothing damaged has gone out from there. Even if you notice some damaged packages (and probably items), you can immediately replace them. That way, you will save your money on returns.
Label the Packages Appropriately
Very often, entrepreneurs do not put into consideration the design of the labels seriously. Labeling is crucial to ensure that all the packages are delivered on time and in the right place. You have to be sure that all details, such as the address of the buyer, are clearly stated on the label. Also, your address must be clear if the buyer wants to return the product. But they do not just have to be properly visible; these pieces of information must be correct! So, double-check everything written on the label.
Don’t Forget the Environment
As we previously mentioned, the packaging materials you decide to use must be durable and strong. Yet, that doesn’t mean you have the right to harm the environment. That’s why we recommend all entrepreneurs on eco-friendly materials!
Eco-friendly materials may be a bit more expensive compared to traditional ones. You need to find a packaging company that will reduce the price of each package if you order larger quantities. On the other hand, eco-friendly materials can be quite durable. Your only task is to determine which options suit you the most.
Eco-friendly materials can be beneficial for many reasons. They can boost the value of your brand. People no longer accept purchasing items packed in boxes of harmful materials. To be precise, more than 80% of people require sustainable packages. Because of that, they won’t hesitate to spend more on the product you sell. When you look closer, are you really spending more on eco-friendly packaging alternatives?
Test the Packages
Control and testing of the packages before they leave the warehouse are mandatory. We do understand it will sound risky to simulate the bad conditions your package may experience on its way to the buyer’s address. That way, you will easily notice if the packages you use have certain weaknesses and whether you have to focus on some improvements. Do whatever it takes to ensure an optimal shipping experience!
Collaborate Only with Reputable Shipping Companies
In today’s world, there really are a bunch of different shipping companies that guarantee success. Unfortunately, there would not be that many returns if their promises were correct. That’s why you need to spend more time finding the best carrier. Choose wisely and contact only those that have a perfect reputation. Also, we recommend you collaborate with those companies that offer tracking and insurance options. That way, you will ensure yourself peace of mind in cases when things start going in the wrong direction.
Tip for Everyone: Customize Your Packages
We can sum up all the packaging practices mentioned in the text above into one tip – CUSTOMIZE YOUR PACKAGES. If you are unfamiliar with packaging designs and customization, the best option is to collaborate with packaging manufacturers. That way, you will hear tips from experts on which packaging materials you should use, which type of packaging is the best, which cushions are great, etc.
After you hear the tips that will ensure an optimal shipping experience, you can also focus on different designs. You also need to work on ensuring a wonderful UNBOXING experience. If you successfully accomplish both tasks, you will slowly improve your brand identity and value. Isn’t that the goal that all entrepreneurs have?
Conclusion
All the mentioned practices on this page are going to help you ensure an optimal shipping experience. People should get their products on time and in good condition. But you also need to put into consideration designs and other elements that will boost the value of your brand. These two obligations are closely connected. The easier way to overcome all the challenges is to collaborate with packaging manufacturers like Arka. Let the experts do their part of the job and claim all the benefits mentioned on this page!