Monthly Archives: October 2022

Packing Fragile Items 

Items that are breakable and fragile require a lot of needed protection. With a lot of packaging options to choose to use, there’s a lot of challenge to this, but if you want packaging that does work, that prevents the breakage of items, and does do in a way that’s beneficial, here’s what we’ve found.

The packaging is responsible for saving you up to 30% on returns every single year, and it’s actually the primary reason why a customer might return something, so for those in the realm of ecommerce, it’s vital to have this, as it can make or break your products. 

Choose the correct materials 

The first thing that you must understand is that you need the correct materials so that the packaging reaches the correct destination without breaking or getting messed up.

It also will depend on the items that are being shipped, and their destination, and we’ll also go over some specific types of factors.

The right packaging is really important, and there are five things you should always keep in mind when you’re choosing to pack items that are fragile. 

  • Your materials.  This is important because you want something durable, and pretty flexible.  You want to make sure that you choose something that’ won’t’ compromise the packaging. Double-walled boxes for shipping are a wonderful choice for this.
  • The environmental aspects. Being environmentally conscious is important, and plastic packaging is not only quite tacky, but it also won’t be good as well for the benefits of the environment too. 
  • The costs. You want something that is low in costs, but not going to skimp out on protecting the item inside. You’ll end up wasting more money if that happens. 
  • The size. You want to get boxes that are going to fit the items. You shouldn’t go for the one-size-fits-most type of approach, because that may cause you to spend more for filler that will ultimately break. Go flexible, and you’ll do better. 
  • The aesthetics are the final part of this.  You want something that has good graphics and colors and is consistent amongst all brands. You have to have this in place, as most customers base their purchasing decisions off of this.

Don’t’ be afraid to use Void Fill 

Don’t be scared to use this.  You want to use something that’ll offer a cushion to the packaging. However, your first choice might not be bubble wrap, as it’s not very eco friendly. 

The problem with bubble wrap is that they usually end up in our oceans, and they’re not good for the environment.

The cool thing about this, is that these days, there are now eco-friendly packaging peanuts that you can get made from materials that are fully recyclable and are great examples of the types of great things that you can use. 

Custom is Key 

There is also the customized packaging option. If you’re able to order customs, do so. The reason is simple. custom packaging looks better, is prettier, and you’ll be able to create an insert that fits the packaging perfectly.

This can reduce the movements that are there, and maximizes the power of the packaging inside, offering more value to the items that are there, so that customers are able to remember who you are exactly. 

The double-walled cardboard types of packaging and the inserts go a long way.

Fragile packaging is a bit more complex, and you’ve got to be mindful about it, but luckily, with this, we’ve been able to find the perfect packaging means, so that you can protect the packaging as best as possible. 

What to Consider Before Ordering Packaging 

You’re getting ready to order the packaging, and you’re about to click this. But there are a few factors to consider. Certain things you should always keep in mind before saying yes. Here, we’ll go over these four things, and why they each matter. 

How to Store the Boxes 

If you don’t properly store these, you may as well just toss these. Cardboard and paper are great, but you should be mindful of where they’re stored. When they break down, they lose their shape and beauty. Keep this in mind to make it look beautiful and very fresh. Make sure to keep this in areas that are dry, cool, and never leave anything that’s paper based in the open, since it can get moisture and dust on them. Also, avoid keeping them near lights. Even sunlight can impact the color of this, so keep this in mind, especially if you’re not sure where to put this.

The Right Box Type 

This one is tough to answer quickly, because the right ones are based on various factors. However, boxes that are rigid do have less space, are hard to ship and store, and usually are more expensive. You want to make sure that you have a box that’s space efficient, which means that it’s easy to store, and also is easy to ship, and usually is a bit cheaper than the others.

The second thing is you want to make sure that the boxes are sturdy and strong. There are other boxes that are easier to fold and put somewhere, but you have to take into account that it’ll hold and maintain the packaging shape of your items. 

How it’ll Be Shipped. 

Next, consider how you plan to ship this. While the packaging is nice, if it gets damaged during shipping, that’s not fun. You should use mailer boxes because they’re very easy to ship, and they’re strong too, so you don’t have to worry about scratches. You should add another box over the ther box if you know that it’s not strong enough to handle shipment.

You’ll want to make sure that you put the shipping details on this as well. Some companies offer free poly mailers, so if you plan to ship something and are a bit low on funds, this might be a good option. The other beauty of this, is that poly mailer types of shipping packaging offer extra protection not otherwise gotten from the same packaging items that are out there. 

How the product will be placed 

Finally, look at how the product will be placed. This is important for telling the story and making sure that something is memorable. If you’re not using them already, customized inserts are really good. This is a powerful and great tool for offering a great unboxing type of experience. The instructions for the product, some slogans, and even a brand story work. You’ll also want to consider different types of boxes and products.

Finally, if you haven’t used it already, try out shredded paper. Essentially, you want to ensure the way the product sits within this, wrap this around, and then have the box over this to make it super branded.

Make sure that when you’re putting your packaging together, you focus on these four things. These are very important, and if you’re still stumped on how the product will sit and work, definitely take a moment to look at this, and make it so that it’s possible for a product to sit and be safe within the product packaging, so it gets to the customer in a quick order. 

Minimalist Design Packaging to Look at 

Keep it simple, stupid. KISS is something that works a lot with many things, but did you know that it’s good for packaging too? When you’re trying to build a minimalistic packaging, it’s a bit of a challenge. You want to keep it minimal while also having the aesthetics that work for this. Whether you have minimal artwork, packaging, or whatnot, the right quality does matter in this case. Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing the minimalism lifestyle. 

The Logo Is Key 

Seriously, your brand logo is going to be the thing that sells this, and you want to make sure that you have a good logo, even if the background is plain. This is something that people do remember better, and it’s how a lot of people are going to remember you in this industry as well. 

Monochromes 

Monochromes are something that also can work too. If you do have certain shades and colors, make sure to add this to the packaging. Lots of times, the colors do play a part in this, for example the color teal meaning unforgettable, incorporating not just the box and the packaging, but also on the Instagram and other social media pages that are there, and then, you can incorporate colors that are more vibrant within the packaging too. You can also use simple black and white colors too, especially if you’ve got that sophisticated look, and want to convey luxury to others. 

See-Through Packaging 

If you want color and elements on this, you should go for panels that are see-through, which allows you to look at the product, and offers the best unboxing experience that you can. This is something that’s much more creative, and you can show the customers what’s inside these boxes. 

This is something that highlights the product better, and also, it minimizes the use of certain packaging elements. 

Less Materials 

Minimalism is something that’s incorporated not just within the artwork and the aesthetics of packaging, but also the materials that go into this. Less materials save on the costs, reduces the waste that’s made, and also keeps things a bit more sustainable. If you’re looking to offer sustainable packaging, you want to go for kraft packaging, as this is something that’s good to look at, but also is very eco-friendly to work on too. Such a win! 

Kraft boxes are great,. Since you can add the logo with soy-based or water-based inks too, which makes this totally recyclable, and you can also add the cut-out windows to help with displaying. 

Show Only What’s Needed 

This is the final part. You don’t need to give them every single important tidbit and detail. Keep only what’s needed on this. Cut down the colors, limit the information that’s not relevant, and so on and so forth. Displaying just what’s needed can be a challenge, but here’s the thing: it makes everything look way less cluttered. You’re not sitting there with a box that’ll look like it’s got a bunch of different options that are going on there. 

Instead, you have a box that says everything that’s needed in a simple, yet effective process. 

This can be a challenge but telling people just what’s needed looks good. 

With minimalism, it’s a struggle sometimes to get that perfect balance, but if you’re looking to be more minimal, now is the time! it’s the best step to take, and it’s something that, once you’ve got the right ideas in mind, and everything I place, it can make your packaging look a hundred times better too. 

The Little Differences that Make Packaging Shine 

With more and more people opting for custom packaging, and innovative along with creative packaging designs, you have to remember that it does take a bit of money and time to master the quality of this. Offering consistent designs for the boxes are really good, and there are certain things that can make your packaging massively stand out. 

Multiple Uses for Boxes 

If you’re going to have packaging that’s on display in stores, you want to make sure that the customers utilize the products without taking time to move this to other kinds of containers, and also make sure that you find packaging that fits this. 

This makes the life of a customer a lot easier. For example, nutrition bar packaging works like this. They have a box that is used to ship out the bars, but that same box is opened up, and then put on display. 

Saves you time, money, and saves the employees time opening it too. 

Stop with the Void Fillers 

While it may be good to protect the items, the thing is, it can be really bad for packaging. Part of it is due to too many void fillers, which end up taking up too much space and it also is work for the customer to dispose of this. 

But not only that, the type of void fillers matter too.  Bubble wrap and foam pellets are not going to be recyclable, and they’re not biodegradable, so it’s seen as wasteful. 

If you’re going to use it, you should go for Kraft paper. 

Or, if you’re ready to say goodbye to these, consider custom box inserts. You can build these inserts out of cardboard or foam, and everything fits well in there. the customer can take it out, and then there they go, they have the product! 

Make it Personal 

If you’re looking to make your custom packaging stand out, you want to personalize this. A small note, thanking them in the box, even a branded message makes a huge difference. Little notes are personal though, and it’s something that gives it a humanlike touch in a transaction that’s otherwise done over the internet. 

It can build returns, and also produce loyal customers, so make sure that you do include this. Messages, notes and the like are exactly what customers may do, and it’s something that benefits the brand. 

Use Creative Stickers 

This is something that definitely is great for making a big impact on the brand. Plus, it can be fun. But the problem is, these get pricey over time, and they take a while to design. The best way to overcome this, are stickers that are custom, as they improve the branding without changing the way that the box looks, and they’re simple, but effective. This is great for when you want to use holiday packaging and other means. 

Go Green 

Green initiatives are something that you should work on. This is one of the best and easiest ways to change the packaging. Giving them tips on how to dispose of this in ways that are environmentally friendly shows that you care about the planet, and you can even include this on your website. 

You can change the designs that are on there to signs that are green, and you should make sure to incorporate these too. 

The small changes that are there offer a major impact on the packaging that’s otherwise not really different from others. Change your packaging just a little bit, and you’ll notice that this creates a magical packaging that customers will love and want to buy once again. 

The Costs of Packaging 

When you’re looking to budget out your packaging, you should also look at the options that you have. Custom packaging is something that’s become super popular, but that doesn’t mean that it has to completely destroy your wallet. 

It’s important to make sure that this is part of the costs of your product. With about 10-40% of the price of packaging being what people spend on this, it can definitely cost a lot. Here are some factors that you may want to consider when you’re choosing packaging, and how you can prevent this from totally wrecking your budget down the road. 

Fixed Vs. Varied Costs 

Fixed costs are going to be what the manufacturer will charge no matter how much you’re going to be printing. 

These include: 

  • The setup of the machinery 
  • The printing plate costs for flexo and litho printing 
  • The mound costs for foil stamping, die cutting, embossing, and other types of means 
  • The costs for renting if you don’t have the equipment 

This ratio is usually based on the units that are produced, based on the type of options and the volume that’s there. 

Now the varied costs include those that change over a period of time. larger volumes tend to have a larger cost of variation. 

These costs include: 

  • The costs of the materials 
  • The production wages for those making it. 
  • The lamination and ink. 
  • The shipping costs 

The costs that are fixed and the costs that are varied are what come together to make the packaging. 

While there are simplistic ways that come with this, most of the time, fixed costs can definitely make up a lot of the costs, especially if you don’t have too much variation.

Scaling Economies 

Have you ever noticed that suppliers give you prices that are lower when you have more items, and a lower volume means a higher cost. This is because of the scale economy that goes with this. 

The scale reduces the costs of this, since the fixed cost is spread through more and more units that are there. 

So let’s say that you are going to have 100 different units printed.  Maybe your cost is $1 for every unit. But let’s say you 10X that, and then, it’s 1000 units. This will then cost about 10 cents for every single one. 

If you ignore the variable costs, you will see that the 1000 units does mean that it costs lower. 

Now, let’s say that we take this, and you also factor in the variable costs too, which may still be the same, but the fixed cost is lower, as it’s spread out. 

While it may seem a little bit textbook, the variable costs do change, as the more production means that it’s more efficient. Yes, you’re saving money if you purchase more. 

This also allows for your brand to use the cost that’s reduced into other types of functions, or even step this up, with the way that the printing is included, or the other packaging materials that offer a competitive advantage for the business. 

There is also the factor of the returns that are there, which means that when you increase the volume within the short run, it gets the optimal capacity. Before this, it meant smaller price increases. However, when it’s done optimally, it starts to even out. 

This is helpful for you to learn, because it can play a major part in the packaging that you put together, the state of your packaging needs, and also lets you get a full feel for the type of result that you want to get from this.