Category: Ecommerce

In the fast-paced digital world, e-commerce has become an integral part of our lives, transforming the way we shop and do business. With the growing popularity of online shopping, the demand for efficient and visually appealing packaging solutions has surged. Enter the world of ecommerce boxes – the unsung heroes of the online retail industry. In this article, we will explore the significance of ecommerce boxes, their role in enhancing shipping experiences, and their impact on branding for online businesses.

 

The Rise of Ecommerce and the Need for Proper Packaging

The rise of e-commerce platforms has led to an exponential increase in the number of packages being shipped worldwide. From small businesses to multinational corporations, everyone is now actively participating in the online retail game. With this increased shipping volume comes the necessity for reliable and well-designed packaging solutions.

Ecommerce boxes play a vital role in protecting products during transit. Their sturdy construction and robust materials ensure that goods arrive at their destination intact and undamaged. These boxes are available in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and materials, making them suitable for a diverse array of products – from delicate electronics to clothing and beyond.

 

Enhancing the Shipping Experience

When customers make online purchases, they eagerly await the arrival of their packages. The shipping experience is a crucial moment in the customer journey, and ecommerce boxes can significantly impact this process. Here’s how:

1. Protection and Safety: As mentioned earlier, the primary function of ecommerce boxes is to protect the products during transportation. They act as a shield against mishandling, impacts, and other potential hazards during the shipping process. By ensuring that the products arrive in perfect condition, businesses can build trust and loyalty among their customers.
2. Customization and Personalization: Ecommerce boxes provide a fantastic opportunity for businesses to showcase their brand identity. Customization options such as branded stickers, labels, and prints enable businesses to leave a lasting impression on customers. Personalized packaging makes the unboxing experience more exciting and memorable, increasing the chances of social media sharing and word-of-mouth promotion.
3. Eco-Friendly Solutions: In recent years, there has been a growing concern about the environmental impact of excessive packaging waste. Ecommerce boxes can be crafted from eco-friendly materials, addressing this concern. Sustainable packaging not only appeals to environmentally conscious consumers but also reflects a business’s commitment to corporate social responsibility.
4. Cost-Efficiency: Ecommerce boxes are available in various price ranges, allowing businesses to choose options that align with their budget. Additionally, some companies offer bulk discounts, which can further reduce the overall packaging costs for businesses with high shipping volumes.

 

Branding Opportunities

Branding is an essential aspect of any business’s success. Ecommerce boxes offer unique opportunities for businesses to reinforce their brand identity and leave a lasting impression on customers:

1. Visual Appeal: An aesthetically pleasing ecommerce box can captivate customers’ attention even before they open it. Eye-catching designs, vibrant colors, and thoughtful placement of logos can create a sense of excitement and anticipation.
2. Unboxing Experience: Unboxing videos and social media posts have become a trend, with customers showcasing their latest purchases to their followers. Investing in premium ecommerce boxes that provide a delightful unboxing experience can encourage customers to share their excitement online, inadvertently promoting the brand to a broader audience.
3. Brand Recognition: Consistent branding across packaging materials helps customers easily recognize a brand’s products, even from a distance. The more recognizable a brand becomes, the stronger its position in the market.
4. Storytelling: Ecommerce boxes can be used to tell the brand’s story or convey its values and mission. Incorporating a short message or a tagline on the packaging can establish an emotional connection with customers, increasing brand loyalty.

 

Types of Ecommerce Boxes

Ecommerce boxes come in various types, each catering to specific product needs and shipping requirements:

1. Regular Slotted Containers (RSC): These are the most common and versatile type of ecommerce boxes. RSC boxes have four flaps on the top and bottom that meet at the center when folded. They are ideal for shipping a wide range of products and are easy to assemble.
2. Die-Cut Boxes: These boxes are custom-made to fit the specific dimensions of a product. Die-cut boxes are excellent for irregularly shaped items and add a professional touch to the packaging.
3. Corrugated Mailers: Lightweight and compact, corrugated mailers are perfect for shipping small and flat items like books, documents, and photographs. They are self-locking and require no additional sealing.
4. Subscription Boxes: With the rise of subscription-based services, subscription boxes have gained popularity. These boxes often come with a unique design, showcasing the brand’s theme and offering a personalized unboxing experience for subscribers.

 

Tips for Choosing the Right Ecommerce Box

Selecting the right ecommerce box can significantly impact the success of an online business. Here are some tips to consider when choosing the right packaging solution:

1. Size Matters: The box should be appropriately sized to fit the product comfortably. An excessively large box wastes space and requires more filler material, while a box that is too small risks damaging the product during shipping.
2. Material Quality: Opt for high-quality materials that provide adequate protection for your products. Corrugated cardboard is a popular choice due to its durability and recyclability.
3. Brand Identity: Ensure that the box design aligns with your brand’s identity and values. Consistent branding across all touchpoints helps build brand recognition and loyalty.
4. Sustainability: As environmental awareness grows, customers appreciate businesses that use eco-friendly packaging materials. Consider opting for recyclable and biodegradable options.
5. Unboxing Experience: Put yourself in the customer’s shoes and envision the unboxing process. Will it be an exciting and memorable experience? Pay attention to details such as customized inserts, tissue paper, or thank-you notes.

 

Conclusion

Ecommerce boxes are more than just containers to protect products during shipping; they are powerful tools for enhancing the overall customer experience and establishing brand identity. By investing in well-designed, sustainable, and personalized packaging solutions, online businesses can leave a positive and lasting impression on their customers, fostering loyalty and advocacy in the competitive e-commerce landscape. As the world of online retail continues to evolve, ecommerce boxes will remain an indispensable component of successful e-commerce strategies.

There’re many different types of voidfil available and it can get pretty confusing trying to decide which is best for you. Over the next few pages we explain the various considerations and which voidfills do which jobs to help you make a better decision about which voidfil will be best for you.

No.1 – Voidfilling Applications

There are 4 different types of voidfilling and each needs a different type of voidfil to do the job.

• Block and Brace This method is often used for strong heavy items like car parts, tools, or motors, it’s where you use voidfil to wedge an item in a box to stop it moving. This method needs a strong voidfil that is matched to the weight of the items so it resists crushing and keeps your items held tightly.
• Protective Often voidfil needs to adequately protect items from bumps and bashes as it travels through courier systems. For this you need a soft squashy voidfil that will act as a cushion. You should use this method if you are packing delicate and fragile items that need a soft ride.
• Wrapping & Coiling If your items are both heavy and delicate you will need to wrap or coil your protective packaging around them. For this you need a strong and sturdy voidfil, one that won’t compress too much or move around in transit. In this application the wider the voidfil is the better as it is quicker and easier to wrap with.
• Top Fill When just filling a void in the top of a box you can use the lightest and most cost-effective voidfil methods. Look for one that gives the highest volume per £ and match with a dispenser that dispenses the voidfil quickly. You will most likely have some large voids to fill in some parcels and a fast dispenser will help speed your packing up.

No.2 – Voidfil Issues to Watch Out For

• Crushing Some voidfills tend to crush if heavy items are being packed. When this happens, spaces appear in the box and items can start moving around as well as the protection levels being reduced because the padding is crushed. Paper is particularly prone to this but you can get machines that crumple the paper in different ways to support more weight so always test various paper systems to find the one that works best for your products.
• Settling Voidfil often settles when it is vibrated during transit. You can see this best with loosefill, try filling a box with loosefill and then shake the box gently, you will see a gap appearing in the top of the box. If this happens during transit it leaves room for your items to move around and bang against each other increasing the risk of damage. Larger pieces of voidfil don’t settle as much so air pillows and foam packing are very good for this.
• Voidfil Migration Voidfil migration is when voidfil moves around in a box during transit. When this happens often the items you packed move towards each other or towards the bottom/sides of the box risking them hitting together or being damaged by impact. Air pillows and loosefill are prone to this kind of movement so if voidfil migration is an issue try a paper voidfil as this locks into itself and reduces the movement.
• Product Migration This is often linked with voidfil migration and it is when the items you packed can move around in the box. Loosefill is particularly bad for this as any heavy items tend to settle towards the bottom of the box and push the loosefill out of the way. Using layering techniques with air pillow voidfil and keeping the pillows joined together is a good way of reducing product migration.
• Space Filling Making sure even the smallest gaps are filled with voidfil can help reduce voidfil and product migration. Smaller air pillows and lighter paper voidfills are easier to stuff into smaller spaces, if your pillows are too big or your paper voidfil is too sturdy they won’t fit.

No.3 – Do You Actually Need Voidfil?

• What Voidfil is Good For Voidfil does two primary jobs, it fills voids in a box (hence the name) and also protects and cushions the items you are packing. Some voidfills are better for filling voids and others are better for protecting and cushioning. It’s a good idea to ask yourself, is filling voids or protection the most important? Voidfil that just fills voids tends to give a lower cost per parcel but it won’t offer the same protection levels so asking that question helps to identify which voidfil would be best for you.
• When You Don’t Need Voidfil If your products are sturdy or if they are already supplied in ‘Mailer Ready’ packaging you most probably don’t need to spend money on voidfil. A standard test is the 1metre drop test where you drop a parcel from 1m on each side of the box without the contents becoming damaged. Remember that it’s only a small percentage of parcels that are dropped or badly treated so balance the cost of packing with the cost of damages (remembering that the true cost of damages is a lot more than just the cost of the damaged item).

No.4 – Alternatives to Voidfil

Rather than filling voids in your boxes with voidfil there are a few voidfil alternatives you can explore that may work better for you.

• Film Retention Packaging Retention packaging is a method of packaging where the item being packed is retained in the centre of a box by a layer of stretchy or shrinkable film. This leaves a crumple zone all around the item to protect it from damage. By retaining the product in the box, you are eliminating the need for voidfil and as a result reducing the amount of packaging you use.
• Strapped Retention Packaging This method is similar to the film retention packaging above but instead of the layer of film one or two straps are used. Using strapping in place of the film is better for heavier products as the strap can take more weight and higher tensions can be achieved.
• Cardboard or Foam Fittings If your items are regular sizes and shapes you could save time and money by getting a specially shaped fitting designed. Even the most complex shaped items can be packed very simply by using CAD design programs to create a custom fitting. Because the fitting is designed especially for the product it fits in quickly and easily helping you to pack faster and more efficiently.
• Variable Height Boxes Boxes that can be altered in height lets you reduce the box size to the size of the items inside, this means you don’t have to fill the space with voidfil. Boxes like this often have multiple creases up the height of the box so you can cut down the corners and fold the closing flaps to the relevant height.
• Size Adjustable Boxes & Wraps Some box and wrap designs allow you to change the length, width and height of the box giving you a box that you can change to suit the size of the item that you are packing. This completely removes the need for void filling. Postal wraps are also faster to pack with than standard boxes so they are an all-round winner.
• Pulp Packaging Internal fittings manufactured from pulp paper and moulded to shape are a very environmentally friendly method of packaging. You often see these used to pack items like electronic goods and household items. Although they are a low cost and effective way of packing large volumes of similar sized items, they have their limitations when packing different sized and shaped items.

Maximising throughput in an eCommerce venture is absolutely critical to long-term profitability, here we’ll talk you through an example to show this in real figures and explain where and how ultra-fast packaging plays it’s part in getting you there.

As eCommerce has developed we’ve all noticed that it has predominantly led to smaller and more frequent orders. Particularly in the situation where a previously wholesale dominated sales field has migrated to eCommerce and increased it’s end-user customer base. This scenario has presented a crisis for operations managers who were used to running a high order value / lower volume distribution setup, and are now faced with an ever increasing volume of lower value orders that need to be delivered fast.

 

 

The eCommerce Order Processing Dilemma

 

An eCommerce operation in a wholesale dominated company is often shoehorned into a small corner and assigned a small team of pickers and packers. As volume picks up on the eCommerce site this small team and small corner becomes ever more cramped and inadequate. The peaks and troughs common to eCommerce sales are hampered by inflexibility and unscalability.

However, increasing space is rarely an option as the wholesale operation needs as much space as possible to maintain efficient service to a long-standing customer base. This leaves just a few alternatives:

• • Relocation of the eCommerce operation: Although an attractive long term solution it takes with it many extra expenses that need to be carefully considered:
    • The initial cost of warehouse purchase or ongoing cost of lease/rent.
    • Cost of additional storage racking and installation/safety inspection etc.
    • The expense and complexities of moving replenishment stock from the wholesale site to the eCommerce site and maintaining a stock buffer.
  • Integrating the eCommerce & Wholesale Operation: Integrating the two operations into one single operation helps to relieve the space pressure but becomes impractical in terms of order picking and packing. Consider the following points:
    • You will need a flexible picking operation integrating both forklift and manual picking for small and large orders.
    • Health & Safety issues will increase as forklift and manual picking are combined.
    • Smaller eCommerce orders need manual packing so space will still need to be given to the packing operation.
    • The eCommerce packing operation will need to be scalable to cope with peaks such as the run up to Christmas.

 

 

Analysing the True Cost of your Packing Operation

 

In almost any eCommerce operation the bottleneck is the actual packing of the order. Whereas a large order can take many minutes to pick yet the wrapping of the pallet is automated with a wrapping machine, in eCommerce it is often the packing of the order which is the most time consuming task. This leads to a much larger packing operation.

As a result there is one area that has a significant impact on smaller eCommerce order processing. The packing speed. It is now that the full packing cost needs to be seriously considered because there are many hidden costs that may not be immediately apparent. Take a few moments to consider the following points:

1. 1. When in a peak season do you scale your packing operation as order volume rises? If you do, what is the true extra cost of increasing this? Consider disruption, manager input time, extra man-hours, as well as the fixed costs of extra packing benches & machinery. If you don’t scale your packing operation think about the following points. Are you letting customers down through late delivery times or reduced packing quality at peak season? At low season are you wasting warehouse space and limiting return on investment with inactive packing stations?
   2. Have you considered the true return on investment? Many warehouses are over 9 meters high, some over 20 meters. However most packing operations are only 2-3 meters high. As the eCommerce packing operation extends so the amount of inactive and wasted space increases. Yes this can be remedied by a mezzanine but consider the capital investment and disruption costs of installing a mezzanine.
   3. What is the true cost of employment? As the packing operation increases so does the number of employees needed to run the packing stations. However the true cost of employment is a lot more than just wages. There are many extra costs such as initial recruitment costs, new employee uniform, manager oversight, sick & holiday pay, as well as indirect costs such as increased health and safety considerations, larger canteen and rest space facilities, more parking & travel considerations.

 

 

The Need for eCommerce Packaging Speed

 

With all the above points in mind it brings us to the question, is there a way of increasing throughput without having to scale up the packing operation?

 

The answer? Yes.

 

By using ultra-fast packaging specially designed for an eCommerce packing operation it is not difficult to double your packing bench throughput. Depending on your current packaging design it is possible to increase throughput by 4 times. That means that you can get 4 times the amount of profit through your current packing operation. Here are a few options to consider:

1. 1. SpeedBuild™ Dispatch Carton with Peel & Seal Closure Vs Standard 0201 Carton: Making up & taping a standard 0201 carton ready for filling takes between 15-25 seconds. A SpeedBuild™ design takes just 2 seconds. Packing both cartons takes the same amount of time. Sealing a standard carton takes between 13-23 seconds. A Peel & Seal Closure takes just 5 seconds.
   2. SpeedBuild™ Postal Carton with Peel & Seal Closure Vs Standard 0427 Diecut Carton: Making up a standard 0427 diecut ready for filling takes between 20-40 seconds. A SpeedBuild™ design takes just 4 seconds. Packing both cartons takes the same amount of time. Sealing a standard 0427 diecut takes between 13-23 seconds. A Peel & Seal Closure takes just 5 seconds.

 

As you can see from the examples above there are significant time savings that can be made by using ultra-fast packaging specially designed for eCommerce packing operations. Find out more about our high speed eCommerce packaging.

Congratulations, the vinyl LP record market is definitely on the up and we’re not surprised if you are selling more vinyl than ever before! We’ve been talking to several online shops that send their vinyl out in the post or by courier and trying to find out how we can solve some of the issues experienced when mailing your LP record internet orders so you can send your records in better packaging.

 

VINYL RECORD MAILERS

 

Vinyl record mailers are extra stiff mailers with strengthened corners to prevent creasing and corner damage while they travel through the postal system. The main types of mailers used for mailing vinyl records are twistwrap style record mailers and record envelopes which are both manufactured from stiff cardboard.

 

LP MAILER BOXES

 

When mailing vinyl records special attention needs to be given to making the lp mailer boxes as stiff as possible so the flexible records are not creased and damaged during transit. Damage to the corners of the record sleeves is also important so you need to consider boxes with good corner protection. Below we consider the main problems with choosing LP mailers and give you some hints and tips on what to look out for.

 

Creasing Damage to Vinyl LP Records

 

By far one of the most common problems with mailing LP records is their flexibility, the thin vinyl can be bent and creased very easily which means that keeping them flat while been thrown around in the back of a courier van is quite a challenge. Before choosing record mailer packaging you need to test the rigidity of the mailer by trying to bend it. Before testing make sure you seal the flap down if it has a peel & seal closure as this will give the mailer extra strength.

As always you need to get the balance between the cost and protectiveness of your packaging, here’s a few products that give good rigidity and will help stop your LP records from creasing during transit.

• Rigid Envelopes for Mailing LP Records – These stiff envelopes give a great balance between cost-effectiveness and protection.
• Tuftwist® Corrugated Twistwrap Style Record Mailers – Manufactured from thick corrugated cardboard these mailers are super strong and sturdy.

 

Corner Damage to Vinyl LP Record Sleeves

 

Keeping the vinyl record sleeve in pristine condition is one of the big factors that determines the price so keeping the corners of the sleeve well protected is very important. As the sleeves are often only made from thin card they damage quite easily, you only need to drop the record sleeve once to scuff the corner and make it look a bit tatty.

The good news is that if you choose the right packaging your record sleeves can be kept in perfect condition during their journey to your customer. Here are a few ideas which protect the corners of your LP sleeves well and will help to eliminate corner damage.

• Protective LP Record Bubble Bags – Bubble bags surround your records in a layer of shock absorbing bubbles and help to cushion those bangs and bashes.
• Tuftwist® Corrugated Twistwrap Style Record Mailers – These record mailers have strong crumple zones protecting the corners of your record sleeves so if your parcel is dropped on a corner it crumples and absorbs the shock much like a bumper on a car.

 

Water Damage to Vinyl LP Records

 

Vinyl record sleeves and English weather definitely don’t go together a lot of the time. Your LP record sleeves are generally made from thin card so if they get wet it can seriously damage them, although some are covered with a thin plastic film water can still migrate in and be absorbed by the card inside. If a record sleeve gets wet the ink will run and the print will look smudged as well as the card losing some of its integrity and becoming weak and floppy.

By putting your mailer in a water proof plastic bag you can prevent the water from migrating through your packaging and soaking the record inside. Below are some different plastic bag options that will protect your LP records from water damage.

• Water Resistant LP Record Mailing Bags – These thin plastic mailing bags will cover your packages in a plastic film and protect your records from water damage.
• Protective LP Record Bubble Bags – These bags, although mainly designed to add impact protection, will also help to stop water migrating through the pack and damaging your records.

 

Our Ultimate Record Mailer Suggestion

 

By considering all the points above we’ve combined a few different record packaging solutions to develop the ultimate record mailer. This solution gives protection against most of the common areas of damage that a vinyl LP record could sustain during its journey to your customer. This is by no means the only solution but if you need the best LP record protection then give this a try.

1. First pop your record into a protective bubble bag, this will give shock protection and cushion your records with a barrier of air pockets. **Extra Tip** If your record is an antique consider wrapping in an acid free tissue paper first for extra protection.
2. Next wrap your vinyl record in a sturdy twist style corrugated mailer, these strong mailers have cross dimensional fluting which is super rigid and very difficult to bend making them great for stopping crease damage.
3. Finally pop the whole package into a water resistant mailing bag to keep the water out of your LP Record and keep your cardboard packaging looking clean and tidy.

 

And that’s it, your ultimate Vinyl LP Record mailer solution!

Your aim when creating the perfect eCommerce Unboxing Experience is to craft a shareable and memorable experience for your customer – Memorable so your customer remembers, and shareable to encourage them to share their experience with their friends on social media or by word of mouth.

 

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY AN UNBOXING EXPERIENCE?

 

 

It’s quite simple, it’s the experience you give your customer when they open your parcels. It’s often the first tangible experience that your customer will have with your brand if they have purchased online and their perception of your company can be made or broken by the quality of this first touch point.

Think about the experience you give customers when they walk into your brick and mortar store (or if you haven’t got a brick and mortar store imagine you have for a few minutes), you would want it to be professional and create an atmosphere that will entice your customers to return time and time again. It’s not just about the products, it’s about the experience you give your customers that will create a loyal following. So extend this to your eCommerce Packaging remembering that this is your customers first tangible impression and it’s your chance to create that special link that will win you loyal customers for years to come.

 

 

The Components of a Great Unboxing Experience

 

 

To complete the perfect box opening experience we need to consider a factor from each of the components below. They will all combine to entice your customer to share their purchase and even place another order.

• • How it affects Emotions.
  • How it Looks.
  • How it Feels & Tastes.
  • How it Smells & Sounds.

 

Affecting your Customers Emotions

 

By engaging your customers emotions with their new purchase you will increase the likelihood of them sharing their experience on social media. Give one of these great ideas a try…

• • Say ‘Thank you’ with a hand written or printed note, or even a special card.
  • Include a cute or fascinating image.
  • Write an amazing fact.
  • Most importantly – Ask your customer to share their purchase with a short message.
  • Add your branded hashtag & social media links for them to post their experience to.

 

 

How Unboxing Looks to Your Customer

 

 

Your parcel needs to reflect the quality of your online brand so there is consistency. Great looking parcels like Incognito® eCommerce Packaging help to engage your customers emotions and will be one of the main deciding factors in a social media share.

• • Use coloured or printed tissue to give a ‘gift’ like look to your parcels.
  • Use materials that reflect your brand, e.g. a brown cardboard matches a vintage look, but a clean understated brand will look best with a white finish.
  • Finish your parcel with a ribbon or string to show the parcel was packed with care.
  • High quality graphics are now cost effective for dispatch packaging through the introduction of advanced digital printing.

 

 

Designing the Outer eCommerce Packaging Box

 

The outer box has to be transit proof and effectively protect the items you have packed inside, this means it needs to be practical as well as pretty, so give a bit of thought towards cost effectively combining these two factors.

• • Your first consideration is, how do they open your box? Add in a neat, easy tear opening strip.
  • Create a unique box shape or cut-outs.
  • Go incognito! These boxes are plain on the outside with printing on the internal faces, keeping your customers in suspense and expensive products secret and secure.
  • Use short run digital full colour printing for maximum impact at low cost from just 100 boxes at a time.

 

 

How it Feels & Tastes to Your Customer

 

 

Texture is not often considered in packaging but this can have a significant effect in completing the unboxing experience. And by taste we don’t mean your customers will take a bite out of your boxes!

• • Consider a premium single faced corrugated board to make your boxes a little unusual.
  • Use a textured board layer pad just inside the lid to cover your products.
  • Add in some sweets or chocolate as a treat for your customer.

 

 

How it Smells & Sounds to Your Customer

 

This will give your parcels an ultimate WOW, although the smell won’t be captured by an unboxing video be assured that it will be talked about!

• • Buy a bottle of nice perfume and give each box a quick spray before you pack your parcel.
  • Use materials that have a sound dimension to them, your customer will love the scrunching noise of a crinkly tissue or the bang when popping those bubbles.
  • Why not use the Christmas cracker idea and incorporate a banger that goes off when your customer opens the box.

 

 

Extending the Unboxing Experience

 

 

Think of something to put into your parcels that will extend the experience and get them to interact more with your brand and even entice them to place another order. – Add small samples of other products that they may be interested in but make sure they are relevant to the customer.

• • Use QR codes to connect your customer to loyalty schemes, competitions, reviews, and other incentives to connect online.
  • Make sure you put in a catalogue with your full range so they can browse other products.
  • Why not make your packaging reusable?