Monthly Archives: October 2022

Shopping guides for Shipping Products in 2022 

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If you’re looking to get your orders and holiday shopping done early, you’re not alone. Due to the disruption of logistics and supply chains, it’s better to be prepared early on than too late. Here are some of the best ways to ship items, and the best things to look for when you begin to ship items this year and beyond. 

Types of shipping 

There are three popular ways for you to choose the shipping that you’d like.They are: 

  • Air,
  • Ground 
  • Sea 

These are all basically efficient ways to do this, but some are faster than others, and you’ll probably use one or more of these for each shipping.  Usually, you have to use ground for shipping to ports anyways for example. 

Air Shipping 

First, let’s go over the different types of air shipping. Express air is the best way, and they can take as little as three days to get to the customer. DHL is a good one, as they usually get customs clearance real fast.  It’s also pretty time efficient.

However, that doesn’t mean I’s perfect. It’s pretty expensive, but if you do this at fulfillment centers, there are ways to help with offsetting the costs. You’ve also got the standard air forms of shipping, which usually take about 18 days at most to get to. They’re also pretty fast and are very reliable. 

This is great too if you still want to use air shipping but want something a bit more cost effective. 

Sea Shipping 

Sea shipping takes a lot longer, but it also is one of the bests for reducing costs, and when you do this right, it’s reliable. It’s great for delivery times that have a bit more leniency, and for bigger orders, this is the best way to do this.

However, when ordering this during the holidays, this is one you’ve got to manage the logistics for the most, especially if you need stuff to get there at the right time, as this does take a lot longer. 

Standard sea shipping usually can take about 50 days or more sometimes, but it’s also the cheapest way, especially for super big orders. One thing to consider, is for super large orders, this is actually the best for the price. But expect to also add in another week for those huge orders, as they usually don’t fit everywhere.

One thing about this, is that it doesn’t really work well during the holidays, as while it is reliable, it’s not ideal for this time of the year. 

How to Plan this better 

This is important to plan early on.

Ground shipping usually takes about a week or so, but for other kinds of shipping, it can take a whole lot longer. Not to mention, we’re still feeling the effects of the pandemic, so if you’re going to launch a product that’s seasonal, plan this pretty well in advance. 

When you’re planning to ship for the holidays, you should plan about two months beforehand. That means, if you’re planning for Christmas, you should have everything ready to ship out with sea shipping by late October at the very latest, or early November if you’re going to use express shipping.

For the air shipping, you have a bit more leniency, but not a ton.

You should make sure that if you’re going to use specific types of ordering and different means, that you always let the customers know about this, so that they’re able to make purchase decisions beforehand, and aren’t caught holding the bag and frustrated as well. 

Sustainability in Packaging Stats 

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Sustainability is becoming the main focus for packaging. However, there is no solution that’s one size that’ll fit everything. The preferences that people have on these trends, and the different technologies that come up because of this offer solutions that are beneficial overall, and hit the needs that customers might have as well. 

Sustainability is becoming one of the major trends, and it’s what a lot of industries are trying to put together. Both Kellogg and Coca-Cola have both put together better processes for being sustainable, making sure that the packaging that they have by 2025 is totally recyclable, and that the packaging is as sustainable as it can be in the next ten years. 

The Rise of Mono Materials 

The biggest, most driving force for sustainability is the mono materials. This is one of the best ways to promote recyclability. There are many solutions that packagers are trying to deliver. Packagers are looking at these mono materials.

These are all made from the polymer grades, and they’re recycled both as one singular substance, but then utilize far less energy to create the circular loop that’s there. It’s lightweight, more flexible, and resistant to moisture. That’s why polyethylene is gaining a lot of traction.  This is starting to become a major strategy for brands. 

There are brands that are moving to 100% recyclability by the time 2025 rolls forward, and polyethylene will be an innovative packaging measure that is great for allowing closures and pouches to work. This is great for boosting the experience of a consumer, in both a product, functionality, and a security type of thinking.

This is great for offering better reclosability as well, and with the seal being nice and tight to offer a lock to prevent product spillage, this is working in great ways that offer immediate functionalities in place.

The closures of this are also offering convenience, and great recyclability and easy opening to meet the needs of consumers, and offering the best pouch solutions for programs so that they’re recycle-ready too. 

Multiple solutions 

Another big thing to look t, are the different solutions. While recycling is still the biggest factor, here is another part of this. The composability that happens, and also, a very attractive solution or those chances when you can’t recycle.  As more and more consumers are changing this, companies are noticing this. 

More companies are using sugar cane, oil, corn, hemp, and other compostable materials and films, creating a more circular type of economy. This type of compostable packaging does offer the product lifestyle that’s there, and offers you a chance to get the full benefits of compostable packaging. Walmart and other major retail giants are currently moving towards recyclability, and at least 17% of these private brands are trying to move towards post-consumer content. 

Target as well is moving towards this too, with the plan to be more sustainable, and is sourced directly from post consumer, stopping the production of virgin plastics.

But there are other trends that are happening too, with the current child-resistant packaging growing by up to 5.4% in the last couple of years, and it’s slated to continue growing.

The need to have packaging that’s safer for kids is vital, so that they don’t accidentally eat it and then choke on this.

We also will see more and more QR code packaging, as this is something that’s already been taking off, with brands including Pepsi offering a chance to boost cost-effective QR code packaging that works for the brand’s needs.

These are the major trends, and hopefully what’ll change in the future too. 

Ways to Let others Know about Eco Friendly Packaging 

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If you put a lot of effort into the brands that you have, along with the products and packaging, you may also be working on sustainability, aligning the brand to the values. However, what also is important is that you make sure that you let people know about this. Letting others know about the core of your brand, the urge for sustainability, is vital, as it can help with ensuring that everything is implemented properly. 

Why Let Others Know? 

This is super simple. About 80% of consumers value sustainability, with more even mentioning they’ll pay a premium for eco-friendly brands. This is a market that you want to capture, and also educate with others. Being sustainable lets customs know about the changes that you’re making and the urge to go green. It also further promotes trust and builds your customer base. 

Plus, it boosts the reviews, the word of mouth, and other social media aspects that come with this, and also grows the clientele and the brand. If you’re ready to go eco-friendly, here are a few ways to let people know that you’re giving out eco-friendly packaging. 

Print It 

This is one of the simplest ways, and one of the best ways to let people know straight up that you’re eco friendly. 

If you show the recycle symbol for example, and let people know that the stuff is recyclable, I do indirectly tell people that you care about the state of the planet, and that you wanted to remind them of the responsibility that comes with being an eco-citizen too. It’s also good for a lot of people to ensure that you put the brand in a positive light to align with the sustainability that’s there. 

What else can you add 

Well, why not: 

  • QR codes that link to the page talking about sustainability 
  • Printing messages to give instructions on how to toss 
  • Mention that the inks are soy based or other plant-based items. 

Join Green Initiatives 

Another cool thing that you can do is let other people know that you’re joining the green initiative. 

If you let people know that when they order from you, you’re giving back by planting trees, it gets people excited and shows how you’re giving back to others. 

There are tons of these means to practice sustainability that’s out there, and it lets you also get more trees out in the wild. 

Plus, the cool thing about this is that it pays off down the line, as you can work with other companies, who will inevitably also give you incentives too. 

Make it Stand Out on the Site 

Did you know that the storefront isn’t the only location to let people know that you’re living the sustainability life? 

The website is one of the best ways to do this. 

Anyone who buys from you or knows about the brand that you’re putting together is going to visit here, and you can include this on social media, or the website. 

You want to let other people know immediately that sustainability is what the brand is. 

You should incorporate this directly onto the homepage too, and let people know about the different strides you’re making towards sustainability. 

Obviously, you don’t have to get super in the faces of customers when you’re trying to push for sustainability, but these different means will help you stand out as a company, and you can, through the use of these, build a company that’s sustainable, and people will know that it is when they order from you. 

Tips to Create Sustainable Nutrition Bar Packaging 

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Nutrition bars are those that can offer a healthy body, and you can also make them eco-friendly to make the brand stand out, through the different messaging, and the activities for the marketing. You may wonder if there is a way to make them sustainable, in a way that’s totally recyclable, and also paper based. 

Packaging is something that does offer the products another layer of the protection that’s needed, and you can also make these customs to provide a story, the values of the company, and from there, turn them into customers that are loyal too. Building an unboxing experience that’s unforgettable is one that offers the possibility of growth, loyalty, and the voice of the community. Here are a few things to consider with the packaging. 

Box Types 

The first thing is to figure out the box types to use. You can also look at the different types of packaging options. Folding carton boxes are usually the type to go, as they are easy to put together, way cheaper than using a rigid or mailer box, and most of the time, they’re printed to showcase all sorts of branding aspects that are there. 

If you’re willing to take it another step, there are display boxes, as they are pre-glued in most cases, and can be flattened too. Just like with the carton boxes that are folding, and then get popped up once again into a place to take up the box shape. 

The boxes are then displayed on the store, or on the shelf, as a means to showcase not just the logo, but also the branding, and offers customers a chance to look at the product that they’re getting before they buy it. 

SETBAR is a good example of this, as they are organic, gluten-free, and also are non-GMO, and are put in display boxes that show to clients what they’re getting before they order. You can get carton boxes as well that are sent to customers, catering to the needs that they have. 

Consider the Primary Packaging

The paper and the bars may seem like they’re eco-friendly, but if you’re getting plastic to package everything, you’re defeating the purpose. The usage of the plastic that’s in that pretty much screwed over how eco friendly it is. The simple solution for this, is to look for different means to wrap the bars themselves in. 

Compostable packaging for example, is a better option. Clif bars, a very popular nutrition bar company, is looking to change their wrappers, and are implementing this directly into their packaging. Plastics are starting to become more and more sustainable too. There are now biodegradable plastics that you can buy as a substitute for this. 

If you’re going to still use the same old wrappers, whether for budget or other reasons, you want to make sure that you give them a means to know how to get rid of the bars when they are done, and also, let them know how you’re trying to be more green. 

Go for Sustainable Inks 

Finally, consider the inks that are there, and go for something that’s an alternative to the current petroleum-based ink that’s there. 

Water-based and soy based inks are becoming more popular, with the latter offering better colors, less chemicals, and also doesn’t really take long to degrade as well, and are a good option for this. 

If you’re looking to go green with this kind of packaging, you’re not alone. The best way for you to figure out what to do with your packaging, is to take some time, and consider sustainability. 

All about Smart Packaging 

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Packaging is changing a whole lot and with unboxing gaining so much popularity, the way that we package our times is definitely something that companies have started to fix. Fast-forward a few years, more and more companies have added other elements that are good not just for making the lives of customers better, but also boosting the brand value. 

Technology within packaging is becoming more and more popular, and smart packaging is something that’s already a billion-dollar industry but is looking to grow by 2025. If you’re looking to try smart packaging, then definitely consider this, and here, we’ll tell you how to utilize smart packaging. 

What Smart Packaging Is 

This is packaging that extends beyond just normal aesthetics, but also looks at functionality with the digital world. 

There are two types: active, and intelligent packaging. 

Active packaging is how you determine the life cycle, shelf life, and also the product quality, while it’s within the package. 

This includes shipping, storing, and the like. 

This is because technology actually controls the elements that may harm this, such as making sure that there is not too much moisture, they prevent oxidation, and also controlling the temperature of the location of the product to prevent food spoilage, or other product spoilage. 

Then we have intelligent packaging, which basically adds functions that are, well, intelligent, in order to enhance the values that the product has, and it makes the experience the consumer has all the more better. NFC tags that are on different products, or even barcodes that different users can use to find out more information are examples of this. 

Why Smart Packaging 

Why should you have smart packaging? Here, we’ll discuss a few of the benefits that smart packaging offers. 

First, it protects the products better. Active packaging of course, protects the products that you have, from the moment they leave the facility, till they get to the customers that you have. Smart packaging does protect them from moisture, other agents, and also light that’s harmful. Active packaging helps the product last a lot longer, make you a lot more trustworthy, and improves the product upkeep. 

It also saves you some costs. If you’re constantly spending time poring over the logistics that are there such as storage, and also the supply chain, and sales, you’ll be there for a long time. With this kind of packaging, you’ll be able to protect the packaging, and you won’t have to deal with the problem of the materials being too bulky, and the extra packaging gets eliminated, which makes this durable, lightweight, and easier for shipping and storage. 

It’s also a marketing tool. Smart packaging aids in the value of your product marketing, helping it to stand out, giving customers a selling point that does enhance this. It actually can improve the way people look at the packaging that’s there. 

Finally, it boosts your brand’s image. With more and more marketing, more and more recognition, and a better branding image, smart packaging is definitely something that shows off the investment, the confidence, and the quality that is there within the products. Most customers know this, and it can help make it better, and can also translate to loyal customers too. 

Packaging that’s intelligent is also very eco-friendly, making this more sustainable than before. Developing this does depend on what you’re selling, the product ingredients that’s there, the funds that are there, are all great starting points to help with brainstorming this, and translating all of this to brand products, packaging, and so much more. so it’s worth considering for your brand’s image as well!