Ecommerce Packaging Tips 

With a lot of people shopping online more than ever before, the correct packaging is important, and so is the shipping. Choosing packaging that’s correct is important for making sure that you save the business some money, while also improving the profits.  Here is a general idea of how to make your packaging the best that it can be during the holidays, and also some things that you can do.

Making the Packaging Last 

One of the biggest things to remember is that you want to have packaging that fits the products, and promotes a correct brand strategy, not just to the customers here and now, but those down the line and in the future. Making sure that you have the best ecommerce packaging that you can is integral, as it will allow for the packaging to last, and create the best results that it can.

The first thing is to remember that you want to make sure that the packaging is the right shape and size for this. you want to make sure that the packaging doesn’t impact the way that it stays in there. if the box is too small, it could risk breaking it, as you’re pushing it to be in something that’s small, but if it’s too big, the contents might start to jostle about.

But if you’re also looking at the budget, the size of the packaging does matter too. The wrong packaging will eat away at the costs of shipping, so you want something that’s the correct size for these items as you ship them, saving you some money on the materials that are used to impact the spaces, and also what might be used to fill them.

Make it Easy 

This is another given, but make the packaging easy enough that people can open it. making the packaging easy to open is really important, because if you make it hard to open, people will feel that enjoyment get sucked away, and it’ll upset the customers. 

This is what causes the first impressions to sour, so it’s important that you also make sure that the packaging is easy for a person to open, and quick too. Perforation lines and tabs are great for customers, especially those who don’t want to deal with the wrap rage of packaging. 

You want to make sure that the packaging is impactful for the customers, and serves the needs. 

Have the Brand Showcased there. 

The brand being showcased is another thing. Don’t be afraid to let customers know who you are.

Having a branded packaging experience will help get people to remember who you are, and they might even reuse the boxes too. For those who see the packaging, this matters a lot, and showing them that this packaging is what they’re getting will make it shine, and they’ll be able to enjoy the packaging, and want to buy it once again.

Focus on Sustainability 

Finally, even with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, you need eco friendly packaging. That’s because, it’s more important than ever before. With some countries banning plastic, and more people caring about sustainability than ever before, having the correct types of packaging, and one that’ll improve the overall way that the person views the packaging is super important.

Holiday packaging is now being made to improve the relationship with the customer, and you’ll be able to, with this packaging, create the best holiday season experience for those who are interested in this, and in turn, have more people come back to your packaging as a result of the efforts as well too. 

Just What a Corrugated Box Is 

In the world of centers of distribution, along with warehouses and places that focus on shipping, most places utilize a corrugated box. But for newbies recently into the industry, they might not have an idea of the corrugated box, and also why it differs from cardboard boxes. If you’re wondering what the difference between these are, then you’re in luck, because here, we’ll go over the main questions that corrugated boxes have.

What Corrugated Means 

Corrugated as a term means furrowed and wrinkled, and the wrinkled nature of this is seen on the inner portions of these boxes.

Unlike cardboard boxes made from paper that’s heavy duty, corrugated boxes come with three different types of layers.

The first is the outer layer, and then, you’ve got the inner layer, and then finally, you’ve got the fluting that goes in between both of these.

The fluting creates arches that then connect on the outer and inner parts, and they offer a strength that’s larger than a regular old box. 

Why Use These 

Corrugated boxes are great in a business because they offer a durable, strong sort of solution for shipping. Because these boxes get stronger than  a regular cardboard box, you have some comfort in knowing that the item will be packaged correctly.

They’re also very easy for a person to recycle, and when they get worn out after being utilized a few times, you can recycle these, rather than just tossing them in the trash. 

They also can house a lot of stuff. You can get them custom made in a lot of instances, so if you’re someone who likes to actually have boxes that are weird and different, then you’ll definitely want to look at this.

Why Companies like to use these 

There are a few reasons why we haven’t gone over just yet.

For starters, you don’t have to stuff this with void fill in certain instances, or if you do use void fill, you don’t have to use as much due to the fact that it’s very easy for them to house everything and protect the contents.

Another reason is that they can handle being jostled.  Many types of shipping services, despite being reliable, will toss aside and around items, and they’ll oftentimes try to create a mess in some cases. If you’re a company that’s struggling with the breakage rate of their items, you might want to consider corrugated boxes.

Empty cardboard box close-up.

Finally, they’re also very easy to dispose of.  In our world, having different items that are strong and solid will protect the contents there, and there are a lot of people who benefit from this. If you’re someone who is trying to protect your items, and you also want to make a difference on the planet, this is a great way to do it.

Finally, they can be customized. If you have a business that prides itself in custom boxes, then you can use this, and from there, you’ll be able to, with this, craft boxes that are great for users, and also will help with improving the way that they hold up with time.

Cardboard boxes and corrugated boxes both have their own personal benefits, and your business should definitely start to utilize this.

You can also get used corrugated boxes too at a lower price. They have better strength, and from there, money can be saved just through reusing these, rather than buying, and in turn, it also makes you look good as a company, because they see you’re dedicated to using corrugated boxes too. 

Laminate Vs. Varnish 

When you’re planning custom materials and labels, you may get asked if you want a varnish or laminated topcoat, and here, we’ll go over this.

What a Topcoat Does 

The product labels that you have come with a variety of label layers, and it’s something that you’ll want to keep in mind. Usually, your face stock, or the label image, is not the top layer.  This is because it’ll help with protecting the label, and also enhances this performance.

There is a layer that’s above this, and it does impact the lifespan and the look of the labels there. This top portion is called the topcoat, and it offers proper protection against both damage and scuffing. It does also impact the way that the label looks as well. 

The two most common are laminate and varnish. Now, do you need this? Well, it’s not mandatory, but there is a protection there. without your topcoat, the ink will rub off this, or it’ll get scratched on the face stock. It also won’t be protected from liquids, moisture, or even oils that might be there too.

Varnish topcoats 

This is a type of coating that’s on a silicone-based sort of liquid. It’s used for labels that are indoor usage, and they’re not super resistant to the presence of moisture, and it offers only minimal amounts of protection when you’re trying to protect this from scuffing, or even smudging too.

Varnish is usually used in a gloss, satin, or matte finish. There are some common usages for this. There is the flood coat that goes over the entire label. There is the spot varnish, which is used to offer specific contrast for these surfaces too. Then, there are dimensional varnish layers, offering that 3-D dimensional effect that comes with this.

What about Laminate 

This is a type of film that’s made with polyester that offers a barrier of plastic, which is one that’s used to protect everything. They offer more texture and sheen to your label. This offers a protection that’s robust when you’re protecting from scuffing, smudging, oil, moisture and the exposure of UV rays that are here too.

Many laminates are made for specific types of applications. They come in gloss and matte, and there is also the thermal transfer, along with secondary types of printing, which is known to be serialization.

Now, you do need to choose these in a couple of different ways, based on the needs that you have.

For starters, if you need something that’s going to be used in temperatures that are extreme, or in the outdoors, you’ll want to make sure that the topcoat is made with this. Typically, lamination is better for this.

But, if you’re going to be using this for ecommerce labels, you’re better off with just using a varnish sort of topcoat, as this can definitely be cheaper in the long haul.

Finally, you’ll want to also look at the lifespan of the label. How long do you need this to exist? For the labels that are applied to plastic and glass jars, or boxes that are corrugated, varnish is going to suffice.

If you need something that is used for longer kinds of packaging, or making it almost permanent, then lamination I’ll be the best way to help boost the appearance of this, and it usually lasts as long as the product. That means, industrial and automotive industries should just use lamination.

Both are good topcoats, but they do have different needs, and you should focus on the needs that you have, before choosing the correct product. 

All About Packaging Design 

While we hear a lot about the products, we don’t hear a lot about packaging. One element of this that people don’t talk much about, is packaging design.  What is it exactly? Well, we see it in practically everything that we have. from boxes for foods we eat, for the phones we use, even for clothing, it all comes down to the design of the packaging.

This can also look either really good, or really bad, and whether you’re a pro designer, or someone who is new to this, you can change the way that the packaging looks, making this even better than before. 

Designing Packaging 

The designing of packaging for these products tends to be a bit more complex than just throwing stickers onto boxes made of cardboard. You need to first figure out the packaging medium to choose from. Do you want rigid boxes, or do you want cardboard boxes that are custom printed.

The medium is very overlooked, but once you’ve figured it out, you can also determine the other parts of this. These are the graphic design and the packaging, the physical packaging and the design of such, and finally, the design and marketing of the product that’s there. Remember, all of these get designed differently, so understanding these points is important. 

Graphic design 

This is basically the graphics and other information that attracts the attention of different customers, offering product information. The graphics of the packaging usually take the design of the brand, along with the motives, and then displays this directly onto the box. Getting a graphic designer that’s professional is a great way to ensure that the process is done correctly. 

The physical packaging 

This is something else that you must consider, especially when you’re designing for packaging.

You can have a big, elaborate box, but the thing is, it may not offer security to the product inside.

While you may want to make custom packaging that’s “out there” for people to like, it also needs some sort of purpose, and it needs to ensure that the security of the packaging is in place.

The limitations of the manufacturing also needs to be focused on too.

You need to also consider whether or not someone can even do this. you might have an amazing idea, and when you look at the designs that are offered, you should look for something that works, and outshines the competitors..

The best thing to do, is to use packaging that fits the foundation of the industry, but then further works to innovate.

Also, consider the following: 

  • The printing types 
  • The materials for the needs that you have
  • How heavy and durable the packaging is.
  • Hot stamping, embossing, UV finishes, and other add-ons that you can get. 

Design and marketing 

Finally, you need to make a box or packaging that is good for marketing reasons. Sometimes, people overlook this one, but you want something that’s good for form reasons, structural reasons, material design, even the imagery and colors that make it good to market on. 

This is good because it allows you to appeal to a buyer’s persona, promotes this, and finally, communicates the identity of the brand.

Designing a packaging that fits all of these criteria that works well for many people is great, because when you design it well, you’ll be able to not only improve the marketing, but also improve the means that people are able to create the proper connection with such and make it even better, and it’ll create the marketing that you want. 

Packaging Inserts for Brand Loyalty 

One good way to make a really great move into building a better, more loyal fanbase of customers, is to actually use packaging inserts. This is a chance for you to make customers smile, and there isn’t a better way to do it than this. Inserts are great, because you can use them to protect the packaging, but also, it allows you to write tiny messages to people. 

What should be Included 

This is basically a must for everyone, especially if you’ve got gratitude towards customers that buy from you. It also is great for marketing brands, and also for promoting social media channels so they can talk about the package that they got. You also might want to look into including the logo of a company, a tiny message, and the like to really personalize this.  This is great too because you can thank people, let them know what’s coming, and also provide some discounts and deals that’ll benefit them. 

Why use Inserts? 

Well, there are actually a lot of benefits that go into inserts, and they include the following: 

  • They’re effective on the costs 
  • They offer a targeted advertisement as well. You’re sending this specifically to people who are interested, so that they can get some more items. 
  • They also boost the unboxing that goes into this, especially if you’re someone who is going to give this to other customers. 
  • They also include endorsements and sponsorships. If you’re looking to get more people involved, then this can work too.
  • They also are great for establishing a brand identity. They’re the perfect opportunity to do this, especially if you’re someone who would like to establish this. 

Examples of such 

What are good examples of this? Well, you want something that does provide value to other people, but below, here are some of the creative packaging inserts, and what you can do to boost the experiences of customers. 

First, you’ve got the product discounts. These are small discounts that you can put into there, little offers that incentivize the customers to buy this, and also leaves them hungry to buy a whole lot more. This is great for first-time customers, as this offers loyalty from the get-go and also gets you to get new people as well. 

Then there are packaging free samples. These are small samples that incentivize customers to try out products. These are especially great for customers who are in cosmetics or other industries that involve consumables. They are great for new products that are there and what you can offer. If you’re dealing with existing customers that want to get to buy more stuff, this is a good example, because this will allow them to try it before they buy it, and they’re going to definitely get the right products for this.

Finally, there are messages that you can get.  This is a small, but sweet thing that everyone can let you do. These short notes and other recommendations are perfect, and they also show the perfect satisfaction too. 

For a lot of people, packaging inserts are a good way to get started in the world of packaging, and if you’re looking to boost your customer base, and want to offer the right supplies that you can, these custom inserts are the way to go. They offer high-quality results, and are perfect for boosting your customer service with others, no matter what world you’re in.

For a lot of people, boosting their own repute with the use of inserts is the way to go, and the future.