Starting an e-commerce venture or expanding your e-commerce business can be a daunting prospect. While there are many uncertainties, packaging can be simplified to help your brand grow. Prospective and existing e-commerce retailers often take for granted the impact the right kind of packaging can have on their business. With the world moving away from traditional retail methods toward the e-commerce model, retailers must find new ways to make a lasting impression on their customers.
Retailers are finding it challenging to connect with their customers through e-commerce in the same way the traditional retail experience allowed them to. However, packaging can fill this void by creating an intimate experience, a lasting impression that might provide customers with security, peace of mind, and excitement, allowing the retailer to bring back the personal touch into e-commerce. Good packaging has several functional advantages, but retailers often overlook the smaller details that can often give them an edge over the competition. Take the example of DTDC’s clever and stylish branded boxes or Zomato’s distinct tape used on their delivery boxes.
Getting the packaging right is an easy way to capture customers’ hearts and minds. This is where companies like DCGpac come in, ensuring perfect form and functionality. On that note, you cannot go wrong with these
9 essentials of good packaging:
1) Boxes:
Boxes come in all shapes and sizes, but retailers must choose a box that fits their product. Boxes can be the basis of a high-visibility branding strategy as they are sturdy, long-lasting, and often recyclable. They must be appropriately suited to protecting the package and well equipped to endure the courier journey.
2) Courier Packages:
Courier packages are a more flexible option than boxes when it comes to packaging smaller, low-cost items. They represent a cheaper option than boxes as they reduce size, weight and are an eco-friendly option.
3) Tape:
Tapes are widely used and are a staple in packaging material. BOPP tape comes in standard models and is also customizable. Using tape for branding is a great option as it performs three vital functions: sealing the product, strengthening the packaging, and branding by printing your brand’s logo onto the tape as Amazon and Swiggy do.
4) Rolls:
Rolls come in numerous varieties. Strapping rolls, cushioning rolls, and wrap rolls are some of the more common varieties; they serve many different functions such as protecting packaging from scratches, holding packages together, and protecting fragile material.
5) Branded Packaging:
All varieties of packaging in this list could simply be changed from boring standard options to customised packaging designed with your company’s logo and other personalizations. Company colors, logos, and other identifying material could help cultivate loyalty and recognition amongst customers.
6) Filler/ Cushioning Material
Fillers and cushioning material come in many forms, from styrofoam nuts to cushioning rolls and packing peanuts. They act as a barrier between your product and the useful yet fallible packaging boxes, protecting your package from damages. Hence, picking the right filler material is vital as damaged products can increase costs, as well as reduce customer trust and satisfaction. Eco-friendly filler is starting to become a popular option for retailers whose consumers are environmentally-conscious.
7) Personalised branding material like business cards or messages
A great strategy to bring back a personal feel with online shopping is to humanise your packaging with little personalized gift cards, coloured paper, thank-you messages, business cards and gift wrapping paper; all these can be custom-made as part of your packaging process and makes for a great unboxing experience.
8) Printer Paper
An absolute essential for any retailer, printer paper has many vital packing-related uses. It is used for bills, personalised messages, shipping documents, invoices, etc. Most retailer operations might have them around, but remember to keep them in bulk.
9) Branded Labels and Stickers
Labels and stickers are multipurpose supplies, labels with warnings such as ‘fragile’ or other important shipping material are mandatory for the transport of goods. They also serve as a great branding tool as they are easily customizable and are prominently placed on boxes and packages. They can also be used for promotional material like stickers of a company logo that customers use on their laptops or beds.
These 9 essentials of packaging are a fool-proof guide for any retailer to kick-start their e-commerce adventure. Making the right choices for your packaging needs can ensure reduced costs and increased customer satisfaction.
