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The Importance of Quality Packaging
Whether you’re a fortune 500 company or a self-employed entrepreneur operating through Etsy, Amazon, or Ebay; shipping quality can be just as important as the quality of the product itself. Choosing quality packaging can mitigate any potential of lost revenue, which can come as a result of damage sustained while your package was in transit. Although there are several courier services to choose from, they all utilize a similar process when it comes to getting a package from point A to point B. So your choice in packaging is the one factor that is completely autonomous. If you’re a novice-shipper, you probably haven’t given much thought to shipping boxes, but there are several different variations of cardboard boxes available. Taking a “one size fits all” approach can, in some cases, lead to financial consequences; if a product arrives damaged the intended party may either refuse to pay, or they may initiate a chargeback for funds that were already paid. There is a popular adage that says, “the best defense is a good offense”, which in layman terms means it’s better to be proactive rather than reactive. This philosophy can be applied to a number of different endeavors, but it should be considered gospel when it comes to business.
Why Die-Cut Boxes?
Now that we have addressed the importance of quality shipping, how does one go about selecting the best boxes for their shipping needs? In this particular context, size matters; it’s recommended that you ship using die-cut boxes. They are customizable corrugated cardboard boxes that can be sized to accommodate the item that you’re shipping. Basically, this means that your item will fit securely within the box, and shifting during transit will be greatly reduced. This represents a tremendous benefit over traditional boxes, as they require less interior packaging, such as foam peanuts and bubble wrap. Die-cut boxes can also be customized with unique graphics and colors that identify your brand. One of the most important factors in any company’s success is branding, and it doesn’t have to stop at Internet marketing and flashy business cards. A customized shipping box goes through several hands while it’s en route to it’s intended recipient; why not let this box serve as a marketing tool while it’s in transit.
Alternative Boxes
Die-cut boxes can be configured to accommodate any item; you’re only limited by your imagination. Yes, these boxes can be slightly more expensive than traditional cardboard boxes, but they do represent a superior alternative. However, if these types of boxes aren’t in your budget, there are a few pre-fabricated boxes that may fit your needs. Here are some of the most common prefabricated boxes available:
- Regular Slotted: This is by far the most common style; the flaps on these boxes all have the same length. These boxes are intended for smaller lightweight items.
- Half Slotted Boxes: These are similar in design to regular slotted boxes but without one set of flaps. This design makes it possible to simply slide items into the box; this box is generally used for heavier items.
Summary
The quality of your shipping container should ensure that your product reaches it’s intended recipient damage-free. Although die-cut boxes are the best option, there are other alternatives; it’s best to execute due diligence and select the appropriate option based on your shipping needs.
Ways to Maximize Your Packaging Tender
You can put your packaging out to tender in the hopes of earning bigger revenues. Well, you can certain earn the bigger revenue this way but you are going to have to take care of packaging options from different aspects. The reason is that you are left with a little chance of making errors when you make a deal with the bigger companies. And since they will be handing over the entire packaging operations to you, you will have to make sure that you are doing your best to help them earn what they are striving for.
Having that said, we are going to mention some ways to help you maximize your packaging tender.
The packaging storage costs
Whether you purchase packaging materials directly from the manufacturer or store packaging SKUs onsite, you are going to have to have bigger storage capacity. And you may be paying too much for these items. In this scenario, you will need to look at the cost of storing these items. And so, you will need to look at the impact of these costs on your entire cash flow.
If you are using bulky packaging items which require huge space for storage, you may find it fruitful looking at the options which could take less storage space.
Transportation improvement
Transportation of your packages is another area you will need to work on if you want to bring effectiveness and efficiency in your packaging operations. Now, you may wonder how you could manage transportation while sticking to the number of packaging you need to send to your customers or to the retail market. The simple answer is to reduce the packaging size of each unit. If you are sending a lot of packaging, only a slight reduction in the packaging size can help you meet your goals. You will be able to load more packages in a stack and, so, you will not need many vehicles to load your shipments.
Damages and returns
While dealing with the large sized shipments, you can expect a particular number of packages getting damaged during the transit. However, if the products in your packages are getting damaged frequently and so are returned back, you will need to look at the factors causing this situation. It would be worth mentioning here that any damage to the products would mean that you will have to pay not only for another item but also for the packaging and transportation.
The easy way to deal with this scenario is to work on the packaging quality. Using quality materials in the packaging may seem expensive at first but you will be able to see the bigger benefits in the long run.