How Do I Choose The Right Packaging?

There’s an overwhelming number of packaging options when it comes to shipping your goods. The list includes: Industrial solutions like Wooden Boxes, Cardboard Boxes, Pallets or general Mailing Solutions like Bubble Bags, Mailing Boxes, and bubble wrap… and a whole lot more. So, how do you determine which one is best to use?

Like with most situations in order to determine the best solution, you will need to consider a few questions to help you determine the optimal path. Before we delve into this, let’s look at what is packaging and its importance?

cardboard packaging options

What is Packaging? Why the importance?

In general, the aim of packaging is to protect the product, during transportation between the manufacturing facility to the required destination, and of course, until the product is removed from storage for display or use. The packaging, therefore, must be sturdy and reliable along these different points of handling and movement.

What to Consider

The trick is not to drown yourself in the packaging but to be clear on what you want to achieve with your shipment. For us, we think the options are easier to narrow down when you look at the following 2 points.

In some scenarios additional factors will need to be considered. These factors will include budget, transportation destination, materials & product size range and design and branding. More on this below.

Budget

Transport

Materials & Size

Design & Branding

Tip: Work out the scope of your budget. This will help packaging type & materials used, & if there’s scope for custom packaging.

Customer Experience

We mentioned above, that product packaging needs to protect the product and must be durable and reliable. These features goes hand in hand with customer experience, as well as, other factors.

Firstly, try and consider what your customer is expecting to see. Have they spent a significant amount of money buying this product from you?

The importance of your customer’s experience from placing the order to receiving the goods,  cannot be underestimated. To put it into perspective: imagine you sell books via mail order. You’ve used second-hand cartons cut down and wrapped around the book secured by metres and metres of packing tape. How would your customer’s reaction be after receiving and attempting to open this packaging? It will definitely be a memorable experience but a not-so positive one due to the frustration of being unable to open the parcel with ease.

This is equally the case with larger shipments. If you’ve sold a new machine and decided to ship it on a shabby second-hand pallet with layers of stretch wrap applied in an attempt to secure the machine to the pallet – your customer is likely to be somewhat disappointed. What’s the good-old sayings! … first impressions last or you never get a second chance to make a first impression.

Remember: packaging is an extension of your brand.

Where possible – send yourself the parcel so that it helps you gauge the experience from the customer’s point of view.

Have a look at our Cardboard Cartons packaging options and try to imagine the customer experience when they receive your products in them.

Further, if you are in the position of having a healthy or moderate budget, you can look into either custom product packaging or custom printed packaging tapes. These custom options allows you to make you product stand out and heighten that positive customer experience associated with your brand. See our Lithographic article

Protection

It is fair to say that not all products have the same qualities or requirements. For example, shipping a consignment of wine glasses versus metal rods. So, whether or not you have a product that’s sensitive to being damaged – it’s vital that you understand the weak points. It’s not just about protecting the corners; you need to consider movement to avoid damaging your products. This is were taking the time to speak to our Packaging Experts could save your business money – with reducing claims on damaged goods or strains in business relationships.

If we use the book example again, imagine you order is place in a mailing bag. A hard covered book in particular is likely to move around, risking corners turning and being damaged. Using a secure mailing carton, or adding a layer of bubble wrap would be essential in reducing your risk. Same thing applies for much larger items like machinery. Protection from movement is just as important and considering the elements that the goods are faced with while in transit. That’s why protective films are essential.

Explore our Consumables Range

Next Steps?

We imagine our tips and recommendations will make you look at your options in a new light. And of course, our team of expert consultants are ready to help you work out the best solution for packing your products. Please feel free to get in touch with us today to see what solutions we can suggest for you and your business.