Thanks to the rise in multi-channel sellers, packaging has seen an even greater importance to its role than ever before. Consumers are becoming environmentally aware of the implications of wasteful packaging and businesses are keen on establishing cost-effective ways in which packaging that be both valuable and purposeful.

In line with our previous blog on ‘Getting Your eBay Business Of The Ground’ we have put together some tips on a few packaging choices that can help multi-channel sellers get the most of our their packaging solutions.

1. Packaging Tape

   Commonly used on products with durable structure like boxes, packing tapes are a must have for multichannel sellers. Commonly used in sealing the flaps or edges of a cardboard box, traditional packing tapes are available in different quantities, strengths, widths, lengths and materials. Kraft Tape has become an environmentally friendly alternative to the standard polypropylene packing tape, providing small businesses with a professional finish. Kraft paper tape is even more impactful when customized with your company logo, personal message or special opening instructions.

2. Postal Boxes – A very popular choice for online sellers as they conform to the Royal Mail PIP sizing formats, making it possible for sellers to calculate their delivery expenses quickly and easily. Options include flat postal boxes, pop-up postal boxes for increased speed of packing and dispatch, and ColomPac boxes for premium presentation.

3. Ribbon – Usually made from satin material, fabric ribbon is commonly associated with more emotional purchases or gift related packages. The soft texture and variety of subtle, bold or patterned colours engages a customer’s emotions, so can have a great impact when co-ordinated together with an imprinted personal message for an excellent unboxing experience.

4. Parcel Labels – Are you shipping products that are required to be ‘handled with care’? Does your parcel contain glass? Is there a need for your product to sit upright at all times? If you answered yes to any of these questions then you need transit labels! These widely recognised logos communicate boldly to the handler and courier that extra care must be taken, so always ensure your parcels are clearly labelled.

5. Anti-static protection – For businesses shipping items that have a likelihood of reflecting electrostatic discharges (ESD for short) if certain heat conditions are met or specific vibrations occur for instance, then anti-static packaging is what you need! Made to strict standards anti-static packaging will preserve the integrity of your product as well as other products traveling through the transit journey.

6. Bubble Wrap – Asides the fun and therapeutic benefits of bubble popping, bubble wrap is traditionally a reliable and cost effective type of packaging. As a multi-channel seller you may find that this type of packaging is working like clockwork for your business, however there are often still improvements which can be made. Consider these two points:
   1. Ease the weight pressure from the bubbles to the core – for instance store bubble wraps in a vertical position rather than flat on a shelf, retaining the bubble structure for longer.
   2. Consider using branded options – you may find that they are not only more cost effective per metre as they can store more on a roll, but they often retain air for longer.

7. No Nail Plywood Boxes – As the name implies these boxes require the use of no nails! Asides the international phytosanitary regulations exemption, these boxes have reinforced corners while some have even been through extensive drop tests. So if you are a multi-channel seller that exports goods overseas then you need these!

8. Single wall boxes – A huge amount of online sellers are shipping items that are less than 10kg in weight and so single wall boxes are a sufficient and suitable choice. Equally dependent on what is being sold, if your items can assume a cuboid formation then a single wall cardboard box is all you need. Don’t make the mistake of shipping light weight items in heavy duty boxes and save yourself the added expense!

9. Crash Lock Boxes – Quicker to construct than a standard carton, as these simple to erect boxes unfold the base automatically which then slots into place ready for you to start packing. Dispatched and stored flat, you instantly save yourself space, time and hassle of having to seal both ends. If you’re a seller that is frustrated with the packing process, consider crash lock boxes to speed up your dispatch process.

10. Mailing Bags – Lightweight and opaque by nature, mailing bags are a recommended must have for shipping flexible and discrete items through the post. The ease on storage, size variety and added features available such as different thicknesses, strengths and sealing options makes mailing bags a popular economical choice for multi-channel sellers. However if you find that mailing bags are the perfect choice for your product range, consider improving your returns process by the simple virtue of a dual seal strip. This will allow the customer the option to reuse their packaging if ever they need to send an item back, saving them added cost and frustration.

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Rick Stanford

Rick has been a salesman in the packaging supplies business for more than thirty years. Now semi-retired, he divides his time between tending his allotment in north Devon, getting depressed at the continuing travails of his home-town football club Macclesfield Town, and sharing his considerable experience and knowledge with the readers of the Davpack blog. Davpack

Latest posts by Rick Stanford (see all)

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