Best Packaging Guidelines for Your Ecommerce Parcels.

To avoid damage, use strong and new packaging material .

With trending Ecommerce industry, it is important to ensure that the order fulfillment is done on time. It is also equally important that the parcel is received by the customer in good condition. Since logistics involves changes in warehouse, transport vehicles and handlers, it is important that package is properly packed so that it reaches the customer intact. Since there is no interaction between seller and customer, it is important that the package which you send is in good condition, as this serves as the trust factor for the customers and will make them come back to you for more. It is essential to pack the items safely, attractive and cost-effectively. Here are some of the quick tips to pack the parcels which will ensure seamless transport of the package and save the shipping cost as well.

Packaging to reduce volumetric weight:

The main component which determines the cost involved in shipping is the volumetric weight. Volumetric weight is the space occupied by the package in the flight or any other transport vehicle. The highest weight among volumetric and actual weight is used to determine the shipping cost. You can reduce the shipping rates by using lightweight material boxes of exact dimension as that of the product to reduce the volumetric weight thereby reducing the cost of shipping. Another way is to consolidate many shipments into one single package. For example, if your customer has ordered three items at a time, then you can consolidate it into single shipment and send it. By this, you are saving the shipping cost and also time to deliver the product.

Packaging fragile or delicate items:

When you are shipping fragile or delicate items you will have to be extra careful while packaging, as the chances of the product getting damaged, is high. So make sure you are placing the product in a box which is almost the same length of the product, if the gap is more, chances of product to break will be more. In such cases, wrapping material can be used to protect the product or the product can be cushioned using shredded paper or air pouches or bubble wrap. In the course of shipments journey it might come across bad weather, flood etc., in such cases using shrink wraps or tamper-proof pouches would be of great help as it avoids moisture or any other hazardous elements from entering the product. If you are shipping glassware then do no wrap it tightly as it could break, place it in a carton box of 3/5/7 ply depending on the kind of handling required and seal all the openings with a packaging tape.

Packaging of food Items:

To ship food items, extra precautions in packaging has to be made as perishable food items may get spoiled while transporting if not packed properly. Using dried food ingredients you can keep the food items fresh for longer time. Dehydrators can be used to remove the extra dampness in the food items. Avoid sending sticky and clammy food items as they might get spoiled due to moisture. Good packaging ensures that the freshness of the food is preserved. If you are sending biscuits or chocolates, make sure that there is no space between them. While shipping more than one kind of products, make sure you place the lighter parcel above the heavier parcel.

Product packaging for branding:

Packaging plays one of the important criteria in brand recognition, as the first thing which the customers see and get impressed is the packaging. Hence it is advisable to have good and presentable packaging in order to show the quality of your service to the customers. A stunning packaging with glittery or decorative material along with your company logo will help in marketing your company for free. If your company is financially doing well, then you can use designer paper on the inner side of the box as well, this will make it look clean and neat. A handwritten note can also be used to give a personal touch. The way you pack the items will also help in scaling up the brand value.

Affixing shipping label on the package:

One of the factors for hassle-free shipping is the proper attachment of shipping label on the package. Affixing a label on the package is important as it indicates the source and destination of the package. Make sure that the label is printed brightly and paste it in the center of the package so that it is easy to scan the barcode and ensure that nothing else cover the shipping label. Do not paste the shipping label on the edges or corner of the package as chances of it to shred is more. The label should be appended depending on the shape of the package. For example, if you want to affix a label on a cylindrical shape package, then you can paste it horizontally with cylindrical package lying down. Refer our blog HOW TO AFFIX SHIPPING LABELS ON PARCELS: USEFUL TIPS for more details.

Conclusion:

Packaging helps you to gain customers trust and also cut your shipping cost to some extent. Hence a proper packaging results in happy customers and happy you.