You started your business. You’ve got an order in hand, and it’s time to ship. Chances are your primary concerns are delivery speed and cost—but there’s another factor to consider: product packaging.

Using the right packaging is an essential eCommerce shipping best practice that can do much more than simply protect your products. In fact, when it comes to the potential benefits of well-executed eCommerce packaging, it pays to think outside the box.

In this blog, we’ll unpack all the considerations and criteria for creating a great unboxing experience for your customers. Keep reading for expert tips, resources, and inspiration when dealing with inventory management (and eCommerce logistics) topics like this.

What is eCommerce packaging?

E-commerce packaging is a hybrid of transportation factors and conventional product packaging.

eCommerce packaging, like traditional retail packaging, should present your products in an eye-catching manner and contain useful details like customer service numbers and assembly instructions.

It should, nevertheless, also work to safeguard your goods. Throughout the order fulfillment procedure, multiple people handle your items. For this reason, your packing needs to be robust and well-padded. It must guarantee that your products arrive in perfect shape and adhere to shipping regulations.

Additionally, your packaging serves as a means of enhancing brand identity, delighting customers, and re-engaging them. Given that your customers are not fully immersed in store locations, it is even more crucial that your packaging makes an impact. You want your clients to think of your company name when they recall it, as well as the positive experience and high-quality goods they received.

Essential eCommerce packaging criteria

It makes sense that the list of requirements is lengthy considering the amount of labor eCommerce packaging performs. When creating your own packaging solution as a small business owner, bear the following points in mind:

Protection –Safe product delivery not only increases client happiness and confidence, but it also reduces the need for expensive returns. This also puts your brand’s reputation at jeopardy. Because unhappy customers are more likely to share their positive experiences online, you want to reduce the possibility of damage during transit and any potential negative word-of-mouth that may result.

Cost –Consider how the size and weight of your packaging may impact shipping expenses in addition to the cost of the packing materials. Large, bulky, or odd-sized packaging may cost more to ship or take longer to arrive.

Sustainability –More than half of American consumers are worried about how long-lasting product packaging is, and 43% are concerned about how packaging affects the environment. Sellers who disregard the sustainability concerns raised by customers endanger not just their brand but also their financial stability. Note: states are debating many bills related to extended producer responsibility (EPR) this year. This would include, among other things, makers and sellers paying for the disposal of their packaging trash. Recyclable materials help you keep your regulatory fees down.

Customer service –It should be clear to customers how to use your product and who to contact in case they need any additional help. In the same way, your clients ought to be able to find your return policy in some part of the packing.

Marketing –Take advantage of the chance to build rapport with your clients. Think about how your product inserts and packaging sealing tape contribute to the unboxing experience, which can increase your virality. When it comes to the unboxing experience, Unbox Therapy, a YouTube channel with over 18 million subscribers, does not skimp on anything. In this video, which has received over 1.5 million views, he even goes so far as to smell the package.

Marketplace fulfillment requirements –If you sell goods through many channels and on online marketplaces such as Amazon, you might have to follow specific packing requirements. For instance, in order to expedite handling at its warehouse, Fulfillment By Amazon (FBA) offers comprehensive preparation and packaging requirements. Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) has guidelines regarding the maximum weight and dimensions of products in the interim. In the event that you decide to ship orders yourself, you still need to think about how your packing could affect the price and schedule of your deliveries. Marketplaces prefer quick, reasonably priced shipment. Therefore, having lightweight (but secure) packaging is often essential to your visibility and competitiveness on these channels

Types of eCommerce packaging

Depending on the size, weight, and durability of your products, different packaging sizes and materials may be appropriate. Here are a few types to entertain.

Corrugated cardboard boxes

Corrugated cardboard boxes are by far the most popular option; they have the benefits of being long-lasting and recyclable. Considering their strength, they are light.

The weight capacity of the corrugated box walls is determined by their structure, thus you might need to utilize different kinds of cardboard for different products. However, there are numerous sizes, flaps, folds, and closure options available.

You may even choose to overbox, which is a packing technique in which you firmly put a smaller cardboard box inside an exterior container to hold individual component components, depending on how breakable your products are.

Testing could be necessary for this; businesses like Amazon have received complaints over containers that are hard to open and excessive trash (which prompted Amazon to introduce its “Frustration-Free Packaging” initiative). Still, for things that could otherwise arrive damaged, you might want to apply this double layer of robust protection.

Padded mailers

Padded envelopes can be used to send smaller products that require a moderate level of protection, like makeup, books, media, and jewels in a box. Typically composed of paper or plastic, these envelopes feature a layer of cushioning to prevent breaking. Bubble wrap is a widely used protective substance. It isn’t as environmentally beneficial as cushioning composed of recycled or shredded paper, though.

Bags or envelopes

For lightweight, indestructible objects, such as clothing, a simple envelope, pouch, or poly mailer may work well. These merely offer defense against certain scuffs, smearing, and other imperfections brought on by outside objects and surroundings.

Plastic is the most widely used material for envelopes. Although plastic is less sustainable than paper, it offers the advantages of being incredibly lightweight, waterproof, and tear-resistant. Innovative options that aim to cut waste—like compostable and kraft paper mailers—might be worthwhile to investigate.

Additional ecommerce packaging materials

Ideally, your product will just require a single, minimal layer of production to reach its clients securely.

However, if you’re like the majority of sellers, your item probably needs additional cushioning or its own container, such as a jar, tube, box, bag, or envelopes, in order to fit safely inside your shipping container. It might also need room for an insert such as a thank-you card, instruction manual, or other inserts.

In light of it, consider the following factors:

Infill –Stabilizing things inside the outer transport packaging is done with padding material. Styrofoam peanuts from the past are mostly obsolete. Many vendors choose to employ corn-based biodegradable substitutes. Additionally, a wide range of additional materials, such as chains of paper or plastic “air pillows,” shredded cardboard, and kraft paper, can be utilized to cushion goods.

If your product is fragile, such as glassware or perishable food, you may want to use a molded infill that is designed to fit tightly around it. This will keep them from crushing, particularly if they are packed with other things. For making a molded infill, recycled paper pulp, cardboard, and even solid material derived from dried mushrooms can be utilized.

Inserts, packing slips, and receipts –Aside from the item itself, you may include instructions, coupon offers, invitations to in-store events, and more in your package. These can be nestled next to certain articles, placed on top of or underneath them, or fastened to the box’s interior cover. It should always be simple to locate your packing slip and receipt, no matter where you opt to store your inserts.

Wrapping paper and tissue –Using colorful wrapping or tissue paper can add added flair to your products. It might add to the experience’s personalization or extend the element of surprise. As an alternative, you might use plain brown paper to further accentuate your dedication to eco-friendliness and simplicity.

Stickers and tape –Stickers can be used to make your packaging stand out or to convey care recommendations. You might even include a few of stand-alone, branded stickers as an added bonus for clients, who might then wear your stickers and promote your business.

Another powerful message might be sent by the tape outside the package. Consider the recognizable wrapping tape from Amazon that reads “Prime” all over it. Clear plastic tape is more practical and lower in weight, while paper tape with a water-activated adhesive is recyclable and strong enough for bulky objects.

These ostensibly insignificant additions can improve the clientele’s experience. The art community is aware of the fact that the complimentary decal sticker matches the product instructions and packaging tape, as seen in this YouTube review of an ArtSnacks package.

Customized ecommerce packaging

You have two choices when it comes to packaging design.

You may just use standard packaging that serves the purpose. Or, you might employ specialized packaging with a strong brand.

The second option is probably the best one for you because of all the distractions and competitiveness that exist online. Your packaging has the potential to be a potent eCommerce marketing tactic on its own.

Use Joolz as an illustration. This European producer of premium strollers and accessories targets parents as their target market and young children as its key customer base through the design of its packaging.

Joolz’s recyclable packaging served as the foundation for nearly a whole marketing campaign. Joolz’s shipping boxes, which are designed with sustainability in mind, come with instructions on how to turn them into play airplanes, birdhouses, kid-sized seats, or play animals.

Here are ways to ensure that your packaging is memorable:

Color schemes and logos –Adding color to your boxes, bags, and other materials may increase costs, but doing so can assist strengthen brand recognition. Moreover, there are less expensive options to full custom color. For a comparatively small fee, you can, for instance, acquire a personalized stamp to label your packaging.

Fonts and prose style –Your brand voice should guide how any text on your eCommerce packaging is written. Moreover, any printed font should mirror the branding of your online store to create an instant association with your company.

Recycling instructions –Please print information on how your customers can dispose of your recyclable items and containers. You can use language that represents your brand to print those instructions directly onto the box or bag.

The personal touch –Thank-you cards, specific usage guidelines, or tailored recommendations for more purchases can all be very helpful. For example, if you run a subscription box service for fashion enthusiasts, you may include a stylist’s letter suggesting different styles to try.

How to get started with packaging design

Creating eCommerce packaging is a process that combines creativity with practicality—plus lots of testing. There are various steps to keep in mind, which we’ve broken out below:

1. Gather requirements. Before starting this project, make sure you have your product’s weight, dimensions, branding specifications, and any unique instructions ready.
2. Crunch the numbers. Make sure to account for the one-time expenses associated with designing your packages as well as the ongoing expenditures per piece that will arise from additional orders for boxes or bags. Make sure to account for any additional shipping fees associated with weight in order to accurately estimate your final charge.
3. Tell a story. Make sure that the information is presented logically as you brainstorm ways to include branding, product instructions, ingredients, and other materials in your packaging. For instance, you wouldn’t want to publish thorough product details on the box’s outside (before your buyer has opened the package). For this reason, though, you might want to affix a tiny, vibrant envelope to the inside of the box lid.
4. Develop a prototype. Before mass-producing your packaging, do a limited run with your supplier to test that your packaging looks and feels the way you expected.
5. Test for protection. A “drop test” simulates the jostling and impacts that will occur during transit. Standards for a drop test vary, but a test usually involves knocking items from a specific height multiple times. This is to see whether the corners, edges, and faces of packaging hold up.
6. Test for coherence. Gather feedback from people outside of your design team to ensure that packaging is appealing and useful. Ask loyal customers for their feedback or launch a poll on social media to see which packaging people prefer.
7. Test for practicality. To make sure they are compatible with your packaging and fulfillment procedure, try out a variety of different carriers. Certain regional carriers could still have unique packing specifications. Comparably, certain states might have laws governing the lawful transportation of particular kinds of goods, such food items, plants, or alcohol. Special labels or tracking information could be needed for these. Of course, the weather might also play a role. shipping a dozen roses to Arizona for Valentine’s Day calls for a different approach than shipping them to Minnesota, where the weather is dry and warm. With Wix eCommerce, managing several carriers is simple. Orders are automatically routed to the appropriate warehouses, unique tracking numbers are assigned, and you can print shipping labels directly from your store.
8. Roll out and promote the new look.Create marketing materials, blog pieces, and social media postings informing consumers about the new package. This statement serves as a way to highlight any sustainability advancements made with your new packaging and/or any new benefits, like cheaper shipping costs, in addition to informing customers that the products themselves haven’t changed.

eCommerce packaging considerations

eCommerce packaging provides far more benefits than just simple product safeguarding. It provides an opportunity to establish a relationship with consumers, share your brand’s narrative, and provide them all the information they need to enjoy the products that have been delivered to their homes.

Don’t cut corners or use inferior materials in this process. Choose a solution that guarantees a positive client experience while accurately representing your brand.

Durability is crucial; packaging needs to safeguard goods while they are in transportation, so use sturdy materials and take the proper size into account to keep things from shifting. Costs associated with shipment also take weight into account.

Second, the importance of sustainability is growing. Compostable, recyclable, or biodegradable materials are preferred by customers because they are becoming more environmentally concerned, and they can improve a brand’s reputation.

Thirdly, think about the unpackaging procedure. Innovative, branded packaging has the power to increase client happiness and spark social media posts. Personalized notes, branded tape, and customized boxes may make a lasting impression.

Cost-effectiveness is also important to consider; preserving business margins requires choosing materials and designs that minimize costs without sacrificing quality.

Additionally, security is essential, particularly for expensive goods. Packaging that is tamper-evident can provide buyers peace of mind.

Lastly, consider the ease of returns for customers. Reusable packaging can streamline the process, improving customer experience and likelihood of repeat business.

Effective ecommerce packaging is a careful balance of these considerations, catered to the specific needs of the product and customer expectations, all while aligning with your brand’s values and goals.

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