Packaging and Shipping Challenge

Packaging and Shipping Challenge

You’ve invested in an online business and are busy building your brand reputation, creating desirable items and celebrating a good order coming in. You can’t imagine your customers feeling anything but delight. They’re going to be writing rave reviews, recommending you to their friends and returning for more.

Except that your customers don’t always see your goods in the same light as you do. It’s not that you’re wearing rose tinted glasses; the way your goods looked when they were despatched simply doesn’t match their condition on arrival. It all comes down to the packaging and shipping challenge.

The Problem

The cheapest option for packaging is an off-the-shelf carton or a standard cardboard box, so you buy in bulk. No matter what is ordered, you package it in the box, add filling material and send it on its way. In transit things aren’t always handled with the greatest of care, so the contents move about, get knocked around and don’t stand the best chance of arriving in pristine condition.

Is it worth seeing those goods that you’ve toiled over, the brand that you’ve personally developed, the vision of elated customers all at risk simply because of cheap packaging and shipping?

Do you really see cost savings when products are being returned in damaged condition and customers are demanding refunds?

The Solution

The first recommendation is to approach a cardboard manufacturer, discuss your products and ask them to design packaging that offers a perfect fit. By perfect fit, we mean in terms of dimensions, brand identity, transport and storage requirements and marketing strategy. Bespoke packaging will cost a little more than an off the shelf solution, but this could enhance sales and customer satisfaction and reduce returns and waste. In the long run, you could see cost savings.

Secondly, research shipping and delivery companies thoroughly. Don’t be afraid to try a few options and see which consistently offer the best service in terms of product care, as well as speed, price and convenience.

Van Moof Printed Boxes

Finally, you might like to follow the example of Van Moof bikes. The company builds stylish, high spec bicycles, but were finding that a high percentage weren’t reaching the customer in the condition that everyone expected. They went so far as to say that some bikes were delivered looking like they had been through a ‘metal munching combine harvester’.

Noticing that their bike boxes were a similar dimension to flat screen TV boxes, they altered the printing. The new printed design emulated that of TV manufacturers, but with a bike related message. It seems that delivery drivers take more care of TVs than bikes, as shipping damage reduced by around 75% as a result of this move.

If you are selling online, get in touch with a cardboard manufacturer to discuss bespoke packaging and printing that will help your customers receive exactly what they ordered.