The eCommerce industry has been growing steadily over these past few years. And now more than ever, people are relying on online shopping services to receive all sorts of products and goods. If you are running an eCommerce business, one of the things you should practice is using quality packaging for shipping your items.
When you send your product over to your customers, your first priority should be getting the item to the customer in one piece. The only way you can ensure the safety and maintain the quality of your product is through quality packaging.
Why Your eCommerce Business Needs Quality Packaging Supplies
Good customer service doesn’t end when you send off your item to the buyer. Instead, 5-star customer service only ends when the customer has found satisfaction in your product or service. Ensuring your product gets to your customer all safe and secure is one way your eCommerce business can provide quality customer service.
When planning the logistics part of your online business, there are a couple of factors that you must consider first in order to make sure you’re getting the right materials for shipping your products.
When planning the logistics part of your online business, there are a couple of factors that you must consider. Here are some important things for shipping your products. you should keep in mind:
- Location
Where do you ship your products? Do you ship overseas? Will you need package cushioning to secure your product for extended transit periods? - Product Type
Do you ship perishable or non-perishable goods? Will you need sealed packaging?
- Quantity
Do you ship items in bulk or by piece? What kind of bag or box will you need?
Once you’ve got all these figured out, you can have a better idea of what kind of packaging supplies you’ll need. You can then plan out your logistics budget for the next months or year.
Packing Supplies Every eCommerce Store Must Have
There are different kinds of shipping supplies that you need to get for your eCommerce store to make sure that your products will safely get to your customers. Don’t worry if you’re new to this, there are only a few important supplies that you’ll need to deliver items securely.
Here are some essential packaging supplies that you should get for your online store:
1. Shipping Bags
A shipping bag, or poly mailers, is one of the most common packaging types you’ll see today. Poly mailers are an excellent alternative to boxes if you’re planning on shipping small and light items like clothing, accessories, and other non-fragile products.
The main benefit of shipping bags is they are ultimately lighter than boxes, this means you can save on shipping rates with prices based on item weight. It’s also easier to store bulk deliveries if the items come in individual shipping bags since you can fill up containers with small batches of shipping bags.
2. Tape and Cushioning
Aside from the container itself, another thing you must have in your shipping supply warehouse are tapes and cushioning. These packing supplies can prevent products from getting slightly damaged or completely broken.
Whether you’re shipping jewelry sets, fragile art, sensitive computer parts, you’ll definitely need a good roll of packing tape to keep everything secured. Without packing tape, the items you put in your shipping container will be susceptible to dings, bumps, and dents that can damage the items themselves.
Adding packaging tape to your items will keep them secured and help you avoid having your product move all over the place when it’s shipped.
You should also add pieces of cushioning like bubble wrap or air bags to provide ample shock absorbing suspension to your package. If you’re shipping something extremely fragile, you should never forget to add cushioning to prevent any sort of breakage.
3. Vermiculite
Vermiculite is another essential packing tool that can help you fill voids in boxes and containers to prevent your item from getting dinged or dented from bumpy handling. It also serves as a form of moisture absorbent, making it ideal for protecting bottled beverages like wine and liquid cosmetics.
4. Labels
Shipping labels ensure that the handler knows all the necessary information about a package. Without a detailed shipping label, your handler might not be able to handle and ship your product as you intended.
Always make sure you have the necessary shipping labels for all your products. Some shipping labels were specifically designed for labeling hazardous items or fragile materials. Don’t forget to apply the right shipping label to your products to avoid mishandling.
5. Takeaway Boxes
Packing boxes or takeaway boxes are arguably the most common type of packaging there is. There are different kinds of boxes that you can choose from today including corrugated boxes, wine boxes, jewelry boxes, eco-friendly boxes, and so much more.
One thing you should always remember when it comes to choosing takeaway boxes for shipping your products is the durability of the box. If you’re shipping an item that’s fragile, you should definitely choose sturdier and more durable boxes. On the other hand, if you’re only shipping small and light items, you may do well with a lighter box.
Knowing how durable the boxes you’ll need will help you determine how much you’ll need to spend on shipping itself. The more durable a box is, the more weight it has on it, meaning you could spend more on shipping rates for thicker boxes.
6. Vacuum Sealer Bags
Vacuum packaging is mostly essential for shipping perishable goods like steaks, vegetables, fruits, frozen tuna, and other types of items that have an expiry date. What’s ideal about vacuum sealed bags is how they can prolong the shelf-life of the item you are shipping.
If you are planning on shipping non-perishable goods overseas, your best bet at preserving the freshness of your item is shipping it in a vacuum sealed bag.
Aside from being used on non-perishable items, some people also like using vacuum sealed containers to add security to more valuable items like jewelry or pieces of fabric that can easily get tangled.
Before You Go
Well, there you have it, a quick breakdown on the most important kinds of delivery supplies that you’ll need. Remember, always make sure your products get to your customers safe and secure. Adding extra effort on shipping your items can help you go a long way when it comes to improving your customer service.
The next time you ship your products, keep your items secure and in place with packing tape and some bubble wrap. Also keep it in one piece by placing it in the right kind of shipping bag or takeaway box. Good luck and happy shipping!
We hope you found this blog post What are Essential Shipping Supplies? useful. Be sure to check out our post Four Benefits of Using Online Shipping Platforms for more great tips!
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