5 Ways of Cost Efficiency for E-Commerce Packaging

In the past few years, e-commerce and online retailing have been growing explosively. This growth is caused by not only customer demands and convenience of online retailing but also the threats of the recent pandemic. Another interesting influence that online retailing has had is over product packaging. With an increase in the number of online orders, packaging costs increased as well.

Any wise business knows how demands shape prices, however, packaging prices can be controlled to your benefits if the right parameters are set for your product packaging. Here’s our guide on how to be cost-effective during these tough times:

Know the Purpose of Your Packaging:

The first step to cutting additional costs of packaging is to know what you want from your packaging. This understanding will help you draw a clearer picture of what you want from your supplier as well as aid in ensuring you get the packaging that you asked for. It would be best to ask yourself questions about your product’s packaging; for instance, should you put more focus on branding or functionality, or maybe even both?

Knowing the purpose of your packaging will help cut the price for unnecessary prints etc. if your products are not hitting the shelves. It will also help avoid possible redesign costs when you are sure what your packaging should look like.

Buying in Bulk Helps:

Never underestimate the power of buying in bulk. The initial cost may be challenging to bear, however, most suppliers tend to charge lesser on larger amounts of orders. Suppliers decrease their per-unit cost as the bulk of the order increases. This will help retailers keep the extra unused packaging for future uses as well. The process helps save money in the long run while also helping you prepare for future budgets easily.

Recycling and Sustainability Pay in More Than Just One Way:

Making something from scratch is costlier than repurposing it from an older source. The same is true about cardboard; creating new cardboard cost more than recycled cardboard. Some companies provide free pick-ups for scraps to recycle and some even choose to pay for recyclable material.

Don’t Be Wasteful:

Every once in a while we receive parcels that are composed of ridiculously large packaging boxes and products really small. This is an example of wasteful packaging. This kind of box use is not only a waste of packaging material but will also incur extra shipping and delivery costs. The most fitting solution is to measure your products, leave a few extra inches of space (if you are intending to use packaging extras and safety inserts), and make sure you use inserts not more than necessary.

Store it Right:

Like everything else, packaging also needs protection since different packaging materials are susceptible to different factors. Take paper-based packaging for instance; it is a packaging type that better be kept away from moisture and off the ground for possible damages. Similarly, it helps to know about your packaging’s material and what environmental factors can be harmful to it for the safekeeping of your investment.

Any wise business knows the importance of cutting costs wherever possible and necessary. Small cuts into many wasteful budgets can lead to big savings for businesses. No opportunity for cost-efficiency must be let go without proper leverage.