The perfect Good
packaging can save you money and enhance your brand, here’s how:
When bringing a new product to market, thousands of pounds are spent on design and development. All too often packaging is an afterthought. However, the added value it brings must not be ignored. Packaging is not just the wrapping that contains your product, it is the protection against the rigours of the distribution system, the canvas on which your branding is displayed and, for a direct commerce business, the last thing a customer will remember. Here, The Packaging Store, an online
seller of packing supplies, outlines the four considerations that every business should bear in mind when choosing packaging.
Protect the product
and your profit margin Often, the primary function of packaging is to protect the product from damage. However, you are also protecting your profit margin and your reputation. How often do you deal with customer returns
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because the product was damaged in the post or in storage? Good packaging saves you money. Consider your product’s journey to the
customer. Does it have sharp edges that need cushioning, or delicate parts that need holding securely in place? If your goods are being sent through the post, will the packaging fit through a standard letterbox or have to be left on the doorstep? Take advantage of Royal Mail’s Pricing-
in-Proportion (PiP) guidelines. Selecting packaging that falls within the Large Letter sizing is cheaper to post than something slightly larger—referred to by Royal Mail as a “packet”—potentially saving you money on delivery costs. If you use couriers instead, do their costs vary by package size? It may be cheaper to split a large order into two smaller consignments, especially if you are sending goods overseas. Specialist products need specialist
packaging. To protect metal components from corrosion, consider using VCI (volatile corrosion inhibitor) packaging, specially developed to prevent corrosion. If your products are sensitive to electrostatic discharge, such as electronic components, for example, you might want to use specific antistatic packaging. In-the-box packaging is an entire field in
its own right, with systems for every style of product and problem. Solutions range from moulded foam and pulp paper, to foam-in-place for bespoke moulds. You can use retention packaging, which holds products in place under an elastomeric film inside a cardboard frame, or traditional air bags, paper systems and loose-fill chips. All of the above can be the lowest cost in the right circumstances. Sometimes less is more; avoid mistakes
by keeping i t simple. Wraparound cardboard mailers are a quick and versatile way of protecting books, DVDs and other flat items in the post.
Catalogue e-business | Direct Commerce |
www.catalog-biz.com
package Let the packaging
sell your brand The packaging is the first thing your customer sees. Why stick with a plain box or mailing bag when you can display your logo and branding where it will be seen straight away? A cheap and simple way of branding is
custom-printed tape—get your company name or logo printed onto a standard roll of white packing tape, then use this to seal postal boxes, mailing bags or envelopes. An added benefit is you can easily see when the packaging has been tampered with, unlike with standard tape, which can easily be replaced. Custom printing is also available on
cardboard boxes, envelopes and mailing bags. Branding isn’t the only thing you might want to have printed onto your packaging; if you are sending large quantities of parcels through the post, consider getting a postal mark and return address printed onto the packaging to save time and cost. One thing that sets successful companies
such as Apple ahead of the competition is the way they present their goods—opening the box of your new iPod or iPhone is an experience. If your product is a luxury item, emphasise this with the aid of coloured tissue, gift boxes and bags. Let the customer associate your brand with a fun and exciting experience.
Packaging needn’t
cost the Earth With environmental impact an increasingly important consideration in business, packaging is an area where a lot of progress can be made. Traditional packaging materials, often seen as damaging to the environment, such as polystyrene chips, can now be replaced with a starch-based material that dissolves in water or “green” loose-fill chips made from recycled plastic.
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