Buyers’ first impression of a product comes from its packaging. If a buyer sees that the product he purchased has been bumped, squeezed, or even damaged, he or she will easily give a neutral or even negative review. Even if the packaging and product are intact when the e-commerce company ships the product, problems are inevitable during the express delivery and sorting process. Therefore, e-commerce companies should pay special attention to packaging issues.
In addition, postage will vary depending on the weight of the product. It can be said that postage is also a component of sales costs. Therefore, e-commerce companies should consider postage and make packaging that is both reasonable and cost-effective.
The quality of packaging can show whether the e-commerce company is attentive. Do not underestimate this link, as it is related to whether the product can be delivered to the buyer intact. If the product is damaged during transportation due to unreasonable packaging, it will not be worth the loss. Express companies use two types of materials to package goods: document bags and plastic bags. If e-commerce companies can make reasonable use of them, they can also save some money.
(1) Reasonable use of document bags
The document bags of express companies are made of kraft paper and are generally used to hold documents, but with a little modification, they can also hold some small products. Because the document bags provided by the courier company are free, e-commerce companies can ask the courier to take more, so they don’t have to buy extra boxes.
(2) Reasonable use of plastic bags
For some products that are slightly larger and not afraid of falling, e-commerce companies can use the plastic bags provided by the courier company for free to put them in, thus saving the cost of buying boxes. The author would like to remind e-commerce companies that although reducing express delivery costs is the goal of e-commerce companies, they should never use plastic bags to pack some expensive products in order to achieve this goal. This will easily offend buyers. If buyers are offended, the e-commerce company will suffer in the end.
In addition to document bags and plastic bags, there are five other common packaging types.
(1) Corrugated boxes
Corrugated boxes are suitable for packaging fragile and squeeze-resistant products. They can effectively protect products and reduce the risk of products being squeezed. E-commerce companies can print advertising information on pre-customized corrugated paper, such as WeChat QR codes, online store names, etc., which not only beautifies the packaging but also enhances marketing effects.
(2) Pearl cotton
Pearl cotton is suitable for packaging precision electronic products. It has the advantages of being clean and beautiful, having good cushioning properties, and being environmentally friendly and recyclable. E-commerce companies can customize pearl cotton of special sizes from manufacturers according to actual needs.
(3) Bubble film
If the product is large and afraid of being squeezed, you can use a combination of “corrugated box + bubble film” to ensure that the product is intact when it reaches the buyer. Bubble film is suitable for packaging fragile products and can play a cushioning role. Both pearl cotton and bubble film belong to inner packaging, and e-commerce companies can choose to use them in a targeted manner.
(4) Air column packaging bag
The advantage of air column packaging bag is good shock absorption effect, which is suitable for electronic products, toys, alcoholic beverages, etc. At the same time, air column packaging bags should also be used in conjunction with corrugated boxes to enhance the protective effect.
(5) Box
Foam box is suitable for fresh products. It has the advantages of heat preservation, waterproof, anti-squeezing and low cost. For example, e-commerce companies that sell fresh fruits will use a combination of “foam box + ice pack” to keep the products fresh. In addition, seafood has a strong fishy smell, and foam boxes can effectively seal the fishy smell.
Tips
E-commerce companies should be careful not to use easily deformed and unstable packaging boxes to package products. When there are gaps in the packaging box, be sure to fill them with cushioning materials, otherwise they are likely to be damaged during transportation.