Running an online store is more than just building a beautiful website and spending a fortune on social media campaigns. Sure, those factors might help you make a sale, but what happens next? As opposed to a traditional brick-and-mortar store, when you’re an online business, your job doesn’t end once the customer pays. You also need to think to make sure the order is properly packed and ship it within the shortest time possible.
Even if you sell the best quality products, unless they are properly packed they can still get damaged by the time they arrive at your customer’s door. And a damaged product doesn’t only result in a return, but it can also ruin your reputation considering how people are quick to show their disappointment online. So, even though packing might not be as exciting as developing a new product is, there is definitely great value in doing it right.
With that being said, you need to invest in quality mailing tools and supplies that will help you pack your products in an efficient and secure way, thus saving you valuable time and resources. Depending on what you’re selling you may need a variety of mailing tools and supplies. However, the most commonly used packaging supplies are mailing envelopes and boxes.
Envelopes are mostly suited for apparel and smaller goods that are lighter and sturdier. A great advantage of using envelopes is that they are lighter and take up less space in a truck which means the costs for shipping them is lower than that of boxes. Since envelope packages don’t need to be taped, there’s also less effort required to pack your goods. To ensure that the inside of the envelope stays safe, you can use bubble bags for protection. These bags are effective yet lightweight enough as not to significantly increase the weight of the package.
But if you’re selling larger items that may also need additional protection – boxes are definitely the way to go. If your products weigh less than 10 kg, a single-walled box may be perfectly suitable. On the other hand, heavier products require sturdier boxes that are either two or three-walled. Additionally, the inside of the box should be lined with a packaging material with sufficient thickness to fill out the empty space and provide good cushioning. This can be anything from bubble wrap to air pillows, foam packaging or instapak bags. Doing so can keep the product securely in place and prevent it from tossing around inside the box.