To the untrained eye, the packaging of your product may seem insignificant. In reality, your eCommerce packaging is actually crucial for establishing a great dropshipping brand and even saving costs.
Donโt worry, all will be made clear very soon. In this guide, weโll uncover all the mysteries behind eCommerce packaging and how to do it properly.
By the end of reading this guide, youโll know exactly how to package your products and what to tell your dropshipping suppliers if theyโre the ones doing the packaging for you.
What Is Ecommerce Packaging?
eCommerce packaging plays three crucial roles in the business of selling online:
- It determines how you protect your products during shipping
- It sets the image of your brand
- And it has an impact on dropshipping profit margins in the long run
Ideally, you will want to carefully think about all of these areas when planning your eCommerce packaging strategy.
As a result, you will protect your products from getting damaged during shipping, establish a strong brand identity, and save on packaging costs as well, all at the same time.
In short, you kill three birds with one stone!
Types of Ecommerce Packaging Containers
Anyone who has bought anything online has noticed that their purchases donโt always arrive in the same type of package.
Sometimes itโs a cardboard box, sometimes itโs a padded envelope, and so on.
There are actually dozens more types of eCommerce packages that you can explore for the benefit of your business. Letโs check some of them out!
Simple Cardboard Boxes
- Durable – โ
- Lightweight – โ
- Recyclable – โ
- Waterproof – โ
- For heavy items – โ
- For fragile items – โ
Corrugated Cardboard Boxes
- Durable – โ
- Lightweight – โ
- Recyclable – โ
- Waterproof – โ
- For heavy items – โ
- For fragile items – โ
Double-Wall Boxes
- Durable – โ
- Lightweight – โ
- Recyclable – โ
- Waterproof – โ
- For heavy items – โ
- For fragile items – โ
Sealed Plastic Bags
- Durable – โ
- Lightweight – โ
- Recyclable – โ
- Waterproof – โ
- For heavy items – โ
- For fragile items – โ
Padded Envelope
- Durable – โ
- Lightweight – โ
- Recyclable – โ
- Waterproof – โ
- For heavy items – โ
- For fragile items – โ
What Is Custom eCommerce Packaging?
Another type of eComm packaging is custom packaging. These are essentially containers and designs that you create or order yourself.
With custom eCommerce packages, you can request any of the following features:
- Type of infill inside your package
- Type of packing tape
- Waterproofing
- Extra layers of protection or wrapping
- Custom labels
- Branding services
Depending on the packaging company that you work with, you can make these requests or ask for consultation on what type of packaging will best suit your products.
As a result, you will have a completely custom eCommerce package that is tailored for the protection of your specific product.
Just keep in mind that this may end up costing more.
๐กTip: If you dropship custom clothing, these print-on-demand dropshipping suppliers can help you with custom packaging and branded invoices.
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How to make your packaging more durable and attractive while still not harming your profit margins?
This is one of the most important steps to consider when designing your eCommerce packages.
So, letโs look at a few eCommerce packaging solutions to make this process easier and more successful.
1. Make it As Tight As Possible
You need to carefully plan out how much your packaging will weigh and how big it will be. You can do this by first knowing the exact dimensions of your product.
Then, design the packaging so that thereโs no empty space or unnecessary compartments.
This is important for several reasons. First, smaller and lighter boxes cost less money to ship. Second, theyโre easier to handle, Finally, they also cost less to produce as well.
2. Use Eco-Friendly Infill
If you sell more fragile products that require infill for protection, try to include sustainable options that also wonโt break the bank.
Customers donโt want to feel guilty when they are throwing away unrecyclable packaging infill. As a result, this has excellent effects on the environment and on your branding.
3. Go Crazy With Your Design
When youโre building a new brand you need to stand out. You canโt do this by copying other designs or packaging to the tiniest detail.
Instead, you need to be bold and really stand out with your design.
Use your creativity and make something special and unique. As a result, people will start knowing your brand instantly when your unique design pops up in front of their eyes.
4. Add a Personal Touch
Customers absolutely love it when eCommerce brands take the time and effort to carefully package their products.
This includes adding a personal touch showing them that a real person packed it.
For example, you can add custom hand-written thank you notes, some type of heartwarming reward, stickers, and much more.
Ecommerce Packaging Design Tips: What Should It Look Like?
You have a lot of freedom when designing the packaging for your store. However, there are a few guidelines you can follow in order to get the best possible results.
- Internal design matters – donโt just design and print the outside of your boxes. Incorporate a simple design on the inside of the box to surprise your customers.
- Stick with your brandโs colors – donโt use completely separate colors from those that represent your brand. Try to stick as close to those colors as possible on your packaging designs.
- Unboxing is everything – your customers are going to be furious if your boxes are hard to open. As a result, make it simple, elegant, and fulfilling when opening the box.
3 Ecommerce Brands With Amazing Packaging
Hereโs some inspiration on how you can create your packaging design and containers.
Acne Studios
This drawer box design is both unique and highly convenient for the customer. Itโs easy to get the product out and put it back inside as well.
In addition, this type of box is extremely durable and hard to bend or break.
Raylo
This is whatโs known as โbox-in-a-box packagingโ. It serves several purposes. Itโs a more durable way of shipping your product and offers a premium unboxing experience.
Apple
Speaking of premium unboxing experiences, we canโt forget the pioneer of luxury products.
Itโs only natural that Apple offers high-quality packaging, as anyone who owns one of their products has noticed that their unboxing experience is unmatched.
Ecommerce Packaging Companies That Can Help Your Business
Eventually, youโll reach that wonderful point where you donโt have enough time to package all of your dropshipping orders.
When that time comes, you can use the help of these companies that can take over and even improve your packaging.
Shorr
Phone: 888-885-0055
Shorr offers several cost-efficient eCommerce packaging solutions that any dropshipping business can instantly benefit from.
They have multiple facilities all over the US and offer several other services aside from only packaging.
Services:
- 3PL services
- Manufacturing
- Custom package design
- Distribution
- Contract packaging
Smurfit Kappa
Phone: 01946-61671
Smurfit Kappa is a highly experienced eCommerce services company that has worked with thousands of customers.
You will highly benefit from this partner if you sell fragile products.
Why?
Because Smurfit Kappa stress-tests your packages. They have an ISTA-certified lab to ensure your products always arrive unharmed.
As a result, you can improve your brand reputation and decrease the rate of dropshipping returns.
Services:
- Consumer packaging
- Retail Packaging
- Industrial packaging
- eCommerce packaging
- Display solutions
- Bag-in-box packaging
Ameson
Phone: +86-181-5036-8610
Email: info@amesonpak.com
Ameson is a reliable packaging company with over 15 years of experience.
Theyโve established partnerships with leading brands such as Amazon, BMW, Panasonic, Alibaba, and more.
Ameson also features a massive list of available packaging types and other services that can definitely come in handy.
Services:
- Air cushion protection
- Foam in place packaging
- Paper void-fill solutions
- Gummed tape packaging
WestRock
Phone: +1 (770)-448-2193
You can work with WestRock if youโre in need of affordable custom packaging for your products.
WestRock is among the best eCommerce packaging solutions that make it easier to scale with various types of custom packaging while still maintaining healthy profit margins.
Lastly, WestRock is equipped with state-of-the-art packaging technology that works fast and securely.
Services:
- Specialty printing & packaging
- Automation
- Recycling
- Corrugated packaging
- Display packaging
- Paper solutions
- Consumer packaging solutions
- Market-based packaging
Packaging Corporation of America (PCA)
Contact: List of phone numbers for all states
PCA is a massive packaging company that instills plenty of customer trust as a result of its hard work and top-of-the-shelf packaging solutions.
They have multiple locations around the United States, ensuring quick packaging. The downside, however, is that this company is available only for US citizens.
Although, PCA does have an international program but itโs only useful for China and no other locations.
Services:
- Design services
- Technical services
- Display and graphics sales
- Value improvement process
- Brand and marketing services
- Collaborative project management
- National accounts sales
What Is the Best Type of Ecommerce Packaging?
The answer to this question really depends on what you are selling.
For example, you canโt use plastic bag packaging if youโre selling expensive wine glasses or dropshipping watches that cost hundreds of dollars.
Similarly, you donโt need to use expensive corrugated boxes if youโre dropshipping socks.
So, the only way to decide is to consider how fragile your product is and how premium you want the unboxing experience to be. Then, you can use the appropriate packaging material and design for it.
How to Improve Your Current Ecommerce Packaging – 3 Tips
If youโre already using some form of packaging and feel it needs changes, here are three tips that can show you how to make effective improvements.
- Ask your customers – prepare a survey asking your customers what they like best and least about your packaging. As a result, youโll get instant feedback on what to change.
- Go through the unboxing yourself – order one of your own products and unbox it yourself as if itโs the first time youโre doing so. Thereโs a chance youโll realize if something sucks about this process.
- Learn from your competitors – the best way to learn is from other successful brands. First, find the most similar competitors and look at their packaging. Then, order a few products and learn from the unboxing experience.
Summary
In dropshipping and eCommerce in general, how you package your products is more important than many are led to believe.
Regardless of whether youโre dropshipping knives or pillows, your packaging needs to be elegant, well-branded, and most important of all, protected.
Therefore, take advantage of all the tips here to ensure you meet these requirements and make every single one of your customers happier.
