Packaging Supplies
Browse articles written by our packaging experts
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November 27, 2018
Packaging undoubtedly serves more than traditional purposes of safeguarding the packaged items from dust, moisture, dirt and other foreign particles. It speaks to customers even before your product does. Whether shopping online or in a brick and mortar store, the packaging is a crucial factor in the decision making of buyers. It is a better communicator of your brand and must be effectively designed to convey your message to the customers.
However, some companies intending to get creative with their packaging end up making packaging disasters that can negatively impact their product sales. Here are a few things you must consider when designing your product packaging.
Mismatching Your Brand
Your brand message should be in line with the image you have worked hard to create. Any contradiction will only confuse customers. You must ensure a consistent message that displays across your print materials, website and packaging materials. Selecting a brand message that is distinct, creative and matches your branding efforts is of utmost important.
Practically Non-Functional Design
In an effort to design creative packaging, sometimes businesses complicate it. Customers may decline their purchase of decorative packaging if they do not find the information they need or must invest extra effort in opening the package. If your shopping bag suddenly tears even before the customer enters his car, all the creativity and brainstorming would go in vain as you would lose his trust forever.
Unnecessary Stuffing
You need to keep it clean and simple. Packaging a non-fragile item with lots of paper cushioning or Bubble Wraps is simply a waste of resources and would also increase your shipping costs. It also sends out a message that your business is not concerned about the environment.
Packaging experts suggest being easy but diligent on your packaging styles that would leave a long-lasting image of your brand on the customers' minds and compel them to stick to your brand for years to come. Any mishap would only lead to customers moving to other options available on the market. Packaging design is a thoughtfully developed idea that incorporates usability, credibility, and marketability of a product. So, it must be carefully harnessed and improvised based on ever-changing trends.
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October 22, 2018
So, the auction is over and you're all set to ship your items. But do you know that a more important thing comes now? Packing and shipping your goods appropriately, in their original condition, is an important task as no one likes to get a damaged parcel. You see a huge assortment of items that are differently sized and shaped. To save you from packaging mishaps, here are a few take-aways for optimum packaging of auctioned goods.
Order Standard Size Boxes
Don't stack packing boxes in hundreds of numbers as you might end up wasting extra space while packing smaller items like watches and medals. Instead, order packs of 10 or 25 in different sizes so that you have the right size for right item.
Ensure Proper Protection
Bubbles, loose fill chips, tissue papers and what not... You must ensure to fill in so much material to protect your packaged item from shocks during transit. Bubble Wraps are a popular and cost-effective source for packaging delicate or fragile items.
Palletize Securely
Stretch Wraps are the ultimate solution to hold huge loads together while transporting in bundles. Whether it is furniture or any industrial item, stretch wrapping ensures no dust build-up and safe transportation with no tampering.
Label Accurately
Sophisticated labeling adds the required final touch to your products. Shipping Labels contain information that is necessary to intimate the users about the packed goods such as expiry dates, contents packed, price, etc.
With the above packaging materials, you will be readily equipped with what is required to ship the auctioned goods, but some awkward flats, talls and longs you may require special packaging boxes and shipping arrangements. It is not about selling your goods but more about how you interact with the receiver at every step of the selling process, including the packaging and shipping.
As many incidences speak of items mishandled during transit causing loss to both the parties, it is important to follow a proper packaging and shipping process.
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October 15, 2018
Have you ever thought what portion of your manufacturing costs goes into packaging? The unit price only gives you a rough idea and is just the tip of the iceberg. The fact is that packaging material accounts for less than 10% of your total packaging costs. The rest is usually ignored.
Below are additional things make up the maximum share of the packaging costs that are mostly overlooked.
Customer Dissatisfaction
Today's customer is an aware customer and mostly shops online. Packaging plays an important role in retaining a customer and creating new customer base. Online shopping has raised packaging standards in order to achieve a positive customer experience. Therefore, companies need to look more deeply into things that go into their product presentation.
Damages & Returns
Improper packaging can result in delivering a damaged product to the customer. Packaging larger than or smaller than the required size do not offer complete protection and may cause you to incur additional costs due to incidences of returns and replacements. Those shipping costs cannot be forgotten here.
Packaging Storage
Packaging material may be occupying too much space in your warehouse. An alternative would be to store the packaging material with a service provider.
Packaging Labor
Packaging tasks definitely require human efforts to collate, assemble and pack the products. This costs you hours that can easily be eliminated by implementing a fully or semi-automated packaging process which would result in faster packaging. Simple tools such as packaging tape dispensers or stretch wrap machines can be of great use.
Forward Logistics
Think of reducing the dimensions of your packaging in order to further save on the storage and shipping costs as customers appreciate handy and ready-to-use items.
The PackagingSuppliesByMail.com store is a complete solution to your packaging and shipping needs. We have packaging and shipping supplies that aim at reducing packaging costs while being durable and efficient too. We provide swift delivery of orders and ensure the most competitive prices for quality packaging material.
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September 24, 2018
“Where do I put the recycling?” Tabitha asked Alan. She just started work at a warehouse, and she was keeping extra plastic scraps for a bin.
“Oh, we don’t have a bin. See that giant trash can—everything goes in there. I take it out once a week with one of the forklifts.” Feeling overly discouraged, Tabitha grabbed the excess stretch wrap and threw it into the trash bin. Plastics, cardboard, and scrap paper began to spill over the sides.
When companies are trying to push out product, recycling might seem like a waste of time. However, a couple small shifts within warehouse areas could reduce waste and help gain extra revenue. Check out steps companies can take to create better work atmospheres below.
1. Make Recycling A Daily Routine
Start with buying corrugated cardboard boxes that can be recycled further. Instead of throwing packaging leftovers in the trash, cut down old boxes and organize storage spaces within warehouse or office spaces.
Purchasing a recycling baler is a great option as well. A baler is designed to squish boxes into a compact form. These ‘bales’ of cardboard can be purchased and relocated to other areas. This saves companies time & storage space!
At the end of each day, crew members within warehouse areas can take 10 minutes to flatten boxes for the baler. Stretch wraps and other plastics can also have an allocated area.
According to Whitaker Brothers, a company that specializes in data destruction and recycling product, “Cardboard is going anywhere from $10.00-$70.00 per bale depending on your geographic location. At a pickup rate of 6 bales for pickup, you could earn anywhere from $60.00 to $420 per pickup.” That’s a good chunk of change for recycling!
2. Label Recycling Materials for Customers
Most buyers do not know how to recycle certain product. Adding a recycling “cheat sheet” to each package could become a valued practice over time. On this cheat sheet, provide specific instructions on how to recycle common materials.
For example, for a Kraft Bubble Mailer it might read: “Cut apart bubble liner from kraft paper. Recycle separately.” Customers now have essential information to pursue recycling further.
3. Educate Coworkers on Packaging Materials
When training new employees, make sure to mention your recycling habits and eco-friendly solutions. Teach all employees how to use balers to break down boxes and reduce waste. During the first week of training, managers might teach new staff members differences in packaging materials.
Smaller items can be shipped within Poly Bubble Mailers. These durable mailers have a bubble wrap lining to absorb shock during transit. Not to mention, Poly Bubble Mailers take up less space than currogated boxes. Buyers are not only saving on shipping costs, but they are using less material during transit. By using the right packaging products, companies are keeping excess waste out of landfills.
4. Create Minimial Packaging Design
Employees can also team up with marketing personel to design packaging that does not break the bank. Simplistic or elegant designs can draw in customers to purchase an item.
Overall, packaging becomes effective when you can convey a meaningful message. Individuals can often send a great message with minimal packaging while saving on the overall cost. The less packaging created—the less material ends up in trash containers.
5. Get Creative Packing Shipments
Minimal packaging does not mean unsafe. Most distribution sites have excess materials to line shipments. Plastic bags filled with air or bubble wraps prevent items from breakage. If your distribution center is attached to an office, consider using shredded scrap paper to line the inside of packages. Add a small note to the item that mentions the paper can be recycled for further use. Saving precious plastic from trash cans and landfills is a great choice overall.
6. Use Stretch Wrap for Larger Shipments
Stretch Wrap safeguards large shipments or pallets from damage during transit. After cutting open stretch films, notify employees to take take any plastic packaging or carboard tubing to the nearest recycling bin. Durable, stretch films from PackagingSuppliesByMail are completely recyclable.
We hope these small shifts in recycling create big waves over time. Our desire is that every corporation eventually makes recycling valued plastics and cardboard products a priority. Employers knowing that items are not being placed into landfills is worth the extra hassle.
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Related Articles
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August 13, 2018
No! Shipping labels can be informative and an effective medium of communicating certain essential details. Did you know that shipping labels are not just a necessity but if creatively thought of, these can be used as a branding tactic? Labels are important for businesses that ship their manufactured products to multiple recipients. Without tagging products with these tags accurately, the packages could be delivered to wrong customers or get lost.
Being creative and experimenting with the Shipping Labels, irrespective of whether you are using direct thermal labels or thermal transfer labels, would help you establish a brand image. Making the labels aesthetically pleasing by customizing them can prove to be helpful.
Here are a few options to consider:
Incorporate Logos
Incorporating logos or images on your shipping labels help maintaining brand identity. It is easy to include images on the labels.
Custom Messages
You can print custom messages when there is a special occasion like, 'Happy Holidays'.
Barcodes
Barcodes display important information about the packaged item and therefore are ideally imprinted on the labels.
Sizes
You can consider printing size of the packed item to be printed on the Direct Thermal Labels.
These and various other items can be included to be printed on the shipping labels. However, you need to consider the amount of space available on the label to select options. Creativity can make the ordinary labels work wonders for you. So, you don't need to keep them plain and simple. Adding content to customize them would make your product packaging more interactive.
The PackagingSuppliesByMail.com store has a complete range of packaging and shipping materials. Browse our online store to check out the prices and discount options.
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July 30, 2018
White bubble mailers undoubtedly find space on the shelf of every business and are a popular choice among the wide range of shipping mailers available on the market. When it comes to shipping professional documents, fragile items or anything that requires proper cushioning, white Kraft bubble mailers are the first pick.
Color matters...
White is universally accepted as a professional color and therefore these white colored shipping envelopes are usually selected for transporting professional documents across businesses. They do not disclose the contents packed within the envelope. Moreover, they provide a plain surface for printing custom labels.
Safety matters...
The white mailers ensure that your package stays safe from tampering. The self-adhesive closure can be trusted, and you can remain confident that the items packed within will not be affected by moisture.
Weight matters...
Although it has a padded packaging, the white bubble mailer keeps low on the weight to save on the overall shipping costs. These featherweight shipping envelopes are widely accepted by third-party courier companies like UPS, USPS and FedEx.
Recyclability matters...
Our Kraft bubble mailers can be easily recycled by separating the bubble lining from the paper material. We understand our accountability towards nature and encourage recyclable shipping materials.
Durability matters...
When it comes to strength of the packaging material, our White Kraft bubble mailers are no exception. They are manufactured to bear rough handling procedures of the third-party courier companies.
Cost matters...
They are extremely low on costs. Shipping large quantities lead to high shipping costs. With these cost-saving shipping mailers, you need not worry about the costs rising high.
At PackagingSuppliesByMail.com, we understand your shipping requirements and offer you quality, durable and economical shipping material options that serve your needs optimally. Our range of Shipping Mailing Envelopes offers you a wide variety to choose from. We have poly mailers, Kraft bubble mailers, bubble-out bags and packing list envelopes too. Browse our website for shipping materials that can be trusted for quality and cost-effectiveness.
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July 23, 2018
Palletizing huge loads with stretch wrap is a routine followed in industries to hold items securely together. Stretch films have been evolving to be more efficient and cost-effective which led to the invention of coreless pallet wraps that proved to be light-weight and environment friendly.
Coreless wraps proved to hold an edge over the conventional wraps as they delivered optimum performance when palletizing loads while reducing wastage.
They are light-weight: Coreless means no hard material and so the wraps weigh less. These become easier to use.
They are 100% recyclable: With no paperboard core, the coreless stretch films do not leave any waste.
They are user-friendly: No core, means reduced roll weight, and this saves user energy and enhances productivity.
They are environment-friendly: These films are manufactured while keeping Mother Nature in mind and thus do no harm to the environment.
With the coreless pallet wraps, you do not have to worry about storing or disposing of the cores that practically have no use after wrapping the loads thereby reducing storage costs. While being lightweight and considerate towards the environment, these coreless wraps do not compromise on quality. So, they are an efficient purchase as users benefit by getting the highest quality pre-stretched films at the lowest price. The coreless variety is an amazing innovation among the types of stretch wraps available on the market.
At PackagingSuppliesByMail.com, we provide coreless hand stretch wraps as well as pallet wraps in various sizes. We ensure that product quality is not compromised while delivering the best of wrapping performance. We promote packaging products that meet the highest quality standards and are environmentally safe. Visit the Coreless Stretch Wrap page to order the required quantity of these useful wraps.
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July 09, 2018
The world of shipping supplies is now not restricted to just cartons and rolled up balls of newspaper. There are various types of shipping supplies that are designed and manufactured to perform a specific niche of work. For example, now there are various types of packing foam available depending upon type of material that needs protection. The Poly Mailers are a part of these specialized shipping supplies.
Poly mailers are a type of protective mailers that are manufactured from durable plastic with properties like lightweight, moisture resistant and weatherproof structure. These are available in several different sizes and dimensions and various colors and clear too.
Why are poly mailers so popular?
- They provide a cheap option for Kraft or corrugated shipping supplies
- The poly mailers are weatherproof
- Because they are made of plastic, they are very thin and take up less space
- Even thin plastic is durable and tear resistant and mailers made from plastic retain those properties
- Plastic can be recycled and reused
- Available in clear, transparent versions, that allow packed goods to be visible
- Lighter than most of the other mailing options
What stuff can I send in these poly mailers? And what I cannot?
The poly mailers are ideal for packing apparels and other fabric products. These can be used for other additional accessories like shoes, hats and non-precious metal jewelry.
But to figure out what can be put in the versatile mailers, answer these two questions:
#1 - Is the product fragile?
If the answer is YES, do not use the poly mailers. We mentioned thinness as a feature, nothing thin can provide padding and shock resistance to the fragile product that you plan on putting inside the poly mailer.
The Clear Poly Mailers may attract you to use them because of the see-through nature, but with fragile material without proper padding, poly mailers cannot be recommended.
#2 - Does it fit in the mailer?
Every package is bound to face some level of transportation and handling, if the product does not fit properly in the mailer, it can tear it off and cause loss, or worse, loss of a loyal customer.
If the product fits perfectly, then it's a go! For example, packing a well folded t-shirt in clear view poly mailer is the way to go. The product will remain secure in the mailer, will not get damaged and will reach to the customer in good condition.
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July 02, 2018
Different businesses deal with various products of different sizes, that means every business needs different sizes of packaging supplies.
Proper usage of packaging supplies can be a crucial part for your business and the profit ratios of the business too. A properly packed item is not damaged in transportation and reaches the customers in the state it is expected.
But the question remains, how to determine appropriate packaging material for your business? For example, Poly Bubble Mailers or Kraft Bubble Mailers?
The answer to the question hides in one more question - What are you planning on shipping and what features matter to you?
Look and feel!
If getting a natural look that the Kraft paper gives out is what you want, then the Kraft bubble mailer is a more appropriate option; but if the clean look and crisp lines that comes up with the use of poly bubble mailers attract you, then the poly ones should be your choice.
Also, the poly bubble mailers are considered ideal when you want to print the company logos, addresses and other details too directly on the envelope. Though the print remains visible on the Kraft mailers too but the visibility is low as compared to what you would get with the poly bubble mailers.
Want to give something back to mother Earth?
The natural looking Kraft bubble mailers are more difficult to get recycled as compared to the poly bubble mailers, because recycling requires paper and plastic to be separated, that is difficult in case of Kraft mailers whereas there is no paper involved in case of poly bubble mailers.
What kind of closure matters to you?
The Kraft padded mailers boast of a self-sealing adhesive opening that is tamper-evident, the paper layer drastically increases that tamper evident nature of the Kraft bubble envelopes. The Poly bubble mailers have anti-static liners that are not reusable, once opened drop off the envelopes.
Moisture
The Kraft shipping envelopes also known as Kraft bubble mailer are more prone to let moisture pass through whereas the poly bubble mailers are very strong are resistant to moisture entry.
Freight
The poly bubble mailers take up less space as compared to the Kraft padded mailers. When the space consumption of the utmost importance, go for the poly bubble mailers but when the space is no issue Kraft padded mailers are a good choice too.
Next time you are confused about which bubble envelope to go for, remember this article, and get rid of all your confusions and help your business ship products more effectively.