Using a heavy wooden crate to ship a pair of contact lenses would obviously be a ludicrous waste of money, but you may be surprised at how other shipping inefficiencies add up over time. Many companies are unaware of just how much wasteful spending occurs within their shipping department. Identifying the right packaging supplies for each product line can reduce weight and postage expense, while better protecting products during shipment. Adding eco-friendly packaging supplies can even boost sales!
Best-Fit Packaging Supplies
To be economical and appropriate, packaging supplies must be individually suited to each product. Correctly sizing corrugated boxes reduces waste and the risk of damage. Properly sized packaging supplies also reduce the need for excess fill. When shopping for packaging supplies, be sure to find a supplier who can provide boxes of exactly the right size for each product. There is no one-size-fits-all in the world of shipping, no matter how low the price tag may be.
Lightweight Protection
Using lightweight fill materials to stabilize and protect products during shipment can significantly reduce shipping costs. Kraft paper, loose fill peanuts, and newsprint do little to add weight as they protect and stabilize. Cardboard and foam corners and edge protectors are lightweight yet add significant protection for valuable products. Even air can be used to cushion products through shipment, adding no weight at all!
Cash In On The Green
Today’s environmental awareness leads many consumers to buy products that are packaged in eco-friendly materials over their competitors. Honeycomb sheets, biodegradable poly bags, Kraft paper and environmentally friendly packing list envelopes all make a firm statement to your customers that you care about the environment. Biodegradable loose fill made from corn starch offers the added advantage of being static-free. If products must be kept cold, you can use Ice-BrixTM Biodegradable Packs for an 18-month shelf life under proper conditions.
Explore Your Options
There are many companies who offer packaging supplies. They are not created equal and the difference can have a big effect on your profit margin. Buying packaging supplies from your local office supply outlet is usually not in your best interest. Larger online companies are able to pass on economies of scale that smaller companies or firms with higher overhead cannot. Increased volume garners bigger discounts, allowing them to reduce your net cost.
Reduce shipping costs by selecting the best size box for each product, using high quality, lightweight fill, appealing to the environmental market with biodegradable packaging supplies and by establishing a long term business relationship with a reputable source of packaging supplies.