Whether you have an e-commerce store or a brick-and-mortar business, ensuring products reach your customers in good condition must be one of your priorities, as it reduces the likelihood of product returns. Returns are an industry-wide issue that you must tackle to limit their impact on your bottom line and safeguard your reputation.
One of the leading reasons behind returns is damage or breakage. If the product is compromised in any way, the customer will likely return it. That’s why durable packaging is crucial for your shipping needs. Learn more about protective packaging to reduce returns.
Understanding Product Returns
Product returns are a costly aspect of business that retailers have to navigate. In 2023, consumers in the United States returned goods worth $743 billion. According to the report, the average retailer loses $145 million to returns for every $1 billion in sales. That makes the impact of returns on businesses steep.
However, businesses are not the only ones that struggle with the effect of returns — the environment suffers as well. Returns place additional stress on resources like fuel to transport the unwanted items back to the seller, not to mention the carbon emissions and the possibility of many items ending up in landfills.
Customers return their orders for various reasons. Here are some common examples:
- The item was faulty upon arrival
- The item didn’t match the description
- The customer purchased the wrong item
- The item arrived late
- The customer changed their mind
- The customer found a better offer elsewhere
- The delivery had missing items
The Importance of Protective Packaging
Faulty items are among the leading reasons for returns, so finding ways to eliminate the probability of damage during delivery is paramount. Ultimately, you want to ensure proper handling during transit, get the dimensions right and invest in protective packaging to secure your products properly.
Packaging is a vital piece of the supply chain, and when you get it right, items arrive at their destinations in the best possible condition. With protective packaging, you enjoy benefits such as:
- Product protection: Protective packaging has a strong design with cushioning capabilities, shielding items from damage while in transit. The materials absorb shock and fill void spaces inside the box, preventing items from vibrating and shifting.
- Customer satisfaction: Protective packaging promotes customer satisfaction by presenting products in optimal condition, eliminating frustration that often leads to returns.
- Brand recognition: When customers know that you use quality packaging to ensure products arrive in good shape, they’re more likely to prioritize your business and refer your brand to others.
- Reduced costs: While investing in high-quality packaging may cost more upfront, it can lead to long-term savings by reducing the number of returns.
Types of Protective Packaging Solutions
You have multiple options when selecting the proper protective packaging for e-commerce shipping. Each has unique characteristics and is best suited for specific packaging needs.
Cushioning Materials
One element of protective packaging is cushioning, which creates a protective layer around items, promoting shock absorption. Popular cushioning materials, such as Bubble Wrap, foam inserts, air pillows and paper cushioning, are your first line of defense, especially when shipping breakable items during transit.
Protective Containers
Unlike inflated plastic wraps like Bubble Wrap, protective containers are designed to accommodate the item, reducing movement during transit, which is often the main culprit of dents and breaks. Solutions like corrugated and rigid boxes can help secure items, minimizing shifting.
However, molded packaging is more reliable since it can adapt to the product’s shape and size. Molded packaging solutions like Fiber Interior Packaging come as custom-fit inserts that wrap around your item, offering sturdy and secure packaging.
Sealing and Wrapping
Sealing and wrapping solutions offer safe bundling and discourage tampering with items before they reach their destination. You could invest in stretch or shrink wrapping to hold bundles of items together and prevent shifting. Stretch wrap or film is a stretchable plastic with a strong elastic recovery that keeps loads tightly bound once wrapped. Shrink wrap is a clear plastic sheeting that lacks elasticity.
To serve the same function as stretch film, wrap a shrink wrap around a box or bundle and apply heat to shrink and tighten it. For sealing to prevent interference, tamper-evident seals act as a security option against breaches.
Innovative and Sustainable Options
Protective packaging also includes solutions made from biodegradable and recyclable materials, such as corrugated boxes and cardboard. These are sustainable materials sourced from natural paper. A good example is the eco-friendly molded pulp made from corrugated and newsprint paper, which makes it 100% recyclable. As an innovative feature, the custom-fit inserts are also reusable, enabling customers to repackage and move their items.
Customized Packaging
Protective packaging can also take the form of tailored solutions that fit specific product types and sizes. These are designed according to your preference to ensure desired results. They also offer branding opportunities. Depending on the provider, materials used can vary from Styrofoam to molded fiber.
Best Practices for Implementing Protective Packaging
Follow these tips when investing in protective packaging solutions for your products:
- Assessing product needs: Your products should influence your approach to protective packaging. When selecting packaging options, consider product dimensions, weight and fragility.
- Selecting the right materials: The right material is strong and flexible enough to shape and mold to accommodate different product types.
- Testing and quality control: Before committing to any packaging solution, verify that the packaging can withstand stress levels associated with transportation. Seek testing services for your packaging or work with a provider who has a testing lab to create high-quality protective packaging.
- Ensuring cushioning: Adequate cushioning is necessary, as it absorbs shock and vibrations. Solutions include Bubble Wrap, Styrofoam, cardboard inserts and highly effective molded inserts.
- Proper labeling: Protective packaging aims to deliver products to consumers in excellent condition. Proper labeling provides additional reinforcement to guide the handling process, lowering the likelihood of damage due to the lack of instructions.
- Continuous improvement: Ensure the effectiveness of your protective packaging by adopting the attitude of continuous improvement through researching and experimenting with innovative solutions.
Upgrade Your Packaging With Fiber Interior Packaging
Brand reputation is critical in a competitive business world. Using unreliable packaging could harm your reputation and bottom line through negative reviews and product returns. Investing in protective packaging can help reduce e-commerce returns, saving your business the additional costs of shipping, labor, warehousing and disposing of surplus products.
At Great Northern, we understand the value of reliable packaging and offer an innovative packing technique tailored to your unique product needs. Contact us today to learn about the benefits of Fiber Interior Packaging!