Protective packaging: 4 essential tips for success
Product packaging goes far beyond the use of tape and cardboard boxes. It involves the process of evaluating your product, audience, and shipping conditions to not only maximise protection while keeping costs down, but to ensure sustainability and effective marketing too.
Protective packaging plays a vital role in your business. By ensuring each of these three factors are covered, your customers receive a positive, stress-free experience that will encourage repeat business. So, to gain a quick understanding of your existing solution, ask yourself these questions:
Does your current protective packaging solution fail to offer adequate protection? Are you receiving a higher return rate of damaged goods than expected? And would you like to improve your packaging solution for peace of mind during delivery?
If your answer to any of the above questions are yes, or even if you’re not 100% sure, it’s time to rethink your product’s protective packaging.
With that said, read on and explore our four essential tips to a successful protective packaging solution.
1. Materials matter
Certain types of protective packaging are more durable than others, so it’s essential to choose a material that’s durable enough to support the product in question. Corrugated board is ideal for heavier items (and there are various levels of strength depending on what you need). Double wall or single wall corrugate can be selected to support your product’s protective needs.
For example, these crush resistant double wall cardboard boxes are ideal for use in industries which manufacture and ship products that require a high level of protection. From automotive parts, through to jewellery, household fixtures, glassware, and more, will all benefit from the additional protection offered by double wall cartons.
2. Think sustainability
In today’s world, consumers are trying to lead more environmentally friendly lifestyles. In fact, YouGov research involving 2,000 UK adults found that 52% agree to making purchase decision based on a brands’ eco-credentials, with 21% actively ceasing the purchase of a specific brand or product over environmental concerns.
This means that by failing to bring sustainability into your protective packaging, you’ll be at an immediate disadvantage when it comes to attracting new customers.
Adopting such a solution doesn’t mean sacrificing the strength and durability of your protective packaging.
At Swiftpak, we take pride in helping our customers through sustainable packaging and we’re constantly looking for new ways to offer maximum eco-friendliness without breaking the bank. We have a huge range of sustainable packaging solutions at hand, which when paired with over 45 years of experience, can provide the expertise your business needs to take the next step in packaging. If you’re looking for a sustainable and protective packaging solution, speak to our expert team today.
3. Consider shipping costs
Regardless of what you’re shipping, the size and weight of a package will play a significant role in shipping costs. When selecting protective packaging products, you want a good balance of protection, without taking up more space than necessary or adding excessive weight.
Custom foam or carboard inserts are great options for adding protection, whilst keeping the size of your package to a minimum. They fit snugly around your product to keep it secure without altering the height or width of the overall solution.
4. Test your protective packaging
Testing is extremely important when looking to maximise your protective packaging investment. Not only can it help detect issues with your existing solution but will help to finalise and tweak any issues when a new protective package is in the works.
This can be done using transport simulation testing equipment, which takes into account real-world factors for a realistic view on the performance of your package. If vulnerabilities are detected, protection can be added/adjusted until the results are optimal.
You can also incorporate impact labels with your protective packaging solution. These offer a level of monitoring through the shipment process by highlighting jolts, knocks, and bumps through increments of G-ranges. This allows you to gather data on the level of force your parcels receive through transit, potentially helping with tweaks to your package for a more suitable level of protection moving forward.
Protective packaging solutions from Swiftpak
Still unsure about your protective packaging solution? Looking for expert advice on how you can get the most from your packaging? Look no further. Our team of packaging experts at Swiftpak will guide you through the process and let you know exactly how we can help. Contact us today with any questions and we’ll be in touch swiftly to help with your protective packaging.