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ECommerce Packaging : What You Need to Know

According to Statista, in 2020 alone, global parcel shipping totals exceeded 131 billion. While this figure includes all sorts of different types of shipments, many of these were eCommerce shipping orders. 

In just the last few years, the eCommerce shipping sector has exploded. If your business engages in eCommerce sales, you have reaped the benefits of online shopping’s surge in popularity.

However, you may not be familiar with the ins and outs of eCommerce packaging, including how the packaging you decide to use impacts the consumer experience. In order to help, the team at Korpack has done the legwork for you and identified a handful of emerging trends that every eCommerce retailer needs to know.

By leveraging these trends, you can adopt packaging solutions eCommerce consumers love. In turn, this will help you nurture feelings of loyalty toward your brand, boost customer average lifetime value, and reach your sales goals. That sounds like a pretty intriguing proposition, right? We think so too. 

The Basics of ECommerce Packaging

Before we shift our focus to the trends impacting eCommerce packaging suppliers and online retailers, it is important to examine the critical role that boxes play in the modern shopping experience. 

When consumers purchase an item in a brick-and-mortar store, they have an opportunity to interact with it before spending their hard-earned money. They can pick up the item (or at least the box it is in), read the packaging, and soak in all of the marketing content that you (hopefully) printed on the box.

Conversely, when shopping online, sellers form their impressions of the product through their device’s screen. If your marketing department created a compelling product page, the customer’s expectations are sky high by the time they click “add to cart” and place their order. 

At this point is where many eCommerce retailers get it wrong. Far too many businesses believe that their marketing work is finished once the customer places their order. 

As a result, they often throw their product in a bland brown box or plastic bag and send it out to the consumer. Unfortunately, this means that the customer gets cheated out of an exciting unboxing experience. 

Even if the product itself exceeds expectations, the customer’s shopping experience has been diminished. They may be less excited to order from your company again in the future, even if they choose to do so.

The Rise of Custom Packaging Services

In order to solve the problem outlined above, visionary eCommerce retailers are turning to custom packaging services. This set of services allows businesses like yours to design tailored eCommerce packaging that features your brand image and color scheme. 

Even opting for packaging that sports your logo and any color other than that bland, traditional brown cardboard tone can significantly enhance the consumer experience.

Naturally, custom eCommerce packaging is more costly than off-the-rack options. However, it is far more cost-effective than you might expect. Additionally, the extra costs of custom packaging are far outweighed by the major benefits that it provides.

By opting for custom packaging, you can give your customers a complete shopping experience. From online ordering to unboxing, every phase of the experience will represent your brand in a positive light. 

In turn, the customer will be more excited to order from you in the future. They may even decide to increase their average order size, which will help grow your profit margin. You can tap into all these benefits simply by upgrading to custom eCommerce packaging.

ECommerce Packaging Materials Trends to Watch

If you want to be ahead of the curve on emerging eCommerce packaging materials trends, join us as we explore some of the latest shifts in consumer expectations and preferences.

Paper or Plastic?

For years, grocery stores around the country have been asking customers “paper or plastic” at check-out. Despite having an option to use a more sustainable option like paper, many consumers still instinctively request plastic. 

However, that trend may be shifting. This change is also impacting consumer preferences for eCommerce packaging. According to recent data from McKinsey, over half of the consumers in the U.S. are “highly concerned” about packaging and its impact on the environment. 

Your organization can better connect with this growing audience segment by offering green packaging. You can eliminate new plastic products from your packaging processes and instead use fiber or recycled alternatives.

Once you make the switch, make sure you share your efforts to protect environmental resources. Doing so will help you grow your audience base and may encourage other retailers in your sphere of influence to do the same.

A Demand for Custom Ecommerce Packages

According to Meyers, nearly one-third of businesses that improve their product packaging report a boost in revenue. 

This research only lists businesses that experienced a “significant” increase in revenue. Countless others likely experienced incremental or moderate rises in revenue, which is more than enough to offset the added costs of custom packaging.

These figures reveal that there is a clear demand for custom packaging in the eCommerce space. Consumers want to enjoy a seamless online shopping experience without sacrificing elements of a traditional purchasing process — elements like unboxing. 

Adopting custom packaging will help you meet customer expectations and will likely raise your revenue in the process. We call that a win-win.

ECommerce Packaging Services Providers Have Become Invaluable

The above trends have fueled another: eCommerce packaging service providers have now become valuable allies to retailers like you. 

If you want to reap the benefits of custom boxes and sustainable packaging materials, you need a trusted partner like Korpack. At Korpack, we can help you design custom packaging that aligns with your brand image. 

We can also provide you with sustainable packaging, like organic air pillows made from potato starch that are 100% home-compostable.

Would you like to learn more about our suite of services and products? If so, then connect with us, and let’s chat. Have you already identified Korpack products and services that fit your company’s needs? In that case, we invite you to request a free quote.