Ecommerce Packaging That Performs: How to Protect Fragile Goods and Win Customer Loyalty
The typical cost to acquire a new customer, could be between 5 to 7 times more than what it costs to keep an existing customer who could potentially purchase again. A packaging experience gone wrong, could be the trigger point, resulting in your business losing out on the value your existing customers could bring your business.
So, whether you’re in the business of selling crystal glasses, delicate resin tableware, or heat sensitive organic soap bars, your product is everything to both you and your customer.
From a customer’s perspective, receiving something that looks like it was handled poorly during transit, can leave a huge dent on the customer experience. Worst of all, if the product arrives damaged, you have customer complaint, the cost of returns, poor reviews, and a lost customer to deal with.
Protecting your shipments with reliable ecommerce packaging is essential for maintaining customer satisfaction and loyalty.
What Makes Ecommerce Packaging Protective?
Great boxes for ecommerce go well beyond basic cardboard. True protection starts with careful material selection, smart design, and attention to detail at every stage.
Let’s examine each of the following 5 criteria for selecting protective packaging.
Board grade determines exactly how strong, thick, and protective a box will be for your packaging requirements. There is no single metric for the grade of board, rather it is the combined measurement of a list of different factors.
Board Thickness
Boxes can be single-walled, double-walled, or even triple-walled. As you can imagine, the more walling there is the stronger the box is, being able to withstand crushing from excessive weight, dropping, and collisions.
If you’re shipping fashion apparel or beauty products, you will likely be able to use single-walled. If you’re shipping an ecommerce product that is a bit bulkier such as a kitchen appliance, you will likely need double-walled. And, if you’re shipping industrial parts or machinery, you will be needing triple-walled packaging.
Flute Type
Fluting is the wavy, s-shaped layer of paper that sits between the smooth outer sheets called liners, in corrugated cardboard boxes. It’s a key part of what gives a cardboard box its strength, cushioning, and rigidity for shipping ecommerce products.
There are different types of fluting from A-flute which is thicker and has less flutes per meter to create extra cushioning for more fragile products such as delegate class bottle beauty products, to E-flute which is thinner, provides less protection, and is more suitable for small boxes and retail displays.
Basis Weight
The basis weight is the weight of the paper used to create the cardboard layers. Measured in lbs/1,000 sq ft, paper with a higher basis weight will be more robust. A basis weight of 42-26-42 means the outside layer is 42 lb/1,000 sq ft, the fluting is 26 lb/1,000 sq ft, and the inside layer is 42 lb/1,000 sq ft which is generally indicative of a strong, general-purpose box suitable for shipping ecommerce packages which are fragile, heavy, or expensive.
Box Size and Custom Design
Certain structures, such as double overlapping flaps, give extra support. The right style minimises risk from knocks or crushing during transit, and therefore it is important that your packaging supplier can work with you to design a custom box that can protect your specific product. Who said size doesn’t matter? In the cases of boxes for ecommerce, it does, but if you’re thinking the larger the box, the better, you’re wrong. The size of the shipping box should not be too much larger that the product box to avoid the product box being unsecured and move around too much in transit.
Filling
While bubble wrap is common for protection of shipping boxes, alternatives like paper honeycomb, corrugated inserts and sustainable padding options can be equally effective and more eco-friendly. Ensure you have the appropriate filling for your product which is sustainable, will protect your product, and is not a hassle for your customer to deal with on the other side such as messy foam peanuts.
How is Box Strength Tested?
The strength of a packaging box is measured by these 3 common tests:
Edge Crush Test (ECT)
The force that would be required to crush the box measured in pounds per inch, e.g. 32 ECT would mean 32 pounds of weight would be required to crush the box. This metrics helps you work out how durable the box is under stacking conditions.
Burst Strength Grade
This is the pressure required to burst the wall of the box and is measured in pounds per square inch. This metrics tells you how tolerable the box is to impact forces.
Box Compression Test
This tells you the total force measured in kilograms what a box can withstand when being compressed between two plates. Some industries require this metric to be tested such as electronics, food and pharmaceutical.
How to Choose the Right Box
Making the right decision is not just about protection, it is also about making a good impression.
The cost of a damaged parcel is much higher than just shipping a replacement. It can mean lost customers, negative feedback online, and a diminished brand reputation. Investing in high-performing shipping boxes and delivery boxes helps your business save money and keep customers coming back.
Boxes To Go partners with leading eCommerce brands to deliver protection and polish in every shipment. From beauty and wellness products to anything delicate or valuable, our experts ensure your packaging reflects the quality of what is inside. We provide flexible, scalable solutions and guidance at every step, so you never feel unsupported.
Ready to Protect Your Products and Win Loyalty?
Find the ideal protective and branded eCommerce packaging for your business with Boxes To Go. Deliver every order with confidence. Request a quote!