Why E-commerce Packaging Matters More Than You Think

For an e-commerce business, the packaging is often the first physical interaction a customer has with your brand.

They may have discovered your product online, seen carefully considered photography and read about your brand. But when that order arrives at their door, the packaging becomes the first tangible part of that experience.

That makes e-commerce packaging an important part of the customer journey.

It needs to protect what’s inside, withstand the journey through the delivery network and arrive looking professional. At the same time, it provides an opportunity to reinforce your brand and create a positive experience for the customer.

Your Packaging Has a Job to Do

E-commerce packaging has a particularly important role because your product may pass through several stages before it reaches the customer.

It could be stored in a warehouse, picked and packed by a fulfilment team, loaded into a vehicle and handled several times during delivery.

Your packaging needs to cope with that journey.

The right packaging should provide enough protection for the product without being unnecessarily bulky or difficult to handle.

This is where choosing the right materials, dimensions and construction becomes important.

Packaging Is Part of Your Customer Experience

When customers shop online, they don’t get the opportunity to physically see or touch a product before buying it.

The delivery can therefore be an important moment.

Opening a thoughtfully designed package can reinforce the positive impression a customer has already formed online.

Branding such as colours, logos, printed designs and carefully considered details can all help make the packaging feel like a natural extension of the business.

Even simple packaging can have an impact when it has been designed with the customer in mind.

Protection Should Come First

Beautiful packaging is great, but it still needs to do its primary job: protecting the product.

Damaged goods can lead to disappointed customers, replacements, returns and additional costs for the business.

The right e-commerce packaging should take the product into account.

A fragile item may require a different packaging solution from a durable product. The size and weight of the product will also influence the appropriate specification.

This is why packaging shouldn’t be treated as a one-size-fits-all decision.

The Size of Your Packaging Matters

Oversized packaging can create unnecessary costs.

If there is too much empty space around a product, you may need additional protective materials. Larger packaging can also take up more room during storage and transportation.

On the other hand, packaging that is too small may fail to provide the protection your product needs.

Getting the dimensions right can help create a more efficient solution that uses space and materials appropriately.

At MRP, CAD design and cardboard engineering can be used to develop packaging around the specific requirements of a product.

Make Your Brand Part of the Packaging

E-commerce gives businesses plenty of opportunities to build a strong visual identity online.

Your packaging should complement that identity.

Printed cartons, sleeves, inserts and other packaging components can all be used to carry your branding through to the physical delivery.

Consistent colours, typography, imagery and messaging can help make the experience feel considered from the moment an order is placed to the moment it is opened.

For growing e-commerce businesses, this can be particularly valuable.

Your packaging may be seen by the customer, their family, colleagues or even shared on social media. A well-presented delivery can give your brand another opportunity to make an impression.

Consider the Unboxing Experience

The unboxing experience has become an important part of e-commerce.

Customers are increasingly familiar with receiving beautifully presented products, particularly from brands that have built their identity around premium or considered experiences.

That doesn’t mean every business needs elaborate packaging.

Instead, think about what would make sense for your particular customer.

Would a branded carton create a stronger impression? Would an insert help explain the product? Could the packaging be designed to make opening easier?

Small details can make the delivery feel more connected to the brand.

Don’t Forget Storage and Fulfilment

Packaging also needs to work for the business behind the product.

If you’re storing large quantities of packaging, the space it takes up matters.

The way packaging is supplied, stored and prepared for dispatch can all have an impact on your day-to-day operations.

For businesses experiencing growth, this becomes particularly important. A packaging solution that worked when orders were relatively small may need to be reviewed as order volumes increase.

This is why it can be useful to consider packaging as part of the wider fulfilment process rather than looking at the carton or box in isolation.

Can E-commerce Packaging Be More Sustainable?

Sustainability is another consideration for many e-commerce businesses.

Customers may be increasingly conscious of the materials used in the packaging they receive, while businesses are also looking for ways to reduce unnecessary material and waste.

Good packaging design can help here.

By designing packaging specifically around the product, businesses can look for ways to minimise unnecessary space and material while still providing suitable protection.

The material itself also needs to be considered alongside the purpose of the packaging and how it will be handled at the end of its life.

Choosing the Right E-commerce Packaging Partner

As your business grows, your packaging requirements can become more complex.

You may need different sizes for different products, printed packaging to strengthen your branding or packaging that can be produced efficiently at higher volumes.

Having a print and packaging partner who can support you through these changes can make the process much easier.

At Midland Regional Printers, we can support e-commerce businesses from the early design and development stages through to printing, production, storage and fulfilment.

Our in-house capabilities allow us to look at the complete packaging process and help develop solutions around your products and requirements.