Reducing packaging costs can have a huge influence on your business’ overall profit, hence it’s worthwhile taking time to find the right product packaging solution for your companies specific products and customers needs.
While it’s important to save as much money as possible in the packaging and shipping of your products, your packaging still needs to represent your business positively. Cheap or non-branded packaging can paint a negative picture immediately. So consider investing in high-end packaging since it can convey a sense of luxury and quality, leaving a positive impression on clients.
Here are some of the best ways to reduce your packaging costs, without having to compromise on quality…
Do plenty of research.
When deciding on the right packaging materials, sizes, volumes, designs and more, be sure to do plenty of research. Small ways to save on packaging costs can make big differences to your ROI, so don’t take the decision lightly.
Businesses have endless opportunities these days for packaging, whether your priorities are design or durability. There are many elements to consider when making decisions on packaging, such as material cost, durability, weight, appearance, shipping costs, and industry regulations.
Tackle packaging production in-house.
The second of these packaging ideas that is guaranteed to reduce production costs and wastage is to take your packaging production in-house. Depending on your business’ size and order demand, you can invest in machinery to produce your own luxury rigid boxes as orders come in, rather than having to order large volumes of packaging materials in various dimensions.
Kolbus Autobox specialise in box making machinery that allows box distributors or businesses to produce more than a hundred variations of custom cardboard boxes. Creating boxes that are the perfect size, fit and protection for your products means you will lose less money through returns of damaged products and will waste fewer materials in the shipping process.
Box making machinery is highly versatile, meaning you can even use box making machinery for the branding of your packaging using printing or stamping modules. Around 70% of consumers in the US state that paper and cardboard-based packaging makes a product more attractive, making box making machinery a valuable investment.
Decide on core components of your packaging.
Your business’ packaging should aline with your company values and present your products in a way that compliments your brand. Despite this, it’s important for companies to weigh up what packaging components really matter to them and their target consumers, to ensure they’re prioritising the right aspects.
For example, a B2B business offering commercial gardening equipment would need their packaging to be durable, protective, but not necessarily easy on the eye. Cosmetic companies or consumer-facing brands may have different priorities, such as branding or providing an enjoyable unboxing experience.
It’s essential to make sure your company isn’t spending money on elements of your packaging that will go unnoticed or be disregarded. Keep your target consumer at the forefront of every packaging decision, to avoid unnecessary costs.
Reduce storage costs.
When ordered in bulk, packaging materials can end up requiring a significant amount of storage space. Although buying in bulk is generally cheaper, storage will cost you too.
Using box making machinery or being rational and strategic with your packaging orders can save you tons of money in the long run. How? It can eliminate the need for a larger workplace, warehouse or storage facility.
Consider environmental factors.
Business’ today simply must consider their environmental impact of their supply chain, particularly when it comes to packaging and shipping their products. What’s more, customers are becoming increasingly tuned in to brands that do their bit and clearly make an effort to be more sustainable.
For this reason, it’s important to use recyclable materials where possible and minimise the volume of materials to excessive waste. Many brands have been publicly criticised online for their lack of consideration for sustainability. Making a conscious effort to reduce packaging waste by providing packaging that suits the unique size of each product can, therefore, reduce your costs and benefit your brand’s reputation – it’s win-win.
Protect your products.
To finalise these packaging ideas, aim to minimise the number of returns you receive. Using high quality and suitable packaging will ensure your products are delivered safely and in perfect condition. Aim to use sufficient materials for protecting your shipments, without this affecting your expenditure.
To make sure your products are arriving with your clients in top condition, why not test your packaging? Post a product using a variety of materials to enable your business to make educated packaging decisions.