If you have an online business then packaging supplies are going to be one of the biggest expenses for you, and also one of the most important components of your business. Receiving a package, paired with the unwrapping experience, are what represents your company to your clientele. Not really understanding the world of packaging and shipping can be intimidating, though. Don’t let it discourage you! Thankfully, enough people have paved the way that we have plenty of information to help us be that much more successful.
There are four “layers” of packaging supplies: inner, extra, promotional, and outer.
Inner Packaging Supplies are what makes your unboxing experience so special. This inner packaging is designed to make your product look attractive- which includes clean and professional. It also helps with the outer packaging, since it protects the item from the immediate surroundings. Inner packaging is usually made up of:
- Stationary, clear sleeves, cardstock, tissue paper…
- Accessories such as tags, or jewelry…
- Embellishments such as stamps, washi tape, stickers…
Extra Packaging Supplies are not meant to have any type of flair or attractive qualities. They are purely practical and their design is one hundred functional. They might not be the most beautiful or appealing, but they are just as necessary as any of the three categories. They usually consist of:
- Cardboard sheets…
- Protective supplies like bubble wrap, kraft paper…
- Styrofoam…
Promotional Packaging Supplies aren’t so much packaging, as in they don’t serve a purpose to protect or even to package, but they are included in the unpacking experience to further market and advertise your business. It’s nice to get what you ordered, sure, but it’s also nice to know that the company is interested in you as their customer, even though you will never meet face-to-face. These usually include:
- Business cards…
- Pamphlets or papers that tell your story…
- Stickers and stamps…
- Custom supplies like tissue paper or packaging tape…
- A free gift…
Finally, Outer Packaging Supplies consist of the shipping materials you use when shipping your product. These are just as important as the inner layer, if not more, because these are going to ensure that your product makes it safely into the hands of your customer. It is of the utmost importance that you don’t cut corners here. Use a reputable carrier. Purchase insurance on whatever you send. Choose quality items of the following:
- Envelope mailers (flat, bubble, padded)…
- Boxes…
- Shipping labels…
- Packaging tape…
