Packaging is important. Without it, your products have no way to reach your customers. And without proper quality packaging, your products won’t reach your customers intact and undamaged. So how do you go about ensuring something like that? By choosing the right packaging company for your business and its shipping packaging needs. But not all packaging providers are created equally. Here’s 6 things you should consider when you’re ready to start the hunt for a strong packaging partner.
What’s your packaging budget like?
Your products and customer orders aren’t going anywhere without packaging. But if your budget is on the more limited side, you’ve got to find ways to work around that—and choosing the right packaging company will help with that. Plenty of them only sell in large or bulk quantities, and that likely isn’t advantageous to your bottom line. So, what do you do?
Find your business a packaging company that offers low order minimums. You’ll be able to keep your costs low while properly outfitting your customer orders with the packaging they deserve. That also leads into the next thing to consider.
What’s your storage/warehouse space like?
This can be another limiter on your operation. Whether your packaging budget is sufficient or not, you may not have the space to stack and store all that needed packaging. And with some packaging providers preferring to sell in large or bulk quantities, what do you do?
Seek out low order minimums. You’ll be able to better manage your storage space (and your packaging costs), while still ensuring your customer orders are packaged and protected well.
Do they offer high-quality packaging materials?
When you’re choosing the right packaging company, ensure that they source their packaging from either high-quality providers or high-quality sources. Spending all that time packing up a customer order only to discover you’ve been using sub-par corrugated boxes can provide headaches for both you and your customers. A good metric for choosing the right packaging company is to see if they take part in any green, environmentally-friendly initiatives.
Do they offer a wide variety of packaging supplies?
Sometimes you’ve got to find ways to stretch your packaging budget (maybe it’s been an unexpectedly busy month, or maybe your new product’s taken off a lot faster than you thought it would). And with the advent of dim weight shipping charges, you’ve probably got to find ways to stretch that already-stretched packaging budget even more. Your packaging provider should offer some interesting, cost-effective and just-as-protective alternatives to corrugated boxes and bubble cushion. Mailer envelopes? Corrugated mailer boxes? Courier bags? These are signs that you’re choosing the right packaging company for your needs.
What’s their customer service and relationship-building like?
Handling lost shipments and refunding orders is only the first step in good customer service. Packaging is quite an expansive topic, and it’s easy to miss better packaging choices if you’re not fully in the know. A smart and skilled customer service representative will learn the basics of your business and what you’re sending, asking the questions that’ll help create the best packaging strategy for you. Shipping a book is very different from shipping makeup, which is different from shipping jewelry, which is different from shipping perishable food. If you want world-class customer service, the best way to measure that is by seeing how well they work to get to know your needs.
Do they have custom packaging capabilities?
Not every business will use custom branded packaging in its lifetime. Right now, you may think yours never will. But one day, that viewpoint may change, and choosing the right packaging company means ensuring that they have the capabilities to both grow and adapt with you.
Custom packaging is arguably a defining feature for a business—it’s a sign that you’re doing seriously well and that your brand is worthy of recognition. If your current packaging provider can’t help you add custom branded packaging to your packaging strategy, you should find one that can. Your business and your customers will thank you.
So, who do you choose?
Well, it’s not a coincidence that The Packaging Company is our name. We’re dedicated to ensuring your business has the high-quality packaging supplies it needs, in the quantities and styles that’ll benefit it most. We’re not only your e-commerce packaging partner, we’re your food packaging partner, your insulated packaging partner, your custom packaging partner, and a whole lot more. Come see what we can do for you, and get in touch with any burning questions you have.
