It’s surprising how many online sellers fail to pay attention to packaging. Some sellers only pay attention to the product design and leave customers disappointed with product packaging. Contrary to what some ecommerce brands might like to believe, packaging always matters as it helps you project the right brand image to your customers and deliver your products safely.
If you’re wondering why putting thought into packing your products for delivery matters, perhaps learning about the risks of poor packaging for ecommerce businesses will help you understand the gravity of the matter.
Before we delve into the risks of poor packaging for your online business, let’s look at some factors that can lead to poor packaging:
What Constitutes As Poor Packaging?
Here are some packaging mistakes you must avoid when shipping your products:
Over/Underfilling a Package
Over or underfilling a package can result in your products getting damaged during transit. You need appropriate cushioning for your products so that the packed items don’t roll around in the package or get damaged upon impact from bumps or knocks during transit. On the flip side, stuffing a box with fragile products will increase the pressure, resulting in cracked or chipped products.
Using Low-Quality Materials
I understand the need to find a cost-effective packaging solution as an ecommerce business. That said, you cannot use cheap packaging materials to pack your products, as it will result in more financial loss if your product breaks en route. Low-quality packaging will increase the likelihood of missing or damaged products and leave your customers unimpressed.
Not Branding the Package
You need to use labels and branding on the package for some brand awareness. It also sends the customer the impression that you put thought into your packaging and care about your brand.
Not Being Sustainable
Today, many customers prefer brands that use reusable, recyclable, and biodegradable packaging. You can establish yourself as a sustainability-first brand by promoting and using eco-friendly packaging. Employ sustainable packaging products to reinforce your company values and attract customers who appreciate such brands.
Now that you know which online business packaging mistakes to avoid, let’s explore some of the risks of poor packaging for online businesses!
5 Risks of Poor Packaging for Online Businesses
Here are some risks of poor packaging your business can face if you cut corners and don’t invest in top-quality packaging materials.
Damaged Products
The first and perhaps the most obvious risk of using low-quality packaging materials is the harm they can cause to your products. No one wants to send damaged, broken, weather-impacted products to their customers. However, poor packaging undoubtedly increases the likelihood of that happening. If you use materials that are not sturdy or designed to protect your products during shipping, your customers will receive products that are damaged in one way or another.
In some instances, the damage might not be immediate or evident from the get-go, but poor packaging can affect the structural integrity of products so that they don’t last for the intended time. Alternatively, the damage can be immediate and costly. For instance, poor packaging can cause your product to break, chip, malfunction, tear, and become beyond repair during transit. The more damaged products you have to deal with, the more monetary loss your company suffers.
After all, you cannot expect a retailer to keep or sell your damaged products. Similarly, you cannot expect your customers to keep a product they cannot use. If you decide to send out a new product to replace the old one, you will lose time and more money. Moreover, the initial damage will also hurt your reputation and discourage the customer from becoming a repeat buyer.
No Protection from Weather Elements
Poor packaging can leave your products exposed to weather elements, including dirt, hail, storm, snow, wind, and rain. If you are shipping a wooden product, exposure to water will result in irreparable damage. Similarly, if your packed product remains exposed to harsh weather elements, it will not remain in its original shape.
Even if it continues to accumulate dirt throughout the shipping journey, it will not impress your customers who would have paid their hard-earned money to purchase it. The only way to avoid weather-related damage is to pack your products smartly in top-tier, weather-resistant packaging material. This way, you can avoid bearing the cost of damaged or returned products and employee overtime.
Failure to Meet Customer Expectations
Packaging isn’t just about protecting your product. It’s also about ensuring you meet your customers’ expectations. If your package gets damaged during transit or your packaging leaves a lot wanting, your customers will certainly not be impressed. Today, customers expect a certain standard from the online sellers they choose for online shopping. They expect the products to come to their doorsteps in top condition and neatly packaged in sustainable packing that remains pristine.
However, if your product suffers damage during shipment, most customers will not be too kind or understanding, which can ultimately hurt your business. Poor packaging is no excuse for product damage, and customers know as much. They will either demand a refund or replacement, costing your business money you cannot afford to lose if you wish to churn revenue.
Moreover, the most alarming aspect of not fulfilling customer expectations is that they can significantly damage your reputation. Given the competitive ecommerce climate, you cannot afford to slip up. Even a sole unsatisfied customer leaving a negative review on your website or elsewhere online can impact your business.
Loss of Sales
An unavoidable risk of poor packaging is loss of sales. When the use of poor packaging continues to contribute to the delivery of products in sub-optimal condition, your customers are bound to get annoyed. An unsatisfied customer will not just refrain from contacting your brand for future purchases but might also leave negative reviews for your business online. The negative noise surrounding your brand will result in a loss of business.
Moreover, sending damaged products results in refunds and discounts, which also hurt your business. You also miss out on the opportunity to make a one-time customer a repeat buyer, as poor packaging deters people from buying from a brand again. Poor packaging will leave a negative impression even if your product remains undamaged.
Moreover, other potential customers become wary of buying your products due to your poor packaging. After all, no one wants to receive products broken during transit. So, regardless of how fantastic your products are, if you cannot keep them safe during shipping, people will eventually stop buying them.
Image Title: Cardboard Boxes for Delivery
Alt-Text: Risks of poor packaging
Image Description: A woman packing her brand’s products
Image Link: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-woman-packing-her-merchandise-7857535/
If you wish to improve your sales, you will have to invest in high-quality packaging materials. Furthermore, you will have to change the negative impression of your business through aggressive marketing, rebranded packaging, and employee effort to offer exemplary customer service. This way, you can improve your service and work toward customer retention and lead generation in the long run.
Hit to Your Carefully Cultivated Brand Reputation
As an online brand, it is tough to cultivate a positive brand reputation. After all, one poor review can leave people doubting your brand. You also have to deal with rising competition from all corners. You cannot entertain the risks of poor packaging in such a cutthroat, competitive climate. If you don’t invest in high-quality packaging materials and your products get damaged, or customers remain unsatisfied, your brand reputation will be sorely affected.
Poor packaging will hurt your brand’s perceived value in the eyes of your customers. Whether you have built that value by bringing you’re a-game in terms of customer service, the quality of your products, or delivery timeliness, your business will feel the impact of poor packaging decisions. If your customers expect nothing but the best quality from you and you rely on that advertisement, they will surely be miffed upon receiving poorly packed merchandise that might be damaged during shipping.
Flimsy, torn parcels and cardboard boxes damaged during delivery will not excite your customers. They will also send a terrible brand impression. Your customers might be forced to think you don’t care about customer satisfaction and haven’t put much thought into packaging, which is the last thing you want for your brand image.
Solve Your Packaging Woes With The Boxery
If you’re tired of your merchandise getting damaged during transit and want to avoid the aforementioned risks of poor packaging, it’s time to invest in high-quality packaging materials. The Boxery has an impressive collection of top-tier packaging supplies, including durable cardboard boxes, bubble bags, packing tape, stretch wraps, mailers, and more. Explore our shipping and packing supplies here!
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