7 ways to reduce your packaging and shipping costs

The experts at Rajapack offer up seven simple ways you can make your packaging and delivery more cost effective.

Since the big eCommerce boom of the noughties, many businesses have shifted their focus away from the high street and onto online sales. In fact, the latest figures from eMarketer suggest that revenue from B2C online sales worldwide were estimated at around approximately £1 trillion in 2014. This shift in focus has increased demand on packaging and delivery.

Businesses are looking to complement their savings on staff and floor space by making their logistics operations as efficient as possible.

As experts in the field, Rajapack have put together seven simple pieces of advice that will help businesses make your time and money go further:

1) Combine multiple packages into one where possible

It is almost always cheaper to send one 10kg package than it is to send two 5kg ones. Combining shipments also reduces the amount of packaging you need, saving money on materials.

2) Buy in bulk

Many packaging companies will offer large discounts when you buy in bulk from them, so try to think ahead when ordering your boxes, envelopes and bubble wrap. With custom branded packaging so important to stand out in today’s market, there are some companies that offer free customisation on orders over a certain volume.

3) Consider buying or renting packaging machines

If you’re shipping large volumes, using packaging machines can help you save on man hours, materials, and shipping costs. They will also help you package your products more accurately, meaning less waste and more savings.

4) Make sure you’re using the right packaging for your product

A big cause of overspend is when packaging is used that isn’t appropriate to the product. Why place a book in a large box with lots of loose fill when you could use a wraparound book box which offers perfect protection, is cheaper to ship, and uses less material? You can even order custom boxes that will conform to your products better to reduce the space needed when shipping.

5) Use integrated protection

When trying to protect delicate items in delivery, it is easy to be over-cautious with your protection material (such as polystyrene loose fill or bubble wrap). Purchase packaging that has integrated protection (such as foam lined postal boxes) to save time and money.

6) Take time to compare the full costs of your courier

It’s easy to assume that the courier with the cheapest delivery cost is the best option, but that might not always be the case. Make sure you take into account add-ons such as the cost of recorded deliveries, order tracking, or how much compensation you could receive (if any) for misplaced or damaged goods. You might also want to consider giving your customers the option to pick up from your premises, should you be geared up to do this. Choosing a reliable courier is invaluable when delivering a high quality customer service.

7) Think high quality

Using high quality packaging may be slightly more expensive initially, but it is much more cost efficient in the long run. Spending a little more on stronger packaging means less damage during shipping, fewer returns and redeliveries, and more satisfied customers.

Making your packaging and delivery more cost effective is a case of doing proper research, ensuring that you are using materials suited to your product and that you have selected the right method of shipping.

Cutting corners in this area of your business only results in further costs down the line; returned products, redeliveries and repairs to broken packages soon mount up. Ensuring your packaging is perfectly suited to your product will result in more satisfied customers and lower overheads for your business.