Beginner’s Guide to E-Commerce Packaging

The moment a customer clicks “Place Order” on your website, the excitement and anticipation begins! You can elevate the experience of them receiving their product and meet their high expectations with custom e-commerce packaging.

Online businesses use e-commerce packaging to protect and ship their products. The best e-commerce packaging is more than a standard cardboard box — custom options allow you to stand out in a competitive industry. You can design and order unique packaging that allows you to attract customers, create brand awareness and enhance the unboxing experience, all of which boost your sales. And considering the popularity of online shopping and all of the options out there, it’s vital to rethink your packaging to cater to the needs of your customers.

Our beginner’s guide to e-commerce packaging shows you how to create custom packaging that helps you become a leader in your industry. From the right size to sustainable materials, check out how to create a package worth keeping. 

Benefits of Custom E-Commerce Packaging

There are many benefits of e-commerce packaging for your brand and your customers. Explore some of the most significant below. 

Excellent Unboxing Experience

Unboxing a new delivery can be as enjoyable as actually using the product, especially when the packaging is unique and aesthetically pleasing. The unboxing experience has become a trend in itself — many users post their unboxings on YouTube or TikTok to provide viewers with their first impressions of products. Creating packaging with unboxings in mind is a great way to market your brand. Who knows, the next unboxing video might just be your products!

Enhanced Customer Expectations

You can boost your customers’ expectations of your products with custom packaging. Carefully designed packaging that appeals to your target market makes customers more likely to feel as though your products are exactly what they need. Your packaging alone can give customers the impression that you provide quality products that suit their needs. 

Building a Loyal Clientele

Custom e-commerce packaging has the ability to turn first-time customers into loyal consumers. After one successful order, customers will return to your brand, knowing they’ll come away with a positive customer experience and a quality product. Your returning customers may also refer your brand to their family, friends and colleagues, helping you reach more customers. 

Creating Brand Recognition

Custom e-commerce packaging can help your brand stand out from other businesses providing the same or similar services. When customers come to recognize your custom packaging, you can become the first choice when they’re deciding which products to use. Make sure to add some details that give customers a sense of the product and your brand before they’ve even used the product. This can create trust in your brand and keep customers coming back. 

Environmentally Friendly Option

Custom e-commerce packaging can help your company reduce its impact on the environment. For example, 100% recyclable and sustainable materials are eco-friendly solutions that will appeal to customers who prioritize sustainability. 

The size of your packaging compared to the size of your product also matters. If your product fills up less than half of the box it’s in, it creates waste that ends up in landfills and pollutes the environment. By choosing custom-sized packaging, you cut back on the waste and create a package tailored to your product.

Protecting Your Products

Custom sized packaging helps to protect products

Speaking of custom-sized packaging, the size of your packaging can also enhance its protective qualities. Perfectly sized packages prevent products from moving around and potentially getting broken or damaged, increasing the chance of the item reaching your customer in one piece.

Things to Consider When Designing Custom E-Commerce Packaging

As you create your custom e-commerce packaging, keep the following factors in mind. 

Type of E-Commerce Packaging

You’ve got tons of options when choosing between types of e-commerce packaging. To make the best choice, identify the purpose of the packaging and whether it would provide suitable encasing for your product. Here are some types you can choose from: 

  • Corrugated boxes
  • Regular slotted containers (RSC)
  • Paperboard boxes
  • Shipping boxes
  • Auto-locking box
  • Plastic bags
  • Foil sealed bags
  • Bubble mailers

Product Size

You need to ensure your products fit into the box and aren’t at risk of being damaged, but you’ll also want to consider packaging sizes in relation to customer experience. If a customer opens a big box and finds a tiny item, they could feel disappointed. Instead, use appropriately sized packaging to meet your customers’ expectations. 

Package Design

Your packaging and its design should also appeal to your target market. Consider what customers like and how you can incorporate these interests to establish a personal connection. For example, if your customers are purchasing a floral-scented perfume, you can use a pink box with a floral design. Your designs should match the products and reflect your brand to boost brand recognition.

Stronger Packaging Materials

A damaged box gives users the impression of a poor-quality product. Stronger materials maintain the integrity of your package and prevent any damage to the items. Consider a package’s typical path from manufacturer to consumer, and choose materials that are strong enough to withstand the journey. For example, will a package go from a plane to a train to a truck? Will it only be transported in a truck? Consider the various stages of the supply chain process to create safe transportation for your goods. 

Eco-Friendly and Sustainable

Sustainable and eco-friendly e-commerce packaging is a deciding factor for consumers who prefer environmentally friendly products and are willing to pay more for sustainable options. You may want to use eco-friendly custom packaging — like corrugated cardboard — if you want to establish yourself as a business with eco-friendly values.

Customer Experience

Above all, you should focus on creating a satisfying customer experience. As you design and procure your packaging, aim to develop frustration-free solutions that reflect your brand and make customers want to return to your business. And remember: Custom e-commerce packaging is an investment that will drive sales and boost your online brand identity in the long term. 

Contact Bolt Boxes for E-Commerce Packaging Solutions

Grab the attention of your customers with custom e-commerce packaging from Bolt Boxes. We create packaging that is tailored to fit your product and enhance its features. From custom colors to sizes, our experts can match your design choices and exceed your expectations to create a package that draws customers to your business.

Give your customer the unboxing experience of a lifetime with e-commerce packaging solutions. To create your own custom packaging, you can contact us today!

Enhance the unboxing experience with custom boxes