Today’s consumers pay close attention to the product packaging used when buying products online. Since today’s delivery companies take over 14 million packages to front doors each day, it makes sense to be concerned about how well sellers protect their items. The average consumer interacts with your business for the first time with an ordinary cardboard box as an Amazon seller. If that outer shell arrives unsealed, damaged, or impaired, it causes the customer to doubt the shipment’s quality.
Many of the issues that can cause damage during transit are out of your control. That’s why having a product packaging strategy can help you sidestep claims.
How to Avoid Material Damage When Shipping Products
Primary and secondary packaging have a combined influence on how your product resists damage during transit.
Choosing the correct items to support your products is the best way to reduce third-party problems that can lead to customer claims. Here is a closer look at the various factors to consider including with your plans.
- Tape Size and Quality. Some tape is worthless, while other products give you a solid seal for different shapes and sizes of packages. Water-activated, filament, hot melt, acrylic, and hand-held dispenser tape products are all possibilities that could improve your processes. Evaluate the product lifecycle to determine what interferences exist to choose the best option.
- Flute Pattern and Strength. The thickness of your packaging walls and flute patterns impact the package’s durability. If you ship heavy items, the outer shell requires more reinforcement to provide protection.
- Stretch Wrap. When this packaging product is used improperly, it can cause damage in transit when it isn’t strong enough to handle the package weight or is incompatible with scanning machinery. It’s possible to cut your risks in half by securing your items with appropriate stretch wrap.
- Protective Materials. Have you ever opened a box filled with packing peanuts? Although air bags and bubble wrap are superior choices, the purpose is the same. By providing cushioning and less room to move, the chances of experiencing damage in transit are significantly reduced.
Transportation Hazards to Review for Your Packages
Once you’ve secured the appropriate items to package your products appropriately, it helps to review the transportation logistics involved. What atmospheric conditions do you expect the package to encounter while it is en-route to its destination? Could vibration problems create unseen damage, even if the product is appropriately secured?
Although fragile warnings, arrows, and instructions on the box exterior are helpful, they can also be ignored. Shock hazards should be assumed, which means the edges and corners of your protective packaging must serve as a defense against falls or drops. Whether you decide to work with a trusted packaging partner for shipping your Amazon sales or you try to take care of these tasks yourself, a strategy is necessary to prevent needless returns. You can’t stop how shippers handle your items, but you can protect them from the worst-case scenario.
Looking to step up your packaging needs? Contact PR Brand Marketing for a unique solution and packaging design for your product.
