What Are the Logistics of Packaging?

Ordering things online can be exciting. Imagine the disappointment of opening that much-awaited package, to find it shattered to pieces. You suddenly realize that it is the packaging that caused this to happen. You fill with rage inside and begin to consider your next move. Not only that, but you won't buy from that vendor again, for sure. They didn't know how to package the shipment to keep it safe on its journey to your door. They used the wrong materials, and you realize just how important packaging is. Here are the logistics of how to do it right.

Cardboard

When you use cardboard packaging, you can rest assured that it is recyclable. That's good for the environment. It comes in all shapes and sizes and with the correct support inside the box, can transport just about anything safely. Plus, it's affordable. They have packaging that your customers recognize as exclusively yours. That is how to build a brand. Create something the customers won't forget, and want to come back for more. 

Envelopes and Mailers

When you ship smaller things, you'll use envelopes and mailers. Customize your brand as well, and make for a perfect way to ship anything that's small and sturdy. It's best to send things that are breakable in other types of packaging. They make a great solution with bubble wrap built right into the envelopes. This type of packaging isn't recyclable as the cardboard boxes are. It's a perfect way to ship jewelry or media materials. Don't send smaller things that are fragile this way. It's far better to package it in bubble wrap for shipping.

Why Customizing Works

As mentioned, both types are completely customizable. The Packaging Company offers this type of service, so your business brand is notable, and your deliveries arrive in perfect shape, safely. With a wide variety of choices to select from, you can pick everything from the boxes or mailers to the tissue paper and bubble wrap. When it's all customized, your customers will love their deliveries. Then they'll come back for more. Good packaging not only delivers the right look and security of arrival in one piece, but it also shows that you care enough to go above and beyond. Before it's even opened, they'll know it's good. 

How to Pick the Look

Consider Amazon Prime. Think about the look of the packaging. Everything in your design says something. Consider the meaning of your brand. What do you want to say about all of it? Then create it and think about the layout of each order type. What size should the packaging be? Half of the fun of ordering something is opening it. There are even channels devoted exclusively to box openings. If you want an influencer to ask to promote your brand, then you'll need to get the packaging just right.

All these things are the logistics of how to create packaging that ships your brand's items. The care taken for the process can turn your small business into an empire. Influencers might even approach you to tell others how wonderful it is.

Tips For Moving To Your Next Home

Moving is a stressful time for anyone. I have lived a long, fruitful life filled with a multitude of adventures and many miles traveled. I have personal experiences with moving from home to home, ever since I was a little kid. This means that as I’ve grown up and become more accustomed to moving around a lot, I have found there to be small ways in which moving can be a little bit easier. Let’s face it; nobody loves the moving process. It is complicated, expensive, stressful, exhausting, and is just all around not a very good time. I have felt that same way and so have millions of other people who are in the process of moving to a new home, apartment, condo, or whatever else you might live in. So without further ado, here are some tips you can take advantage of the next time you find yourself moving somewhere.

The first tip I have for you is to get rid of everything before the movers come or before you begin packing. Okay, calm down - I don’t mean to get rid of everything you own! More like, doing some early or late spring cleaning and getting rid of the things that you don’t want or need but have been too lazy to take to Goodwill or to the dump. While no one loves going through their stuff and throwing things out, this will be helpful for you when it comes time to pack up all your stuff and move across the country or whatever. Trust me, I have been there and it is not a fun time to unpack all of the things that I don’t actually want or need. You will save yourself a lot of time and trouble in the long run, so just get it done now so you don’t have to worry about it later. Especially take a good look at old appliances that you do not use or clothes you never wear. These things can take up a lot of space during the moving process and it will be a waste of time for you.

Another tip I have for you is to get moving and shipping boxes from your local stores. All too often do I see people spending their own money on ordering moving boxes to pack all their stuff into. This makes me so sad to see because there are so many ways in which you can find free moving or shipping boxes from your local grocery stores, liquor stores, or other department stores or distribution centers that have a surplus of boxes. You would be surprised at how ready these companies are to get rid of these boxes, and how popular it is for people to go pick them up on a regular basis. 

The final tip I have for you is to create a moving budget and stick to it. Moving can get very expensive very quickly, and I would hate to see you fall into tremendous debt because you failed to stick to your moving budget. My suggestion is to see how much you can spend on your moving company, transportation, etc. That way, you can properly allocate funds to different expenses you come across during the moving process. I hope this was helpful, good luck out there friend!

Things You Need For Your Ecommerce Business Today

If you are running a business completely online; congrats, there are a million people just like you. Yeah that’s right, you’re not very special in any way, shape, or form. Ecommerce has become a huge trend in today’s market and is quickly becoming one of the most profitable ways to sell items directly to your customers; no middle man required. The thing about eCommerce is that anyone thinks they can do it. All you need is a few shipping boxes and a product to put in them, right? Wrong. Now you’re out of business, your family is starving, and your youngest son just got made fun of at school because his parents tried and failed to start an eCommerce business without first reading this article. That’s right, I have years and years of experience in the world of eCommerce and online marketing, and am here to tell you a few things you need to start your own eCommerce business.

The first thing you need to know is that your customers are going to be the most important part of your entire business. Forget sustainability, forget ethical guidelines, forget brand recognition or identity; none of it matters if you can’t sell your products. So the first thing you have to do is find something to sell that people will want to buy. Then you have to properly align it in ways that those who are willing to buy your products can find them and purchase them in a reasonable manner. This may sound simple enough, but it is no easy task. That is why I suggest for you to invest in some sort of CRM system. CRM stands for customer relationship management, and is a blanket term for identifying, understanding, and communicating with your customers and clients through your eCommerce business. 

What a CRM allows you to do is gather and store information and data from your customers, which will help you to better understand them and tailor to their specific tastes,  preferences, and needs. This information will help you in your marketing campaigns to target your customers where they are at; social media, websites, TV, that sort of thing. You want to know where your customers' eyes are going so you can be there too, offering them a product you sell and knowing that they will love it once they see it. I suggest you highly invest in this type of marketing style in order to increase your website and social media traffic, and overall hopefully increase your sales.

Another suggestion I have for you is to invest in some quality shipping and packaging supplies when you do finally begin to make those sales. I don’t mean your run-of-the-mill shipping boxes either; I’m talking about some quality stuff for your customers to have that great unboxing experience with. Afterall, it is likely the only physical contact they will have with your business, so it’s important to leave a lasting positive impression on your customers while you can. Ensure that whatever product you are shipping arrives on time and in good shape. You would hate to go through all the work of marketing and advertising, producing and shipping, all the way to delivering you products to the customer, only to find a one-star review on your website because your product was damaged during transit way out of your control.

Growth Due to COVID 19

COVID 19 has made a lot of trouble for a lot of people all over the world. Economies have been twisted and turned upside down, people have lost businesses, and families have lost loved ones. However, COVID 19 has made me a lot of money at my business. I work as a manager at a medium sized textile company that manufactures textiles for commercial and industrial use. We ship hundreds of thousands of products daily all over the country, and our sales have almost doubled due to the pandemic and our quick reaction time. 

When COVID was first becoming a threat to us in the United States, we were originally very concerned with the way our economy was headed. It seems that multiple parts of every industry were being shut down one after another; we were sure that we would be next. Our textile products were not necessarily deemed as essential for the wellbeing of our country, so we were sure that we would have to temporarily decrease production or shut down entirely as COVID swept over our country; however, things began to take a turn around when we had plans drawn up to manufacture face masks for the general public. In fact, we were given a monetary grant from the government to cover any necessary changes in capital or machinery that would allow us to create textile fabric for facemasks and other PPE. This was a huge breakthrough for us and is exactly what we needed to stay open for the year of the pandemic.

We quickly worked with our designers to come up with a blueprint of fabric and stitching for our facemasks, and brought our engineers in to work out any problems with our current manufacturing processes. While we are set up to produce textiles, slight modifications had to be made in order to accommodate a switch to creating personal protective equipment like facemasks. As soon as our selection was live through our website, we had orders absolutely flying in from retail stores all over the world trying to get a hold of them. The biggest buyers were places like Walmart and Target, who were quickly looking to stock their shelves with facemasks. We unfortunately did not tap into the medical market, as none of our products were medical grade and were tailored more to the everyday consumer. We still had no trouble selling our masks; in fact, we had trouble making enough of them every day to be able to ship out to our buyers.

Not only that, but we also had problems when it came to shipping and packaging. We were sending out hundreds of thousands of shipping boxes each day, and still we could not keep enough on hand to keep any sort of inventory. To get more shipping boxes, we had to start outsourcing our own manufacturing of boxes and start buying them from a foreign wholesaler of boxes. This ensured that we had enough boxes to ship out our products in. We also had to increase productivity in the factories, so we hired more labor and increased our wages on a full scale level. This brought in more employees and allowed us to see some great increases in efficiency and productivity in our workers. While COVID may have been an awful time for some, it turned out to be a really good thing for my company.

Reducing Defective Products And Packaging With Contract Packaging

Seeing defective products and packages on your packaging line can be a cause of frustration. Those defective products can hit your business bottom line hard. At that point, you may wonder if you can outsource your packaging line to fix the issue.

The fact of that matter is that many companies outsource their supply chain to contract packaging companies. That way, they can focus on their core responsibilities.

Do, do you want to partner with a contract packaging firm to reduce defects? Do you want to get the burden of managing the hectic supply chain off your shoulders? Continue reading to find out if it is the right option for you.

The impact of defects in your manufacturing system

It is not uncommon to run into some issues related to defective products and packaging while running a manufacturing plant. These defects can come in different forms, such as bad date codes, wrong information, blurred printing, bad cuts on foil, bad seals, leaking bags, and a lot more.

When running in-house packaging operations, you may find it hard to identify the source of defects. By the time you identify the source of the defect, you may already have shipped many products to your customers. These defects lead to lost time, money, products, and materials. Losing such resources to defects can be quite frustrating. These defects can occur due to many issues.

Having a contract packaging firm to manage your supply chain can simplify your business operations significantly.

The cost of defective packaging

The cost of defective packaging is higher than you could expect. This problem leads to wasted money, time, products, labor, and materials.

Unfortunately, finding the source of defects is not a cakewalk, especially if you run more than one packaging line simultaneously. So, until you locate and remedy the problem source, you will continue to bleed resources.

After locating the source of the problem, you will need to strategize the process to fix it. The process of fixing the problem may include machinery repairs, materials adjustment or replacement, or working on other time-consuming elements.

How can a contract packaging firm help you reduce defects?

After outsourcing your packaging and supply chain to a contract packaging firm, they will be responsible for your packaging line. That means if a defect occurs in your packaging line, they will be the ones to find it and do something to fix it.

After finding the defect, they will contact the manufacturing facility of your company. They will help you find the source of the problem. After that, they will work with you to get the problem solved.

Working with a contract packaging firm will help you identify and solve problems in a timelier manner than if you manage your packaging line yourself. Your contract packaging company is a liaison between you and your customers. Most contract packaging firms realize this responsibility and work accordingly to ensure error-free packaging and product delivery.

However, you may wonder if contract packaging is an appropriate option for your business. First off, it is necessary to look at the size of your packaging line. If you can manage it conveniently, and there is less chance of defects, you may do well without a contract packaging firm. You will, however, need to enter into a deal with a contract packaging firm if you run a bit complex packaging operations. You can discuss your requirements with a packaging consultant to get the right advice.

Should I purchase Custom Packaging for My Business?

The definition of small business is ever-changing, depending on the type of business you have around where the US is. A small business is usually one with fewer than 1500 employees, and they make not more than $38.5 million every single year. In Canada, this is considered less than 100 people. Not including self-employed people, Canada has over a million small businesses throughout the country. A small business is what helps the economy become what it is, so that it’s not that the hands of a few conglomerates. Small businesses also need to compete, and custom packaging can be the way to give you an edge. 

What Custom Packaging Is 

This is the type of packaging that refers to ones that are fitted to the product at hand. These include boxes that fit the dimensions of the product specifically, or even ones that have extra details including coasters, tissue paper, and even tape that’s custom. 

With dozens of different options that are worth customizing, you can choose this based on the logo, the color, and the inclusion of other factors. With custom types of packaging, you can make sure that your stuff stands out. It might seem like a luxury for lots of businesses, but that’s not the case. 

First Impressions count 

When someone gets a package from you when they buy from you, you want them to be happy about it. Custom packaging offers an initial type of reaction. Whenever someone orders from you, or receives some kind of box from you, those boxes that plain and uninspired will not help you stand out. Even just a simple logo on a box will help a person actually recognize the business. 

It goes further than that though, since it helps them not only recognize the business that you’re at, but also helps the customer get truly excited. That’s because the awareness of a brand is what makes the companies stand out, and through custom packaging, you get this truly. 

Beef up your Marketing with This 

So you’re already buying the packaging, why not use custom packaging to turn it into a truly good opportunity for marketing. 

That little bit of extra investment changes boxes from bland to brand, and it definitely will excite every customer that lays their eyes on it. 

Remember though that the packaging doesn’t magically just appear outside of where the customers will be, it also is seen as it travels from point A to point B. it’s going to be seen by post office workers, drivers that drive ethe delivery, and also the friends, family, and potentially other followers in the case of branded unboxing. 

This is something that, if you’re already spending money, a few more cents will help you stand out. 

If you’re looking to really make an impact as a business owner, then custom packaging might be the option. There is a lot that you can do with this today. 

From adding in custom liners, stickers, tape, and tissue paper, to even just creating boxes that are fitting for your product, custom packaging is something that isn’t just for the big box brands these days, but the little guys too. 

Lots of people are benefiting from this, as this is one of the best ways for brands to stand out. If you’re someone who is curious about possibly making a big stake in the possible future of your packaging, or if you’re someone who wants to make their packaging really shine, then consider using custom boxes, and see the difference that it makes in your packaging.

Why you should Use Polyethylene Packaging Foam

Even with the thickest box design and corrugated cushion, there is always the risk for damage of your items due to bumps and jars when shipping. There may also be the problem of something being fragile when you send this out. How do you keep this all safe? Well polyethylene packing foam can do the trick. This is a denser, stronger type of foam that offers better durability.

For electronics, you can also get anti-static foams to protect the devices, and you can also get it to protect items that are flammable as well. This is but one type of foam that you can choose though, and the properties are oftentimes properly suited for the businesses too. 

How it works 

This is designed for durability and to last a bit. It is closed cell, to make it stronger, but less flexible and also breathable when compared to PU foam. Polyethylene is lightweight, shatterproof, and very hard to tear, with a good buoyancy and won’t create dust, which is good for those who need foam for their packaging. Closed cell of course, offers better absorbency of the foam and products in order to resist the waters, chemicals that can get in that’s there, and sometimes grease too. 

Closed cell also implies too that this is also protected from mold, bacteria, mildew, and even rot, so you don’t have to fret about it being contaminated. PE foam is oftentimes stronger for shock absorbency and offers a better ability to dampen out the vibrations that are there. For those that are shipping items that do require a specific temperature, this is a good insulation foam. 

That, along with the chance that it can resist the liquids that are there, this protects all of the products from elements outside, and it’ll arrive at the destination just as how it left your warehouse as well. PE can also be made in different types of ways, depending on what’s necessary. That’s because foam is very customizable and is a great option for those who need flexible packaging protection and solutions. 

It can be used as planks, crosslinked, laminated, rolled, and skivvied if you need it. You also can get this in a range of different colors and sizes to the best fit of needs. This is one option that offers a stronger and more durable protection because of the seal on top of this, and a closed cell type of construction that this offers. 

This is actually the best packaging option that will help you if you want to make sure that something gets enough resistance to liquid, some buoyancy, and also strength too in this case. It can survive bumps, and it can go through impact after impact while continuing to stary in shape as well, which is why lots of people do like this kind of thing. 

It can have a thick density too, offering the ultimate means to actually ship something that needs to be kept safe. This is definitely a good option if you want high-quality foam packaging that’ll stay tight and secure throughout the entirety of the journey at hand that you may go on. 

Is it right for you? Well if you want something that’ll survive all sorts of jumps and jarring motions, this is the way to do it, and it offers a lot of great benefits to be had as a result too, and there is a lot of great of great benefits that you can use to totally get the benefits of this as well for you and for your business.