e-Commerce Packaging: The Complete Guide

We see this a lot: simple, non-custom e-commerce Packaging that gets the job done. How can you expect to hit your sales target if you don't invest in your presentation at the store?

You have a great product, but you left out one thing—your Packaging! e-commerce Packaging is a great way to grab your customers' attention at retail and even online.

The best packaging even creates brand loyalty -  52% of customers return for business if they like the packaging. It's an easy thing for most brands to overlook, but this is exactly the issue we aim to solve. Working with a Packaging Manufacturer can be a great benefit to you and your brand.

It can be your differentiator! The reason a customer picks your product instead of another and then keeps coming back.

To nail that customer interaction, you need the right design.

We help upgrade brands from plain to premium and take advantage of all the latest technical and marketing innovations to create new designs and, more importantly, increase sales.

Bringing new packaging ideas to life can be challenging. That’s why we created this guide to help you through each step.

Talk with our team today about your next e-Commerce Packaging

• Protect your products during shipping
• Tell your brand story and connect with your customer
• Include product benefits and valuable information
• Stand out to a consumer to increase their consideration
• Encourage customers to take a closer look
• Explain how to use your product

• What type of e-Commerce Packaging do I need?
• Are there new innovations I can implement?
• What type of product is it?
• What dimensions do I need?
• How many units do I need?
• How can this be an extension of my brand?

A) What type of e-Commerce Packaging do you need?

The type of packaging you need will vary depending on your product. This will be based on the size, shape, and weight.

If you have a fragile product, you would need to consider a solution that is structurally safe and includes cushioning.

Related: The Complete Guide To Understand Corrugated Boxes.

B) Are there new innovations you can implement?

It's important to get ahead of your competition. You should research or find a trusted packaging partner who can confidently update you on the latest innovations in the marketplace.

There are so many new, exciting ways to reach customers, and if you're creating a new packaging design, you should include some!

C) What type of product is it?

Each industry has its own trends, and while you don’t want to fit in, you want to ensure that your customers can immediately identify you as a member of that industry.

So, you can research your competition or contact a trusted packaging company to give you some pointers.

D) What are your dimensions?

Start by measuring your product's height, width, and length and everything you plan to put inside the box.

Then, consider the type and size of any protective packaging inserts you plan to use. This will determine the size of the box you need.

Pro Tip: Minimize your box as much as possible. This will allow the product to fit safely and avoid any shipping damages. Most importantly, you will reduce your costs and carbon footprint.

E) How many units do you need?

How much do you plan to sell? Do you need 100 units? 500? 1,000? 10,000? Will you need recurring orders?

This will directly affect your costs, and the more you order, the better the deal you can get.

F) How can this be an extension of your brand?

This is a critical part of Step 1. You want to create packaging that fits the packaging and your overall branding and marketing strategy.

The color choices, fonts, information, and images you include tell the customer exactly “who you are” and shouldn’t be chosen lightly.

There are two types of costs associated with new packaging.

1. Visible costs: such as the upfront cost of design and the price of the packaging itself.
2. Hidden costs: such as additional filler, breakage, and more.

Your budget should include the cost of Packaging Supplies and Shipping Boxes. If any packaging fillers are required, you need to account for them.

You can also include a Contract Packager to help with fulfillment or assembly.

By using a company like Bennett, you get Turnkey Solutions that help you minimize costs. 

A successful e-Commerce Packaging program needs a budget that considers the economics of the entire process. You should consider your product's price, profit margin, anticipated sales, and the length of time you expect your Packaging to be in place.

Volume purchasing

As with most printed products, good value is only really obtained at high purchase quantities due to the economics of scale.

If you don’t buy in bulk, each package will add an unreasonable amount of expense to each shipment.

If you buy in bulk, you will not only be putting more money up front for production but also for storage, transportation between warehouses, and handling. Digital allows you complete flexibility for this.

Did you know that 75% of consumers are influenced by package design?

What elements of your brand need to be seen immediately? You could choose a simple or minimal design for the outside and save the “wow factor” for the inside - or have both be just as beautiful.

Elements to include for e-Commerce

• A logo that stands out on the package
• Information Architecture/company story
• Brand colors/design if choosing a minimal look

Pro Tip: If you’re not a designer and don’t have a design team, we provide access to our award-winning in-house team in Creative Services.

For e-commerce, on the other hand, this is your opportunity to make a huge impression on your customers. You should use the inside to tell your brand story, make your customers smile, or create something encouraging them to share the packaging on social media.

More customers post photos of products and packaging when it is an appealing design.

Over 90,000 people search for unboxing videos every month! Your audience is looking at what that experience is.

These videos build a community around your brand online. When customers watch someone else open your package, they want to get that product! All these unboxing videos should tell you you need to create better packaging.

Create a complete kit that complements your wine. If implemented correctly, smaller items usually add little to shipment costs.

Customers today expect a branded experience from start to finish - the marketplace has responded, and so should you.

Related: 7 Design Tips For E-Commerce Packaging

• QR codes that, when scanned, tell consumers expiration dates and other wine or brand details.
• Eco-friendly packaging designs.
• Give your customers the option to order packaging with “less materials” 
• Digitized printing allows for more customization and customer personalization.

Choosing a printing option is more than simply looking at cost factors.

The technology has been changing over the years, and while some older methods are still proven and effective, newer methods have introduced completely new ways to attack the marketplace. 

Here are three printing options to consider:

Lithography Printing

When it comes to commercial printing needs, lithographic printing is the most used solution. And it’s great if you are creating a single design to print over and over without much customization.

One of the main issues is the upfront costs for the printing plate and the project's lead time.

If you choose Litho, you’re committing to waiting and spending a portion of your budget before you even get your first box.

If you are looking for a high-volume production run of a single design, this is the way to go.

High-Speed Digital Printing

Bennett's digital presses are game-changing for the custom retail packaging industry.

While other companies might tell you that Digital isn’t competitive when running large orders, what they aren’t telling you is that with Digital, you can run a variety of designs without needing to pay for or wait for new printing plates to be made.

Digital has been growing in the industry, but only a few brands have taken advantage of this huge opportunity.

Imagine creating regional messaging, designs for different stores, seasonal or product variation sizes - all without additional costs.

We were the first to invest in a high-speed, single-pass, direct-to-corrugate, 6-color digital press of its kind in North America. If you want to learn more, check out our page on Digital.

Related: 10 Tips To Make Your Packaging More Sustainable.

Flexography Printing

Flexographic printing will bring your printing costs down, and tooling costs are typically lower. It has a fast turnaround time and can use both water-based and oil-based inks.

But, compared to Lithography and Digital, Flexography has a noticeably lower printing quality.

It cannot create photo-quality images; smooth colors or gradients will have visible banding. 

The colors aren’t as vibrant or crisp as the other two options, but this printing format is inexpensive. It also doesn’t require much attention to detail and can be produced at very high speed.

Designing With Digital

Here are some design tips to create an effective e-Commerce Packaging from the ground up:

Information Architecture

Messaging needs to be clear and motivated. What should your customers know as they pass by the Packaging? What can they see from across the store? Keep it concise and focused! Only the important benefits should be included here.

e-Commerce Packaging Product Showcase

How customers experience the unboxing and initial view of your product is crucial to giving them a great experience. The better you do this, the more likely they are to share it on social media—free advertising!

Color Science

All designers know that each color speaks to the customer on a different emotional level. Why not use that knowledge on the store floor? Here's an actual opportunity to put that knowledge into practice and create something that powerfully matches your brand. 

Match Your Brand Colors

Most manufacturers claim they will match your brand colors accurately, but they're not actually equipped to do that. We have some of the best printing capabilities in North America and promise we can actually match with 100% accuracy. 

A coating can be applied to complete your packaging’s look -  while offering additional protection and even enhancement.

Matte Lamination

While the overall effect of matte laminated surfaces is understated and elegant, it creates a noticeably high-end and sophisticated feel to your packaging.

Gloss Lamination

This provides a beautiful shine, vibrancy, better image contrast, and more vibrant depth of color.

Gloss lamination even provides better protection against things like moisture and dust. 

AQ Coating

AQ Coating is a clear, water-based coating that dries quickly. It’s also environmentally friendly, making it a great choice for food, household, and fast-consuming products.

It has a very faint gloss finish compared to UV coating and lamination.

UV Coating

UV Coating can create a similar look to lamination, but the difference is that UV is applied directly to the material. Packages are UV-coated using a flood or spot application. Spot coating is applied to one area of the package, while flood (or overall) indicates a coating applied to the entire package.

Spot UV is generally screen coated in thick amounts for maximum visual "pop" and rub resistance, while flood is usually roller coated in relatively smaller amounts.

Varnish

Varnish increases the perceived quality of the product. However, it offers a lower degree of protection compared to aqueous and UV coating.

Varnishes are also susceptible to yellowing over time and are not particularly eco-friendly. This is the least popular option.

Related: Printing Coating Options

• Aqueous Coating
• UV Coating
• Varnish Coating

Consider enhancing your packaging by adding a more impactful look & feel. You can include a variety of special processes to create a more eye-catching design.

Foil Stamping

Perception is everything. A product in a foil-stamped package can have a higher perceived quality and value than one in a standard package. Foil also draws attention, which can make your product stand out among the competition.

Spot UV

This is similar to UV coating, but it is applied to a specific area of the packaging rather than coating the entire surface.

This allows for these areas to be overprinted afterward, as overprinting will not be successful on areas with UV varnish.

Embossing + Debossing:

This will add dimension and depth to your packaging. Embossing and Debossing a printed sheet creates a raised (embossing) or lowered (debossing) area.

It is formed using male and female molds or dies.

Window Cutting

Small windows allow consumers to see the product inside and even touch and use it. Toy packaging often uses windows to allow consumers to press a button or interact with the toy.

Now that you have your design in place, it’s time to transfer it to the structure template, a.k.a, the dieline.

There are a few dieline and artwork preparation and requirements that need to be noted by your designated designer, even if your artwork is done and ready to go.

If you do not have a designer, your packaging company will take care of this.

Dielines

A dieline is typically created on a computer using a design tool such as Adobe Illustrator, Artioscad, or InDesign. Measurements need to be precise, to save time and money.

Working with your packaging partner, you will deliver high-resolution quality artwork for printing. It’s best to speak directly to the company you are working with to determine the exact specifications for their CMYK printing.

At Bennett, we offer access to our award-winning Creative Services to help you design, prep, and deliver all your artwork to our manufacturing teams and ensure your project details are correct every step of the way.

Pro Tip: Need more clarification on preparing your artwork? Reach out to Bennett if you need help with any of your designs!

You should always request a prototype box to confirm the structure and printing for final production, especially if you have a very large order. Once the prototype is created, it can be delivered to you in person, or via mail carrier., it can be delivered to you in person

In our Creative Services Department, we have an array of equipment that matches the exact quality of our High-Speed Digital Printers, allowing you to quickly produce prototypes and move your project along to production.

Once you finalize everything, your product packaging is ready for full production. You can sit back, relax, and wait for your packaging to arrive!

Receiving your shipment all depends on your requested timeline, the package size, the delivery method, etc.

It is different depending on your situation, but your account manager will keep you up-to-date with the production and shipping process, ensuring you are always on track.

Pro Tip: If you need to order on a consistent basis, speak to our packaging specialists to map out your inventory expectations and schedule. This will make maintaining a healthy inventory flow easier and allow the manufacturer to know exactly when you need it.

Learn more about Contract Packaging

Supply Chain Solutions

Once your Packaging design is locked and production is ready, you must create a Supply Chain plan. You should consider the entire process, from manufacturing to storage to retailer delivery.

Key Questions:

• Will your packaging be shipped fully assembled or with KDF?
• What is the weight of your Packaging with your Shipping Box and Supplies?
• Where will you store your Packaging?
• What is the cost for Packaging Supplies?
• Fulfillment costs, if any?
• How will you account for returns?

Learn more about Packaging Supplies

Key Things To Keep Track Of

Track whether you have enough packaging to meet demand. It’s crucial to keep a tight inventory of the packaging at your fulfillment center and whether it is enough to meet the season's demands.

Did you ever run out and have to purchase more? Did that incur any delays and costs?

Did you have a surplus? Was it of only certain sizes?

Try to keep track and keep packaging inventory levels in line with demand.

Record breakage

Were your shipments kept safe? This is the priority for any fulfillment center. You should set a tolerance level for the amount of breakage you can absorb, then track whether you are meeting that goal.

If you aren’t, you should consider adding more packaging filler or using a different carrier.

Shipping Deals

One way that brands encourage eCommerce sales is by offering deals on shipping. This includes free shipping. Formulate a strategy for structuring your shipping deals, then keep track of the process.

Final Mile Carrier

The impression your brand makes on your consumer is just a small piece of the overall delivery experience. Be sure to select the best carrier to deliver you an optimal “final mile” experience!

Ice pack shipping

Summer shipping may need to include the use of ice packs. Ice packs cannot be simply added to an existing shipper and be effective. This will require you to create an entirely different package type, costing you more money, adding the cost of the ice packs and potentially the new dimensional weight.

ISTA Testing For e-Commerce Packaging

International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) testing helps brands create packaging that protects against shock, vibration, compression, and any other atmospheric hazards in the distribution environment.

This allows you to eliminate the need for multiple trial shipments, and get your products to market faster, while also ensuring their survival.

It can also help you negotiate lower freight and cargo insurance rates - due to the confirmed lower risk of shipment damage.

We conduct a range of shipping tests (vibration, drop test, etc.) so that you are certified and ready to go. We partner with you through the entire process and ensure there aren’t any surprises; if there are, we are prepared to solve them.

If the carriers do not test or approve the packaging in advance, they will not pay any damage claims.

Without approval, your other approved packages may also be put at risk.

Bennett is a premier packaging and retail displays manufacturing company striving to protect and promote our clients' products with customized corrugated solutions. When you work with us, you’re part of the family. We will partner with you every step of the way.

With our fully integrated design-to-delivery process, we can be the single supplier source. We are an award-winning manufacturer of virtually anything corrugate. We offer everything from plain brown shipping boxes to sophisticated, high-graphic printed point-of-purchase displays and everything in between.

Talk with our team today about your next e-Commerce Packaging