How to Protect Original Manufacturer Packaging For Direct to Consumer Shipping
There’s a growing trend of manufacturers offering direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipping. Here’s how to ensure original manufacturer boxes are properly packaged.
As e-commerce sales soar and more customers shop online, many manufacturers have started to pack and ship directly to consumers. Forbes reports that the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the growth of e-commerce by “four to six years,” even after the market grew by 14.9 percent in 2019.
But it makes sense: There’s much to gain in the world of direct-to-consumer (DTC), specifically increased profit. Selling online and handling fulfillment in-house removes traditional retail constraints, like shelf space and pricing.
However, there’s significant work that goes into pivoting to a DTC operation. Pack and ship operations have their own challenges, such as managing efficient warehouse practices and controlling shipping costs. With that comes the increased risk of product damage when shipping in original packaging.
Here’s what to do:
The Danger of Using Original Manufacturer Packaging
Original manufacturer packaging isn’t always meant to withstand DTC shipping — this type of packaging is often flimsy, light, and designed primarily to stand out on retail shelves. Though manufacturer packages hold up well when shipped in bulk on pallets, they’re not strong enough when packed and shipped individually to consumers.
How to Repackage Original Manufacturer Boxes for Shipping
For manufacturers interested in increasing profit through DTC, it might seem counterintuitive to invest in better packaging for shipping. However, product damage and reshipping can put a serious dent in profitability. Use the Pregis EcoGauge tool to help calculate the true cost of reshipments, both to your bottom line and the planet.
The easiest way to protect original manufacturer packages for delivery is placing them in outer cartons with the appropriate void fill and cushioning. The shipping container should be at least 15 cm larger than the original package. Paper void fill and air cushions provide the impact absorption needed for light and medium weight packages. Heavy or fragile packages should be cushioned with paper coils, which absorb the impact and can’t be deflated like air cushions.
Repackaging Merchandise or Creating Solutions
Some manufacturer packaging will never be suitable to pack and ship to consumers. In this case, the merchandise should be removed from its box and placed in a new parcel package. These boxes need to be large enough to fit the actual merchandise and suitable cushioning, rather than accommodating the box.
For help overcoming the toughest packaging challenges, integrated services can help you with a a custom-designed and validated solution.
