Common packaging mistakes made by e-commerce businesses

In India, e-commerce has emerged as one of the most flourishing and profitable businesses, especially after the lockdown. Further, it is expected that the e-commerce marketplace will grow by at least 25% per year, which could lead to an increase in entrepreneurial activities in our country. Globally, consumer behaviour has changed dramatically in the aftermath of the current pandemic, and consumers now prefer to order products online and have them delivered right to their doorstep.

The purpose of this article is to go over one of the biggest e-commerce industry problems that must be addressed with the highest priority, as it can potentially affect your brand’s image and longevity over the years. This problem is none other than packaging, which is often underrated in this field and can easily lead to huge losses if neglected. Numerous researches have shown that a brand that offers very attractive packaging enjoys a larger market share and the most customer loyalty. Therefore, any business in this field, whether new or existing, should tighten up its packaging as soon as possible. This will enable them to grow and capitalise in this competitive field and be able to stand out above the competition. Below we’ll discuss some of the most common packaging mistakes made by e-commerce businesses that sell products online, along with how to rectify them.

Common Packaging Mistakes You Should Avoid in E-Commerce Business

It is hard to believe that there are so many common packaging mistakes that almost all businesses in the e-commerce industry make every day that silently kill their profits and sales. The most common complaint you’ll find on these businesses’ reviews section is that the products they sell were not packaged correctly and even arrived damaged. That’s why we have compiled this list of some of the most common packaging mistakes made by e-commerce businesses that should be looked out for before starting your own business.

1. Making complex packaging

There must have been many times when we encountered such complex and hard-to-open packages that included extra wrapping. A customer’s first interaction with an e-commerce business is usually with the packaging, and many businesses make mistakes here. Too much packaging and sticky tape will eventually make it more difficult to open the package. Likewise, many businesses wrap flexible products like clothing and other fabric products with complex wrappings that are a bit unnecessary and should be avoided.

2. Not investing much in packaging

The packaging aspect of your business may not seem crucial at the beginning, but as time goes by, you will realise that you skipped a key step when you didn’t concentrate on the packaging. Most businesses operating in the industry usually commit this error by not investing much in the early stage. This leads to multiple complaints from consumers and, in turn, will lower your reputation in the market.

3. Using cheap or low-quality materials

Companies in this industry typically buy cheap materials in bulk and use them for packaging, which can prove to be a costly mistake in the long run. These materials are more likely to be damaged in the logistics process, and they have a higher tendency to retain moisture, which may damage the product inside. Therefore, it is recommended to use top-quality materials in packaging from reputable vendors to reduce the risk of the product being returned, which will cost you more.

4. Making boxes that aren’t standard in size

Another key aspect of packaging where most brands mess up is in using inappropriate sizes of boxes to package their products. Many of the brands used overly large boxes to protect a small item, which makes it vulnerable to damage during transportation. On the other hand, some of them make use of small-sized packaging to cover products, which makes it very difficult for customers to open, thus leading to negative reviews on the website.

5. Lack of branding on the packaging

Although this is not a major mistake made by most brands, without any marketing materials on your package, new customers may not know your brand exists. Yes, you heard that right; having a logo or any other thing related to your brand, such as social media handles, can help you in free marketing. We also exchange packages from house to house during the festive season in India, which is a great marketing strategy. If you fail to take advantage of this, you will certainly miss out on many opportunities.

6. Make return friendly packages

If you run an e-commerce business, then you must be already aware that you cannot avoid product returns. Sometimes, customers make errors when ordering, or companies make mistakes that cause the product to be returned. As a result, many brands make these big mistakes by not making package returns easy, which can later cost them some extra money. If possible, you ought to design the packaging to be easily opened by anyone, or, in addition, you should add something that will facilitate repackaging of the box.

Tips and Tricks to Increase Your Sales Through Good Packaging

There are many ways in which many e-commerce brands differentiate themselves from the competition and make their packaging unique. Through this strategy, the brands are able to gain a large social media following, which gives them a big sales boost. Here are some tips and tricks you can use to improve the packaging of your brand’s products, which will indirectly help to get more sales and a higher consumer retention rate.

1. Become more green with your packaging

If you take the initiative to be more green with your packaging, you will be able to get your packaging economically sound. And your consumers will appreciate that you have made an effort as people are becoming more ecologically aware.

2. Make reusable packaging

Some foreign brands have taken up this initiative by modifying their packaging so that it can serve multiple purposes.

They make a reversible package that can be used again to wrap a gift or something for another occasion. This strategy will ensure that your brand image remains in their subconscious mind each time they see this package.

3. Leave a Thank You note

One of the most successful brands using this strategy is OnePlus, which does a fantastic job by showing its appreciation to its customers. When you do so, your brand is most likely to be emotionally attached to your customers, which increases their likelihood of staying with your brand for a long time.

You should not hesitate to add a little bit more to your brand packaging if you can afford to do so. With this, you’ll inform your customers of your brands’ interactions on social media, and they will follow you. This will greatly improve your advertising in the future, and it will most importantly facilitate a more personal relationship between you and your customers.

Conclusion

Now you have acquired a thorough understanding of how crucial package design is in e-commerce. Packages have a lot of potential, but they get overlooked very easily in this industry, which leads to huge losses in the long run. Thus, it is very beneficial for companies who plan to enter this industry to know about the common packaging mistakes ahead of time. This will enable them to avoid negative outcomes down the road.

In addition to sharing an article on packaging mistakes, we have discussed some tips and tricks that will allow you to make your boxes different and more unique. This will certainly give your brand an edge over the competition.

Also Read:

1) How to Identify Gaps in the Market for Your Small Business?
2) How to Start a Furniture Export Business?
3) 8 Simple Steps To Pay Employees Of Small Business
4) How to do a Perfect Audit in your Business?
5) Packaging Machine Manufacturers in India

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FAQ’s

Q. How to find good quality raw materials for packaging?

Ans. The raw materials you need can be procured from many trusted suppliers, and you can use Google to find them and filter them according to their reviews.

Q. Can I skip the branding part of the packaging as it costs me some extra money?

Ans. Even a small investment in your packaging will have a huge effect on your business indirectly by increasing sales and creating the right image of your brand in consumers’ minds. Hence, skipping this step is not recommended as this will hinder your prospects.

Q. Investing a lot of money in packaging will reduce my profit margin significantly. What are the chances of success?

Ans. Initially, it may reduce your profit margins slightly, but in the future, you will build a massive customer base that keeps buying from you, and you shouldn’t ignore that opportunity to grow your business.