In recent years, consumers have become more and more demanding in terms of shipping packaging solutions. And in a context where ecommerce is growing, this makes finding the right shipping option more difficult, as there is no room for improvisation. So, in order to take the upper hand, what are the packaging preferences of consumers that you can capitalize on?
The main function of a shipping package is to deliver the items it contains undamaged to the buyer. Therefore, it has to be strong and secure.
When a customer orders something online, their first expectation is of course to receive their item in good condition.
Unfortunately, in transit, a lot of problems can occur to parcels, many of them being mechanical and weather-related. And they are fairly frequent, as 30% of items are returned because they arrived faulty or damaged.
Although you cannot control how your transporter will handle your shipment, and even less the weather conditions in which it will transit, you can however make efforts to protect your items by:
Theft is another major threat that affects packages, as according to the 2022 Global Parcel Theft Report from Penn Elcom, globally, close to one in ten people have stated that they had at least one parcel lost or stolen over a 12-month period.
These thefts can occur at your doorstep and in your mailbox, but it is also not rare that they also happen during transit! And this is why you need to take the right precautions to prevent them.
As far as packaging is concerned, you can equip your solution with an effective closure system that either makes it hard for potential robbers to open your parcel, or that gives them no possibilities to open it without it being noticed.
Some shipping bags thankfully offer this possibility, like our CO-EX Filbags, which are fitted with a strong self-adhesive glued strap for an effective closure that makes it impossible to open the parcel without damage.
This past decade, a growing number of consumers have become aware of the threats that our environment is facing and are now making sustainability in shipping a priority.
As we are collectively getting more aware of environmental issues, a lot of consumers are making drastic changes in their consumption habits at all levels. And this includes caring about what kind of shipping packaging their online orders arrive in!
Source: https://www.triviumpackaging.com/media/zvthtp1t/2021buyinggreenreport.pdf
In fact, a 2021 consumer survey from Trivium Packaging has found that not only 52% of consumers do look for information on the recyclability or sustainability of the packaging, but also 57% of them are less likely to buy products in packaging that is harmful to the environment!
Indeed, online shoppers now expect brands to propose more eco-friendly shipping envelopes, which implies giving up all solutions that rely on single-use plastic or virgin paper, and instead choose partially or 100% recycled materials.
What option should you go for, then? Even though brown envelopes and boxes are indeed recyclable, they are not the best option, mainly because their manufacturing is energy and resource-greedy.
Instead, we advise you to go for recycled poly mailers, which not only can be fully recyclable and reused, but also contain high-quality recycled materials which require less energy during manufacturing.
Going hand-in-hand with packaging which is made from recycled materials, consumers also are in demand of solutions which are recyclable, and especially when it comes to plastics.
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/-/ddn-20221020-1
As reported by Eurostat, in 2020, each person living in the EU generated 34.6 kg of plastic packaging waste on average. And out of these, only 38% were recycled.
This inefficiency in recycling packaging is quite obviously one that consumers want to solve! As a 2021 study that surveyed consumers across the globe shows, the share of people who would like to recycle more amounts to 76%, with packaging being one of their top priorities.
Taking into consideration these numbers, proposing recyclable envelopes will have 3 main effects on your business and on the quality of your services:
As consumers’ awareness towards sustainable development grows, so does their need for transparency and clarity when it comes to so-called “sustainable” manufacturing.
Online shoppers are willing to change their habits for more sustainability, but not under any conditions.
According to a study led by IBM, 71% of consumers consider providing full transparency to be a key attribute for a brand. So in order for them to believe your efforts, you need to give them the assurance that what you promise is real.
You can of course provide them with the relevant information directly on your website, but you can also add them directly on your packaging for more impact upon receipt.
A variety of information can appear on your shipping packaging to let your customers know exactly how they can help them protect the planet.
On FILMAR envelopes you will find:
All three types of labels help our consumers easily recognize the environmental attributes of our various products and the different certifications they have received.
While the need for transparency spans all ages, it is a phenomenon that particularly affects younger generations, and more specifically, Gen Z.
Not only are they the biggest online shoppers, but they also are some of the most value-driven customers!
When making the decision to purchase or not an article, there are a lot of factors that millennials consider that go beyond price and efficiency. In fact, they may care just as much about the values of the brand itself.
When a company fails to make any efforts to be more transparent, these clients will not hesitate to turn to a competitor even though they are satisfied with their services. Data even shows that 22% of Gen Z consumers think that a lack of transparency reduces their opinion of brands and products, more than any other generation.
So ultimately, being transparent about how and with what your packaging solution is manufactured will contribute in building their loyalty.
Designing your shipping package to be user-friendly and functional can go a long way in scoring points with your customers.
When choosing a shipping packaging solution to send your items in, you have to think about the comfort of your clients. And this includes providing an easy-return solution.
Source: https://www.ups.com/media/en/returns_forrester.pdf
https://www.invespcro.com/blog/ecommerce-product-return-rate-statistics/
According to a study from Forrester Consulting and UPS, 81% of all online shoppers want to be offered an easy way to return the products they ordered. And in fact, other data even suggests that 92% of customers will come back to buy again if returns are made easy by a company!
In other words, by providing an easy return solution to your clients, you not only are showing them that you care about their shopping experience, but you also make their overall satisfaction higher.
Luckily, custom shipping bags can easily integrate such features, by simply adding a special resealable adhesive strip like it is possible with our Co-Ex Filbags.
An increasingly large portion of shoppers are turning away from packaging solutions which forces them to throw away a lot of materials. And this aversion is justified, as in 2020, in the EU alone, 177.2 kg of packaging waste was generated per inhabitant!
This shift in preference represents a challenge for companies as they now not only must find a way to ship their goods safely, but also have to do so without using too many packaging materials like bubble wrap, styrofoam peanuts or air cushions.
At FILMAR, we have the answer: depending on your needs, you can either opt for one of our sustainable Extra strong bubble mailers which have a layer of paper and bubble plastic, or make your shipping packaging even safer with our recycled plastic bubble film!
In a competitive ecommerce market, transporting goods safely doesn’t suffice anymore: consumers now expect packaging to be personalized.
Online stores that ship goods are also judged for each effort they provide. And for that, they have to take attentive care of their shipping packaging solution!
Now that online shopping has become a common practice, it is no longer enough for packaging to carry your customers’ items safely and efficiently for them to be satisfied with it. Nowadays, you also have to pay close attention to the aesthetic of your shipping packaging, as it now plays a big role as well.
In fact, a study has found that as much as 63% of consumers agree that packaging is as important as the brand itself, which makes eye-catching shipping packaging solutions very powerful tools to attract and retain customers.
To make your packaging catch the attention of your clients, a lot of options are available to you. For example, our highly customizable Co-Ex Filbags allow you among other things to pick a custom color and material, to add features to enhance its practicality, or even to choose a personalized overprint!
It may not be obvious, but shipping packaging is an integral part of a brand’s promotion, as it can help you connect with your customers by conveying to them what your company stands for.
This is even more true when sustainability is one of them, as you can easily communicate your will to protect the environment through your choice of packaging itself. For instance, if you decide to propose to your customers some recyclable and recycled packaging, you will create a long-lasting effect on them.
According to the study that was previously mentioned, 70% of consumers have stated that they form their impression of a brand based solely on packaging. This shows that if you neglect it, you are essentially missing an opportunity to easily seduce close to 3/4th of consumers!
Aside from the obvious security and solidity factors that once were enough to satisfy online shoppers, the boom of ecommerce and the raising of awareness for environmental issues have made surface new requirements in terms of shipping packaging for consumers.
Not only do they now expect companies to put effort into the aesthetics of their solutions, but they also want them to pay close attention to their impact on the planet!
Keeping your final consumers’ expectations in mind will help you choose the best packaging for your brand. It will not only show that you care about your clients, but also that you are a modern and responsible company which proposes concrete solutions to today’s shopping challenges.
Discover our ecological shipping and courier packaging now:
