For the brick-and-mortar retail store owner, framing the first dollar they ever earned and hanging it in plain sight of everyone visiting their establishment is a proud tradition. But what if you sell your products online? It’s not quite as straightforward, but here’s some food for thought. That first sale is not only the first step towards success, it’s the start of an online seller’s biggest challenges, namely shipping the products he or she has sold. Remember, as an online retailer, you won’t be making that first dollar until you know that the customer has safely received it.

Develop the right Packing and Shipping Strategies

If you want to keep your business operating as competitively as possible, you have to develop the right packing and shipping strategies, and that’s where the Philadelphia Mailroom can help. One of the most important components to the right strategy is cost-efficient packing and shipping. The goal is to keep cost down and profit margins high. Predictable shipping strategies and clear return policies will help you meet that goal more often than not.

Packaging and Shipping done the Cost-Efficient Way

First and foremost, cost-efficient does not mean “cheap.” When you’re developing a packaging and shipping strategy, NEVER go with the cheapest option. Improper and inadequate packaging will result in damaged product returns and unsatisfied customers that will never buy from you again. Use packaging that fits your sold items snugly and filler materials to reduce and absorb impact. This can:

  • Reduce the cost of filler material because you’ll use less.
  • Reduce dimension-based shipping costs.

You want to be sure you have a sufficient inventory of different shapes, sizes, and styles of boxes so all sold items are packaged properly. If you are shipping the same or similar items, then using the same materials uniformly may make the most sense.

Damaged goods bring down the credibility of businesses and that is why it is important to not only use good quality packing material but ensure that all goods are packed safely. Some of the more common types of packaging we recommend at the Philadelphia Mailroom include:

  • Bubble mailers
  • Cardboard boxes
  • Cardboard mailers
  • Cardboard poster tubes
  • Fold-up Kraft mailers

For filler materials, consider air pillows, bubble wrap, molded styrofoam, packing paper, and packing peanuts. These products can be bought in bulk from several sources. Make sure that the packaging materials you purchase fall in line with FedEx and UPS’s
shipping guidelines and regulations. This is especially true if you’re going to be packing and shipping fragile, irregularly shaped, or potentially hazardous items. If you fulfill orders on the e-Commerce platforms, be sure you research their guidelines as well.

To learn more about saving money through cost-efficient packaging and shipping, call the Philadelphia Mailroom at (215) 745-1000 or visit our website today.