Aside from the products you sell, the costs for packaging and shipping are often the biggest expense for online supplement and nutraceutical companies. As the health and wellness category continues to grow, so grows the competition. This means companies need more focus than ever on controlling costs while still providing a unique customer experience.
These ideas may seem to be inherently in conflict, but they aren’t with the right approach. It’s really just a matter of being smart and knowing what details to think about with your packaging and shipping decisions.
Packaging is important because it protects your products during shipping. Compared to some other products, supplements have it pretty good – since many are small and not too fragile. Yet the right packaging plays a big part in shaping the customer experience. Given many health and wellness products sell at a premium and are in many ways “lifestyle” purchases, customers are expecting the products to arrive with special presentation, not just brown box packaging.
Special packaging comes with a cost. You know your clients so it’s really an individual choice to decide what packaging to use and how much extra expense is worth it. But, here are some things to think about.
Nicer packaging is expensive. For example, having your boxes custom printed with your logo will look good, no doubt. But custom printed boxes are expensive. Think about using small color printed labels instead. Your fulfillment operation can affix the labels to regular boxes as orders ship to give your products a customer look.
Big packaging is expensive. Oversized boxes and packaging materials can cost you in more ways than just the expense of the materials themselves. More weight and bigger size can make your shipping more expensive too. Every ounce matters, so as you consider different packaging make sure you consider what the added bulk will mean for shipping costs.
Many order fulfillment providers can be helpful when it comes to specialized packaging and order customization. Ask for their advice on the best and most efficient ways to add personalization and a little extra presentation to your customer’s orders. While you are at it, ask how you can optimize the shipping methods you are using. Shipping is always a trade off of how long a delivery takes and the cost. A good warehouse partner will help you optimize the best shipping method for you to use every time. After all, packaging and shipping is what they do.