Packaging That Ships Safe and Looks Good
How to design product packaging that survives the carrier network and delights the customer at unboxing. Materials, testing methods, and design principles.
Packaging That Ships Safe and Looks Good
I once ordered a ceramic planter from a small shop on Etsy. It arrived in a plain brown box with a single sheet of newspaper crumpled around it. The planter was in four pieces. The seller refunded me, reshipped with better packaging (still broke), refunded again, and eventually gave up. Three planters, three shipments, zero successful deliveries. That seller lost about $120 on a $35 sale because of packaging.
On the other end of the spectrum, I ordered a phone case from a direct-to-consumer brand. It arrived in a custom-printed box with a magnetic closure, tissue paper, a sticker, and a handwritten thank-you note. The packaging probably cost more than the phone case. Looked amazing. Totally unnecessary for a flexible silicone case that could survive being thrown against a wall.
Good packaging lives in the middle. It protects the product through the carrier network and looks good when the customer opens it. Not under-engineered. Not over-engineered. Just right.
How Packages Get Damaged
Before designing packaging, you need to understand what happens to your package during transit. It's rougher than you think. Each leg of the journey presents unique challenges that can jeopardize your shipment.
The Journey of a Package
From the moment a package leaves your hands, it's subject to a series of potentially damaging processes. During pickup, packages are often tossed into trucks, risking impact and stacking damage. In sort facilities, they travel on conveyor belts and chutes, facing drops of three to five feet and compression from other parcels. During line haul transport, whether by truck or air, packages endure constant vibration and fluctuating temperature and humidity. At the destination sort facility, the process repeats, with the added threat of compression. In delivery vehicles, packages are stacked again and can shift during transit, and final delivery often exposes them to weather conditions or the risk of theft when left on a doorstep.
Understanding these phases helps you anticipate the risks and design packaging that can withstand them.
ISTA Test Standards
The International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) provides test protocols that simulate real-world shipping conditions. Knowing what your package faces helps you design for it. For instance, the ISTA 1A standard includes a drop test from 30 inches on every face, edge, and corner, as well as a compression test with 100-200 lbs stacked on top. Vibration tests simulate the constant movement during truck transport, while climate conditioning tests ensure your packaging holds up under extreme temperature and humidity. The ISTA 3A standard combines random vibration and drop tests to mimic actual shipping scenarios.
You don't need a lab to test your packaging. A simple DIY test involves dropping the package from waist height onto concrete, six times (once on each face). Then open it. If the product survived, your packaging works. If not, redesign.
Packaging Materials Guide
Choosing the right materials for both the outer and inner packaging is crucial for protecting your products and managing costs.
Outer Packaging (What the Carrier Sees)
The outer packaging is what shields your product from the external environment and the rigors of transportation. Single-wall corrugated boxes with a 32 ECT (Edge Crush Test) rating are standard for most products under 20 lbs, while a 44 ECT rating offers more strength for heavier or fragile items. Double-wall corrugated boxes are suitable for items over 30 lbs or high-value products due to their heavy-duty nature. Poly mailers offer a flexible, water-resistant option for clothing and soft goods, and padded mailers provide light cushioning for small hard goods and books. Rigid mailers are ideal for keeping documents, photos, and vinyl records flat and protected.
An ECT measures how much compression a box can handle. The higher the ECT, the stronger the box. For example, a 32 ECT box can handle a max stacking weight of 65 lbs, making it suitable for standard shipping, while a 71 ECT box can support up to 180 lbs, ideal for industrial or heavy items.
Inner Packaging (What Protects the Product)
The inner packaging provides cushioning and stability for your product. Air pillows offer good protection and are recyclable. Kraft paper, crumpled for extra cushioning, is both recyclable and compostable. Bubble wrap, though less eco-friendly, provides excellent cushioning. Foam-in-place offers a custom fit but isn't eco-friendly. Molded pulp inserts and corrugated inserts provide structured support and are compostable or recyclable, respectively. Honeycomb paper wrap offers a combination of wrapping and cushioning with recyclability.
The 2-Inch Rule
To ensure adequate protection, there should be at least 2 inches of cushioning material between the product and every wall of the outer box. This rule applies to all six sides. For fragile items, consider increasing this to 3 inches. For extremely fragile items, double-boxing is recommended: place the product in an inner box with cushioning, then place that box inside an outer box with additional cushioning.
Designing for the Unboxing Experience
While protection ensures the product arrives intact, the unboxing experience shapes customer perception and satisfaction. Both aspects are important, but protection must always come first.
The Unboxing Hierarchy
Unboxing experiences can be categorized into different levels. Level 1 is purely functional, using a brown box to keep the product safe. Level 2 introduces branding elements like custom tape or stickers and tissue paper, creating a "nice touch" for customers. Level 3 involves a custom-printed box with a branded interior, offering a premium feel. Level 4, the pinnacle of unboxing experiences, includes full custom packaging with inserts and extras, enticing customers to share their experience.
Most businesses should aim for Level 2 or 3. Level 1 is forgettable, while Level 4 is typically reserved for luxury or high-margin products.
Cost-Effective Branding Touches
Implementing branding elements doesn't have to break the bank. A custom sticker on the box can seal it with a branded touch, while custom packing tape can replace generic tape for added impact. Branded tissue paper is an inexpensive way to wrap the product inside. Including a thank-you card with a discount code offers a personal touch and encourages repeat purchases. Custom boxes, whether single or full-color, significantly enhance the unboxing experience.
The highest ROI branding element is a thank-you card with a discount code. It costs around $0.15, drives repeat purchases, and customers often keep them on their desks as a reminder.
Sustainable Packaging
Sustainability is increasingly important to consumers, with 72% preferring brands that use sustainable packaging. Substituting traditional materials with sustainable versions can make a significant difference. For instance, replacing bubble wrap with honeycomb paper wrap or using paper air pillows instead of plastic ones can reduce environmental impact. Compostable mailers and recycled content boxes also offer eco-friendly alternatives. The cost difference for sustainable materials is decreasing, often within 10-20% of traditional options.
What to Print on the Box
If opting for custom packaging, consider what to print both outside and inside the box. On the outside, include your logo (elegantly sized), brand colors, and necessary handling instructions like "Handle with care" or "This side up." Consider adding a social media handle subtly and ensure the return address is clear. Avoid printing the product name or value to deter theft, and don't rely on "Fragile" labels as carriers often disregard them.
Inside the box, consider a welcome message, unboxing instructions (if needed), a QR code linking to product care or setup guides, and a prompt for social media sharing. Include return and exchange information for added convenience.
Right-Sizing: Stop Shipping Air
Shipping oversized packages is a common mistake that can inflate costs unnecessarily. A product that fits in a 6x6x4 box but is shipped in a 12x12x8 box results in increased dimensional weight charges, more void fill needed, and higher damage risk due to increased movement within the box.
Dimensional Weight Formula
Carriers charge based on dimensional weight, calculated using the formula: DIM weight = (L x W x H) / DIM divisor. A larger box size increases the DIM weight and subsequently, the cost. For example, shipping a 1.5 lb product in a 12x12x8 box results in paying for 8.3 lbs of DIM weight, significantly higher than if shipped in a right-sized box.
How to Right-Size
Poly Mailer vs. Box Decision
Deciding between a poly mailer and a box depends on several factors. Use a poly mailer if the product is soft, flexible, or weighs less than 1 lb, especially when cost is a priority. Use a box if the product is fragile, needs to arrive flat, or when customer experience is paramount.
Testing Your Packaging
The Kitchen Counter Test
Before committing to new packaging for mass orders, test with a small batch:
If the product survives, your packaging is solid.
Real-World Testing
Ship 5-10 test packages to friends or employees across different zones. Ask them to photograph the box condition upon arrival and the product's condition inside. Real-world feedback is invaluable.
Monitor damage rates over time and take action if targets are missed. For instance, if the overall damage rate is over 1%, consider upgrading cushioning. For specific SKUs with high damage rates, create custom inserts.
The Cost-Protection-Experience Triangle
Every packaging decision is a balance of cost, protection, and experience. You can easily optimize for any two, but achieving all three requires careful consideration.
- Low cost + good protection: A basic brown box with appropriate void fill, functional but unspectacular.
- Low cost + great experience: A branded sticker on a plain box, providing minimum viable branding.
- Great protection + great experience: A custom-molded insert in a printed box, offering a premium feel at a higher cost.
- All three: A right-sized branded box with efficient cushioning, the ideal balance.
For businesses aiming to optimize their shipping process, atoship offers a streamlined way to manage logistics, ensuring cost-effective and reliable delivery solutions tailored to your needs.
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