Small Shipping Boxes Can Cut Down Your Shipping Costs

Small Shipping Boxes

If you are frustrated by the ever-increasing costs associated with shipping, there’s good news. There are plenty of ways for you to save on shipping if you know where to look, including the use of small shipping boxes. By ensuring your boxes are the proper size and taking other steps, you can reduce your shipping expenses.

The Right Sized Small Shipping Box Can Reduce Shipping Costs

If you are packaging your products in boxes that are too large, you could be spending way too much money on shipping. These boxes will require more packaging materials inside to keep your items safe, and since they’ll be heavier, you’ll need to pay more for shipping. When choosing a shipping box, make sure the empty space inside is minimal, and you should pay less when it comes time to send out your shipments.

Other Ways to Cut Your Shipping Costs

In addition to using small shipping boxes to reduce the size and weight of your packages, there are other ways that you can save on shipping costs:

  • Find discounted supplies. Packing supply costs can add up quickly, but there are ways that you can save. Choose a reliable packaging supply company and buy your boxes for shipping in bulk in order to receive them at a lower price.
  • Negotiate your shipping rates. Companies like FedEx and UPS are happy to have your business long-term, so they will likely provide incentives for you to continue shipping with them. Make a phone call to each company to get a quote on your shipping costs, and let them know you are shopping around. They may end up offering a significant discount to secure your business.
  • Use a postage meter. This portable tool includes a scale that will weigh packages to assess your exact charges. You’ll eliminate the need for buying over-postage “just to be safe.”
  • Consolidate when needed. If you are sending out a shipment that exceeds 150 pounds, consider using a freight consolidation service that will combine your shipment with others in one truck.
  • Get your shipping refunds. UPS and FedEx both have money-back guarantees, often relating to delivery time. Anywhere from 2%-10% of the time, these companies don’t meet their guarantee, and your business is entitled to a refund. Make sure that you follow through with receiving reimbursement.

You could be paying way too much when it comes to your shipping costs. By following these tips, you should be able to reduce your shipping budget.

Discounted Boxes and Cartons from Canada to Washington State

Boxes and Cartons

As a small business owner, you likely have a lot of expenses to deal with. From marketing to paying your staff, every penny that you spend adds up quickly. So, when the opportunity to get a deal pops up, you’ll gladly take it, right? That’s exactly what you can do by ordering your discounted cartons and boxes from Canada.

Get Your Boxes at a Discounted Rate

When living in the Northwest, one of the best ways to save on your business packaging costs is to order discounted boxes and cartons from Canada to Washington State. With the current exchange rate, Americans are getting more for their money than ever before when purchasing Canadian products. By saving money on your boxes and cartons, you’ll have more left to invest in other areas of your business and marketing efforts.

Other Ways to Save on Packaging Costs

While shipping corrugated folding cartons to Washington State from Canada is liable to save your business a ton of money, there are other ways that you can save on your packaging costs, as well:

  • Buy in bulk. Look for suppliers that offer bulk orders, as you’ll often get a discount for buying in bulk. This doesn’t have to be the biggest supplier, either.
  • Make sure boxes are the right size. Packaging experts say that there should be no more than two inches of dead space between the box and your product. Choosing smaller boxes will save you money by reducing the amount of packaging materials you need and by cutting down your shipping costs.
  • Reduce your labor costs. You should always be looking for ways that you can improve operational efficiency. You may be able to do this by training your workers, ensuring your equipment is in proper working order, or by streamlining your processes.
  • Maintain equipment and tools. You should be sure to have a preventative maintenance program established for any packaging equipment or tools that you use in your business. Create a schedule that outlines when equipment is inspected and maintained, and be sure to document these operations. Make sure that your employees know how they can report a potential problem.
  • Find a full-service supplier. Choosing a packaging supplier that is reliable and experienced could save you a ton of money, as they’ll be able to help you choose the packaging solutions that are right for you.

Don’t allow your business to pay too much for boxes and cartons any longer. Take advantage of the low prices in Canada to receive your discounted packaging materials.

Packaging and Shipping Supplies from Canada to Idaho

Packaging and Shipping Supplies

 

If you are planning to move in the near future, it is important that you invest in the right supplies in order to make the process go as smoothly as possible. Quality should be your top priority, but you’ll also want to make sure you find supplies that are affordable. There are a variety of things to keep in mind when preparing for your move, including the great deals on packaging supplies that you may be able to acquire across the border in Canada.

Select the Right Boxes

When preparing for your move and acquiring moving supplies, one of your biggest expenses can come from finding enough boxes. Some people get around this issue by going from store to store asking for any empty boxes that might be left over, but professional moving companies don’t recommend this approach. You’ll be left with a collection of boxes of all sizes and shapes, making it more difficult for the movers to pack the truck efficiently. Instead, take some time to search for standard-size boxes that are offered at an affordable price.

Invest in Packing Wrap

There are a variety of packing materials out there that can keep your valuables protected during your move. Paper is the most economical option, and it is a good choice for small knickknacks, dinnerware, and other kitchen supplies. It is also the most eco-friendly choice, although bubble wrap also has its benefits. Bubble wrap will trump paper when it comes to providing added protection to your expensive or precious household items.

Find Low Cost Options

Moving is an expensive endeavor, as you’ll need to pay for the truck, movers, your down payment on a new home, and transportation costs. These costs can all add up quickly, but one way that you can save is by buying shipping accessories from Canada. Living in the Northwest gives you a distinct advantage to getting good deals across the border. Packaging and shipping supplies from Canada to Idaho are a great buy, as the lower exchange rate has made them more affordable than ever.

Use Items that You Already Have

If you are looking for additional packing material to wrap up your valuables in your shipping boxes, consider items that you already have at home. Bath towels are a good option, as they can effectively wrap multiple items and will fit into boxes snugly. Sweaters and sweatpants are also great choices.

Shopping for packaging and shipping supplies for your move doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. By following a few simple tips and taking advantage of the great deals in Canada, you’ll get all of your moving supplies without busting your budget.

Paper or Plastic Wrapping Materials

Wrapping Materials
At the checkout line of the grocery store, customers are asked the simple question: paper or plastic? It is not a big or difficult decision for the customer to make. Most of the bags they get from the grocery store end up in the recycle bin anyway. Businesses that ship their products anywhere also have to ask themselves the same question. Should they use paper or plastic wrapping materials? For businesses, the decision is not always so easy. They need to take into consideration how the choice they make will impact their business.

Some businesses may choose to use only paper wrapping materials, while others will turn to plastic. For most business the solution comes in a combination of them. The flexibility that is offered by using both paper and plastic can make sense. To figure out what to use, it is best to look at the differences between the two.

Paper materials

Paper wrapping materials come in a few different forms, but the two most common are roll paper and tissue or newsprint paper. The roll paper is often used to wrap around a box. It provides a durable surface that is easy to print on. It can come in different strengths. Tissue paper and newsprint are much lighter types of material. It is not best used on the outside of boxes because it is easily torn or ripped. It is best used as protection inside of a box to keep the contents of the box from being damaged.

Plastic materials

The two common types of plastic materials used are pallet wrap and polyethylene tubing. These materials are used to hold together large groups of boxes or product. They offer more protection than paper does and can help prevent trouble with water. They are less likely to tear or rip easily and are much stronger than paper materials.

Making the choice will depend on the business that is using them. Paper materials are often heavier than plastic wrapping materials. They are also not as strong or as durable. They are considered to be more environmentally friendly and allow for printing on the paper. The plastic is much better at holding together products and adding more protection than the paper does.

Finding a balance of these two materials is not always easy to do. Businesses have to consider the cost of the products, how they would use them and how they could store them. When they figure out all of these things, they may have the answer to paper or plastic.

Who Can Use Custom Box Dividers

Custom Box Dividers
When it comes to shipping, there are several things that matter and need to be taken into consideration. For anyone that is starting an e-commerce business that plans on shipping their products to their customers, one of the most important things to consider is the type of packaging that will be used. Customers expect anything that is being shipped to be delivered without damage. The businesses that are shipping the products want to meet these expectations at the lowest possible expense. For that reason, e-commerce companies should take the time to learn how to use custom box dividers.

What do the dividers do

Cardboard box partitions serve several purposes. They can help protect the contents of the box from damage that is caused by the contents smashing into each other. They can also allow for more items to be placed into the box safely.

The most common way that the dividers are used is separating products that are the same size and shape. Bottles are one of the most common products to use dividers. A box that would only hold one bottle safely and would require extra packaging material to keep the bottle in place can suddenly be transformed into a box that contains a dozen bottles separate and safe. The dividers allow the shipper to put more similar sized bottles in one box, thus reducing the cost of packaging. There are many other products that are easily packed in boxes that use the dividers.

What do custom dividers do

While there are standard dividers that can be used, many businesses would be better off utilizing custom box dividers. These dividers can be designed to fit the product that is being packaged and the box that it is being packed in. The result is a box and dividers that fit the products properly and do a better job at protecting the. The boxes can fit the products snugly while not crushing the products. They also can fit the size of the box, leaving less room for the goods to move around.

Custom dividers mean that it is not necessary to have products that are all the same size and shape. It becomes possible to have different sized products that are still separated and protected by the dividers. All that it requires is coming up with the right design for the cardboard box partitions to fit the packaging.

Packaging is almost as important as the product that is being sold. Smart e-commerce businesses are quickly learning how to use the custom partitions.

E-Commerce Business and Cardboard Shipping Boxes

Cardboard Shipping Boxes
Many people are deciding to try and set up an e-commerce website. They hope that they can make a lot of money offering products to people online. It sounds simple. You find something to sell that people want to buy, offer it online and watch the orders roll in.

It may seem simple, but often the e-commerce businesses begin to fail when it is time to deliver the products that have been ordered. Shipping the goods to the person is often the most difficult part of operating an e-commerce business. It involves a lot of different things, including having the right cardboard boxes to get the job done.

Things to consider about the boxes

There are many things that the e-commerce business has to think about when it comes to the boxes. These can include:

  • The size of the box – Cardboard shipping boxes can come in almost any size. If an e-commerce business is shipping only one product, it is relatively simple to choose a box that is the right size. When there are different products of different sizes, the process becomes a little more difficult. If the boxes are too big, they will require extra packaging material to keep everything safe. The boxes cannot be too small either. It is usually necessary to have several different size boxes on hand to get the job done right.
  • The shape of the box – Most boxes are a simple cube, but they can also come in custom shapes that can fit the products better.
  • Packaging material – The cardboard boxes offer some protection, but there will also be a need for more packing material to keep the contents of the box safe. The packaging material can include bubble wrap, Styrofoam, partitions and custom foam inserts.
  • Printing – The graphic designs on cardboard shipping boxes can serve as an excellent marketing tool along with other things. It can help make an e-commerce business look more professional and can enhance their reputation.
  • Storage – The biggest issue that a small e-commerce business may have with boxes is storing them until they are needed. This requires some space, but because most boxes can lie flat until they are needed, it may not be as big an issue as some may think. Of course, the boxes that are not being used do represent an investment by the business that will have to be recouped.

Using Custom Printed Die Cut Boxes as a Marketing Tool

Die Cut Boxes
One of the keys to success in business today is marketing. Most small businesses and online businesses do not have the marketing budget of the big companies. They cannot afford to advertise on television, but that does not mean they cannot effectively market their business. There are plenty of alternatives that they can turn to. One opportunity that many businesses miss out on is the use of custom printed die cut boxes.

More than Just a box

The boxes that hold products or that are used to ship products may be an afterthought for some businesses. They may think that the only purpose the boxes serve is to hold and protect whatever is inside until it reaches its destination. Once it arrives, the box can be emptied and discarded. The best hope for these boxes are that they end up in the recycle bin so they can be reused in some way.

Smart businesses are starting to look at the boxes their products in as an opportunity and they are turning to a custom die cut box. These boxes can be used in many different ways from ballot boxes to suitcase boxes. They not only hold the things inside; they serve other purposes. They can be used to display products, and they can be reused for other purposes. They do not have to end up in the trash or in the recycle bin.

Boxes for marketing

The fact that a custom die cut box is seen by more than one purpose opens up other opportunities for the businesses that use them. The ability to add custom graphics to the boxes means that a business can use it to advertise their business. Adding a logo, information about the business, the business name and other things onto the box allow many people to see them.

The longer a box is used; the more people will be able to see them. It can spread the word of a business to many people along the way. This is a tactic that has been used for advertising for a long time. It is similar to word of mouth advertising, but instead uses the custom printed die cut boxes to spread the news.

It can be difficult to use this marketing tool for some businesses. It is important to make sure that the boxes are designed the right way to hold the products in it. They should also be designed for more than one useful purpose. On top of that, the graphic design will play a role in how effective the advertising is. It is a package that could benefit many businesses.

How are Custom Foam Inserts Made

Custom Foam Inserts
The growth of e-commerce businesses means that more people are shipping packages. When someone buys a product from a website they have certain expectations. They expect to get the product they ordered, and they expect it to do what it promises. Those expectations are something that many e-commerce sites have little control over. There is one other thing that customers expect that the businesses do have control over. Customers expect the products to arrive at their home undamaged. In order to do that, it is important to make sure that the packaging of the product protects it.

One of the best ways to protect a product during shipping and handling is through the use of custom foam inserts. The foam inserts surround the product and are made to fit the product snugly. They do not allow the product to move around during shipping and protect it from damage. If the box is dropped or hit with an object. They may not be the perfect way to protect every product that is shipped, but they do help a lot of different products.

If a business wants to use custom box inserts, they may want to learn how they are made. It is not a very difficult process.

  • Figure out what products the insert has to hold – Many custom foam inserts hold several pieces of the product. Each piece needs to have a special place in the insert.
  • Come up with the layout – Once all the pieces of the product are decided upon, it is necessary to decide how they will be laid out in the packaging. This layout can be provided to the manufacturer of the inserts so they can design the final product.
  • Determine the box to be used – The custom inserts not only have to fit the products they hold; they also have to fit the box they will be placed in. The size of the box will affect the design of the custom foam inserts.

Once all of these things are done, the manufacturer can then finish the design and make the mold for the inserts. They then inject foam into the mold and the inserts are done. They can be shipped to the business that needs them for use with their products.

Custom box inserts are growing in popularity because of the protection they provide and the way they can display the products they hold. It is the best option for many e-commerce businesses.

There are Several Types of Cardboard Box Dividers

Cardboard Box Dividers
Many people are familiar with the cardboard box dividers that are used to keep bottles of wine separated in the box. They understand that the purpose of the dividers is to keep the bottles that are inside of the box from hitting each other and breaking open. While many are familiar with seeing these boxes used for liquor that is not the only way that box divers can be used. The flimsy pieces of cardboard are also not the only type of divider that is being used. Businesses that ship products should make themselves aware of the different types of box dividers that can be used.

Corrugated Box Dividers – Corrugated cardboard is a type of cardboard that involves the use of a piece of folded paper that is glued to two other pieces of paper. The result is a cardboard product that is stronger and that can also be made to resist water. Corrugated dividers are made of this type of cardboard. These divers are stronger and offer more protection for the products that they separate in the box. They are better for stacking and are better for use in boxes that are taller.

Fiber Dividers – These dividers are becoming a popular choice because of some of the benefits that they offer. They require less paper to make than corrugated dividers do. They can also be made to fit better and more custom than other dividers. They offer good lateral protection for products that are stored inside of the box. They also take up less space both during shipping and for storage.

Chipboard Dividers – These also require less space than the traditional corrugated products while still offering the protection that is needed. Because they require less material to make, they are less expensive. They are also capable of holding each product in the box separately, to offer maximum protection.

There are many businesses that are selling their products online. That means that they need to ship their items to the customers that buy them. When cardboard box dividers are used, the business is able to ship more items in every box, yet they are still able to provide the customer with one of the main things that the customer wants. The product arrives undamaged. The more a business understands about the different types of dividers and what they offer, the easier it is for them to decide which ones will be best for them.

The Need for Shipping Materials is Growing

Shipping Supplies
More businesses than ever before are looking for the right shipping materials. The reason for this need can be traced to the internet. Not only are the big retail stores pushing online sales, many small businesses are being created that sell products online. The one thing that selling online means for all businesses, big and small is that there has to be a way to deliver the products that are being sold. That has caused an increase in the demand for shipping materials.

One of the issues with materials for shipping is the expectations that come with them. While it is okay to have expectations, problems arise when the expectations of the customers and the businesses differ. While they are often similar, there are also things that set the expectations of these two parties apart. Understanding the needs of both of these groups can help the business make the best decisions when it comes to choosing the right shipping supplies.

The Customer’s Expectations

A customer expects to receive the items they buy online in a timely fashion. They also expect the items to be undamaged during the shipping process. The packaging of the products can impact both of these areas. Businesses that have the materials on hand to properly package the products can get them to the shipper faster. The faster they can do this, the faster the product will get to the customer.

Products also need to be packaged properly to prevent them from being damaged. Fragile items will need more protection. They may require foam packaging materials that conform around the product. Other items may not require more than a little paper wrapped around them to protect them. Choosing the right shipping supplies is paramount to delivering the products without any damage.

The Business’s Expectations

A business expects to be able to package their products easily, and they expect to do it affordably. The profits that an online business earns can quickly disappear if they spend too much on packaging. Finding the lowest cost supplier of the packaging materials is essential to any business that has to ship its products.

Shipping products easily also requires having the right materials on hand and being able to store them effectively. Companies that plan for shipping are able to make sure they are sending out their products quickly and easily.

When the demands of the customers and the businesses are met with the right packaging materials, it makes everyone happy. When everyone is happy, the growth of online sales will continue.

[12/29/15]