The packaging sector has undergone a revolution in recent years – starting with the Covid19 pandemic, which further boosted the e-commerce trend (that had already been strengthening even before that). This growth was so great that it caused an increase in prices and even a lack of inputs for the production of cardboard boxes and other products derived from cellulose.
But what will come next? What are the trends related to cardboard packaging for the coming years? Thinking about it – and to help those who use this type of material on a daily basis, we prepared this post with some data related to the years to come.
Will the Packaging Segment Continue to Grow?
Yes! According to a survey by Smithers, a multinational company specialized in testing, consulting, information and compliance services, there will be an increase in the packaging market in the next five years. The research, called The Future of Global Packaging to 2024, indicates that this market is expected to grow from US$ 917 billion to US$ 1.05 trillion by 2024. The sector’s annual growth (CAGR) is expected to be 2.8%. Within this growth, the Asian market stands out as the largest global consumer of packaging, followed by North America and Western Europe.
Trends in the Segment
Among the trends for the next three years pointed out by the Report, some stand out, such as:
- Sustainability
Sustainability has been in focus for some years and this should intensify in the coming years. Environmental issues ceased to be a discussion for academics a long time ago and consumers want to get involved in them too – we have already seen here that cardboard packaging gains the preference of those who shop online precisely for this reason. Cardboard boxes are more easily recyclable and compostable than other types of packaging.
For this reason, the Smithers Report predicts that cardboard boxes will continue to rise, accompanied by materials such as paper, recyclable plastic (PET) and bioplastics. Non-recyclable plastics should have a drop, as well as the use of unnecessary secondary packaging (such as putting an item of clothing in a non-recyclable plastic packaging and then in a cardboard packaging to be sent to the purchaser, for example).
- Asian Growth
As already mentioned above, the Asian market is the main consumer of packaging and this should intensify in the coming years. The main sectors cited by the survey are food, luxury products and cosmetics.
- Flexible Packaging
Flexible packaging will gain more and more space. This means that there are more companies selling online choosing to replace inner packaging (such as metal tins and glass jars) with high barrier film packaging for food, for example – so the outer cardboard boxes hold more products. In addition, it is a type of packaging that preserves the products better.
- Growth of the Wellness Industry
The consumption of products linked to wellness and healthcare should boost the use of packaging in this segment, which should surpass that of pharmaceutical products.
- Convenience
Talking again about food packaging, a segment that we should see growing in the coming years is packaging for on-the-go consumption, such as easy-open and reseal components.
Cardboard Boxes in Vancouver
As we saw above, everything indicates that online shopping – and consequently the use of cardboard boxes – should continue to rise in the coming years. If your company still doesn’t sell via e-commerce, maybe it’s the ideal time to start – and we can help you with cardboard packaging.
The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift from physical to virtual stores around the world. This boom in online sales has caused a significant increase in the number of users and revenue. According to data presented by Italian consultancy Finaria.it, the number of e-commerce users increased by 9.5% year-on-year amid the coronavirus outbreak and reached more than 3.4 billion in 2020. For 2021, the estimate is that the consolidated for the year indicates growth of over 10%, reaching 3.8 billion.
This new contingent of online shoppers was reflected in the increase in revenue: the increase was 25% to US$ 2.43 trillion in 2020. Many retail platforms have witnessed an unprecedented increase in traffic in the past year, surpassing even the peaks of the holiday seasons. Statistics show that global e-commerce revenues are expected to reach over $2.7 trillion in 2021 and continue to rise to $3.4 trillion in 2025.
And if there is more online shopping – in this case, much more! – there are more packages being used to ship these products home to their new owners. We have already talked about how cardboard boxes are the favorite of those who buy via the internet for a number of reasons. But do you know what else has changed in consumer behavior over the last couple of years? That’s exactly what we’re going to talk about in today’s article.
What Are Consumers Looking For?
- Security
As of 2020, many people who had never done online shopping decided to do so. Mainly motivated by the search for safety: consumers wanted to receive their products at home without putting themselves and their families at risk. Therefore, the expectation that these people have is that the packaging is safe and suitable for that type of product.
So think about it: if you have a restaurant and delivery service, for example, be extra careful and choose packaging that fits your product, that arrives intact and sealed to the customer. If you sell other types of product, which can be delivered by courier, you can include a note or flyers that indicates that the product has been safely packaged, by people wearing gloves and a face mask, for example.
They are small details but that make a difference and make your brand remembered by the consumer.
- Sustainability
Sustainability is a factor that consumers increasingly value. More than that, they have preferred to spend their money with companies that are socially concerned. So use this to your advantage – avoid the unnecessary use of plastic and emphasize the use of cardboard boxes, made from easily recyclable and affordable material. Companies that are not environmentally responsible may lose customers in the coming years.
- Different Ways of Delivery
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, online shopping is here to stay. Even those who weren’t used to it are enjoying the time savings and practicality of this type of purchase. This behavior led to the emergence of different forms of delivery in addition to the traditional one via courier. Today it is even easier to shop online at a pharmacy or supermarket, for example, also pay online and choose to pick up your products at the store. This saves the consumer time and money (since there is no shipping!).
And in this case, packaging continues to play an important role: what the consumer expects is to arrive to pick up their purchase and find it packed in boxes suitable for what they bought. In this way, they see the company as a brand concerned with trust, time savings, the safety of its customers and the good condition of its products.
Cardboard Box Manufacturer in Canada
If you sell products online – either for courier delivery or for local deliveries – please contact us at Racer Boxes. We can help you with your demand and we have a delivery time of up to 14 days.
The delivery of products at home is one of the last phases of a long journey that begins when the customer visits your e-commerce. After all, when someone completes a purchase in a physical store, the relationship between him or her and the store ends there. However, when the purchase is made online, there is a whole chain that goes into action from the moment the purchase is completed until the delivery of the order to the recipient.
Many entrepreneurs do not stop to think about this subject, but paying attention to the shipping process and creating ways to positively surprise the customer in the delivery of products can represent a differential for e-commerce. In fact, there are many details that can be taken into account to take your online store to another level when it comes to valuing the customer experience. That’s what we’ll be dealing with from now on. Let’s go!
Start With the Basics
Before thinking about the unboxing experience (more on that below!), you need to master the basics of selling online. That is: if a person makes a purchase on your website, they expect to receive that product in good condition and on the indicated date, right? So packaging must be done carefully to ensure that the object will not be damaged during transport. So you need to use good quality packaging that is appropriate for the type of product you sell. If it’s a personalized package that has your brand’s identity, even better.
It is also important to choose the ideal carrier to take that type of packaging and hire the right freight to transport it. As you may already know, each carrier has its own protocols, and they offer different types of deliveries for different needs. Research well to offer the best cost-benefit to your customers.
Information Is Everything
If you’ve mastered the basics described above, let’s take it a step further. One of the most important details that you should pay attention to when we talk about product delivery is the tracking. To ensure customer satisfaction, it is of paramount importance that he or she is informed about the entire path that the order takes, from shipment to arrival at the agreed address.
Parcel tracking is beneficial for the business in several aspects, including:
– Helps control customer anxiety.
– Assists in building the good reputation of e-commerce.
– Enables quick actions in atypical situations, aiming to solve possible problems
– Avoid re-deliveries (which happen when there is no one at the address to receive the order).
The more information the consumer receives about the trajectory of his purchase, the greater the chances of him or her buying again in your online store.
Unboxing Experience
Do you know what an unboxing experience is? As the meaning itself suggests, worrying about unboxing experience means providing the customer with a differentiated experience when unpacking the product. But how can this be done? It is not necessary to spend a lot to surprise the customer. Small actions that demonstrate the merchant’s care for the customer already have a great positive impact.
A simple thing that the shopkeeper can do is write a small thank you note, preferably by hand, and leave it inside the package for the customer to find as soon as the package is open. Another idea is to use colored papers, or even customized ones with the brand’s visual identity, to wrap the order. In addition to beautifying the packaging, these papers can still be kept by the customer for personal use.
In addition, there are a number of other strategies that can be used, it all depends on each segment. Clothing stores, for example, might have a signature fragrance and spray it a little on the box before closing the package and sending it to the customer. Beauty supply stores can send samples or miniatures… The possibilities are many.
But why invest in unboxing experience? First, because this will improve consumer perception of the brand. Second, because it can encourage the customer to recommend your website to other people. Third, because many customers, especially younger ones, feel motivated to share on their social networks the good experience they had, thus generating spontaneous marketing.
Cardboard Boxes in Vancouver, BC Canada
Did you see how investing in unboxing experience in product delivery makes all the difference in building a positive image for your business? And, of course, it all starts with the box where your product is housed. We at Racer Boxes have decades of experience producing a huge range of cardboard boxes, with great prices, discounts for large purchases and fast delivery. If you would like to order custom boxes for your business, contact us by clicking here and we can help you.
After almost two years of pandemic, the consumer market was totally transformed. Before, many people who did not trust online sales channels were forced to migrate to digital media – and ended up discovering that they love shopping online. The phenomenon of one-click purchases was so great in this period that new technologies gained prominence and should reach an unthinkable scale in 2022. Those who do not follow this movement may be left behind. So if you have a business that doesn’t sell online yet, check out five arguments below that will gain even more traction this year.
How to Build Online Business – Cardboard Boxes for Shipping
1. Customer relationship
A trend that will be strengthened is the centralization of the customer database. More and more companies are investing in systems and technologies to identify consumer tastes and habits regardless of the channel where the purchase is made. Understanding the preferences of those who buy in your company to know how much and how to invest in each customer will help to serve you better, generating personalization and loyalty.
2. Live Commerce
Live commerce is a tool that went viral on the internet in recent years. Coming from China, it consists of sales made in live broadcasts, usually on social media. Products are shown and tested during a live video and are available for purchase in real time. A seller presents the products and the offers are usually available within 24 hours after the live presentation.
After choosing an item, the buyer is directed to one of the online sellers or even a website where they can complete the transaction. This tool was powered by online exhaustion – when people get tired of buying only online – and see live commerce as a fun shopping format and with a closer live approach.
3. Cross Border
The cross border, also known as “cross-border trade”, is the online purchase of products in other countries, especially China and the US. Until recently, international purchases were synonymous with delays of months to arrive and sometimes extra costs. But companies like AliExpress and Shopee came to compete in this market, investing massively in logistics and digital marketing, breaking this barrier and generating confidence in the consumer market.
So more and more people are buying in other countries thanks to these facilities. Therefore, the Canadian retailer needs to think of strategies to get around the situation. Among them are the bet on hyper local sales (in the same city or neighborhood, for example), to be able to deliver quickly, and the ease of return or exchange.
4. Express (Super) Delivery – Quick Commerce
Speaking of fast delivery, express delivery is a trend in the online retail scene. With big brands using this strategy, the consumer has responded with strong adoption. It is worth mentioning that this type of cost is not always worth it – because it is not usually cheap. To decide, companies must take into account the relationship between the investment cost to operate in this model and the increase in the average ticket or purchase frequency. If in your business this is just a luxury for a few customers, an additional amount may be charged per purchase for express delivery.
5. Assisted Sales
The conversational tool is quite efficient with the new sales channels, such as Whatsapp or chat. We will see more and more stores worrying about maintaining a smooth communication with the customer. It is widely used in assisted sales, when the seller helps the consumer in their purchase process, as is common in services. Creating personalized service combined with efficient operational support, fast and accurate service, conversational sales have everything to be a pillar of retailers going forward.
Cardboard Boxes in Vancouver, Canada – Racer Boxes Box Manufacturer
Do you have a company in Vancouver region and are you convinced that you need to sell more online? So please get in touch with us by clicking here. As our suppliers are local in Richmond BC, we were not impacted by the global price increase that packaging has suffered in recent months. We work with all types of boxes, from custom to boxes for produce markets, and we can help you with your demands in this regard.
Cardboard boxes, like any other material made from cellulose, absorb moisture from the environment. Therefore, you must always take into account the weather conditions that the box will face, both during storage and during transport. If you already work with e-commerce or do any type of delivery using cardboard boxes, keep reading this post. And if you still don’t, take the tips into account when building a stock facility, for example.
Does Humidity Affect the Boxes?
The higher the ambient humidity factor, the greater the loss of compressive strength of the corrugated cardboard box. Therefore, if you already know that your packages need to be transported at low temperatures, it is necessary to look for specific boxes for this – they usually receive a surface treatment that delays the effects of moisture on the material.
For normal temperature conditions (where there are slight variations in air humidity, but nothing extreme), the boxes are designed to resist well and protect the products that are inside them. When the conditions that the corrugated cardboard box will face are not known, we normally use 50% relative humidity as a standard. If we increase this percentage, the moisture retention rate would increase, causing, as a consequence, the loss of the box’s strength.
For illustrative purposes, below is a table containing the relation between the relative humidity of the air versus the loss of packaging strength:
– 50% relative humidity, there is no reduction in packaging strength;
– 60% relative humidity, there is a 10% loss of packaging strength;
– 70% relative humidity, there is a 20% loss of packaging strength;
– 80% relative humidity of the air, there is a loss of 32% of the packaging strength;
– 90% relative humidity, there is a loss of 52% of the packaging strength.
To make these numbers a little clearer, a box designed with a compressive strength factor of 1000 kilograms-force (kgf), being stored in a location where there is 90% relative humidity, will be impacted and its resistance factor will drop to 480 kgf, reducing the initially projected value by more than half, as shown in the table above.
In some productive sectors, such as the produce sector, there are recommendations that indicate the same condition described in our example of 90% relative humidity. In other words, if this is your field, you need to be even more attentive to this issue of humidity, always looking for proper packaging for your type of product.
How to Keep or Store the Boxes Well?
From a technical point of view, companies that manufacture boxes are already in charge of resistance and compression tests to ensure that each cardboard box protects what is inside of it. Those who buy the boxes must make sure to store them in a suitable place, which is not humid, and also to choose the best packaging for each type of product. Plants and vegetables demand a type of packaging, just as heavier objects demand stronger boxes – as we have already indicated here.
Cardboard Boxes in Vancouver, Canada – Racer Boxes Box Manufacturer
In all cases, if you are in the Vancouver area, please contact us at Racer Boxes. As Canada’s box manufacturer can recommend the best packaging for your type of product. Plus, as we have short delivery times (15 days), so you don’t need to have a large number of boxes stocked – you can order according to your demand and ensure that your boxes will protect your products and arrive in perfect condition to your customers. To request a free quote, please click here.
We talk a lot here about cardboard boxes, which are generally used for packing and mailing products. But depending on the type of product you work with, it is quite likely that you will also need another packaging – a folding carton box, normally used to pack food, cosmetics and even cleaning products, such as powder detergent, for example. Within this category, there are a number of box options. And it is precisely about them that we will be talking about today – in this way, we can help you find the best option for your product.
Folding Carton Boxes
All of the options we’ll introduce you to below are for packaging a range of products – from food to electronics. All of them are available in customizable sizes, with color printing that can also be customized. Furthermore, these boxes are very simple to assemble – it is only necessary to make the folds in the indicated places.
– Solid bleached sulphate (SBS)
This is a type of cardboard made exclusively from bleached chemical pulp. The result is a medium density material with great printing properties. This is usually the type of packaging used for high-end packaging, such as perfume or cosmetic packaging, for example. But they can also be used for food, like candy, or medical products.
– Solid unbleached sulphate (SUS)
This type of material is made from softwood pulp, which makes it a tear resistant material. It is widely used to manufacture cups or bottles carriers, electronics, food and even powder soap boxes.
– Folding Box Board (FBB)
Unlike SBS, which is often a higher cost material, FBB is cheaper. That’s because its manufacture uses less trees. It is also lighter – which also impacts shipping costs, if your company has an online store. This is the type of material commonly used for medicines, cosmetics and even for packaging for some types of food.
– Coated recycled board (CRB)
This is a type of cardboard made from 100% recycled fibers – it is usually layered with kaolin clay on top, which helps improve the quality of the print afterwards. It is a low tear-resistant material that is often used to package items such as cereal, pasta and other dry foods, tissues and napkins.
Folding Carton Packaging in Vancouver
If you are in the Vancouver area and need packaging, please let us know. We can help you with your needs and deliver orders within an average of 15 days. To request a quote, click here.
Did you know that most consumers prefer companies that work with cardboard packaging? At least that’s what a survey with 2,000 US consumers in 2020 indicates – it was made by Toluna, a company responsible for online opinion polls. Paper and cardboard packaging were voted the participants’ favorites, especially because of the possibility of composting (according to 69% of people), for being less harmful to the environment (66%) and for being easier to be recycled (51%).
In addition to cardboard, glass packaging was also frequently mentioned, especially because it offers the possibility of reuse (36%) and because it better protects certain types of products (29%).
Why Choose Cardboard?
In addition to the data presented above, this same survey also points to some issues related to consumer behavior. More than half of the participants (57%) say they are taking measures to reduce the consumption of plastic packaging. And most impressive: 36% said they avoid companies that ship products in non-recyclable plastic packaging. And nearly half of consumers – 44% – said they thought non-recyclable packaging should be discouraged via higher taxes.
In addition to the percentages mentioned above, the survey mentioned several attributes that made cardboard boxes considered the favorite material by consumers. They are: easy to recycle, lighter, easier to open and close, cheaper, safer, more practical, better for the environment, compostable, easier to store, better brand image and better product information.
And Those Who Buy Packages Online?
Consumers who shop online also prefer cardboard packaging – specifically 57%. In addition, another fact draws a lot of attention: 70% of consumers said they prefer their purchases to be delivered in packages of the appropriate size for the purchased product, neither large nor small. One more reason to go for custom-sized boxes according to the product sold.
What Does This Indicate?
The data presented in the survey indicate that packaging plays an important role in these consumers’ purchase decisions. In other words, the choice of packaging should be more than just a decision thought internally – it reflects the image that your company wants to convey to its customers. Environmental issues will continue to gain relevance in the coming years and consumers will increasingly be well informed and willing to make choices that are less harmful to the environment.
So, if you were still in doubt about the material for your company’s packaging, maybe these indicators are the necessary argument for choosing cardboard ones.
Cardboard Boxes in Vancouver
And if you need boxes in the British Columbia and Washington region, please contact us. We offer a variety of box types and custom sizing and printing options.
If you are thinking about opening an online store or even if you have a company that works with the delivery of local items (a grocery store, mini market or a bakery, for example), it is likely that the packaging of these items was one of the first items you thought about, right? After all, the important thing is to have cardboard boxes available in the right size so that the products reach their recipients intact, right?
Right! But this is not the only thing that must be taken into account. Did you know that there are different types of single wall boxes? And that you can also choose double or even triple wall boxes? Read on to better understand each option.
Flute Types and Their Characteristics
A single wall cardboard sheet is formed by two flat sheets and between them there is a corrugated sheet, called a flute. There are 4 types of flutes used in the market today, A wave, B wave, C wave, and E wave. In practice, these letters represent a reference for the thickness of the wall.
- A wave, for example, although very used in the past, is not the most common one today. It has a thickness of 5mm as standard.
- A corrugated sheet C has a thickness of 3.2 to 3.9 mm.
- In the case of wave B, the thickness drops to 3 mm.
- Wave E defaults to a thickness between 1.2 and 1.5 mm.
When we talk about a double wall corrugated cardboard sheet, two letters will be combined to specify its thickness, for example, the most used nowadays is the BC wave cardboard sheet (combining a single B wave wall plate, coupled with a wave plate C) causing their thicknesses to be added together: Wave C 4mm + Wave B 3 mm = Wave BC 7 mm. This can occur with other wave combinations, for example a BE wave.
Which Type of Cardboard Box Do I Need?
The strength of a cardboard box is determined by the material used in manufacturing the package and the box’s purpose for use. The thicker the paper – and the more waves it has, the stronger the box. In other words, to understand what type of box you need in your business, you need to assess both the weight of the products and the way they are stored (there are companies that keep products stocked in stacked boxes, for example). The heavier your products are, the more you need double or even triple wall boxes.
Racer Boxes Box Manufacturer – We Can Help Answer Your Boxing Questions
To find the ideal box for your products, average them using your last orders as an example – or even make possible combinations of what your customers could buy. Then just talk to your local cardboard boxes supplier, who will probably be able to guide you better as to the ideal packaging. If you are in the Vancouver area, please contact us at Racer Boxes and we can help you with these questions.
Did you know that it is possible to have your company’s custom cardboard boxes in just two weeks? Even with the high demand for corrugated cardboard – and higher prices as well – Racer Boxes has managed to keep its delivery commitment in two weeks, which is a very short period compared to other companies in the same area.
So if you are in the Vancouver area and need custom cardboard boxes – whether for online stores, produce boxes, garment boxes or others, please let us know. Ask for a quote by clicking here and we can help you. In addition, below we tell you better about the entire process until we get to the finished boxes.
How Is a Cardboard Box Made?
When we receive an order for custom cardboard boxes, we follow a pre-established production flow so that the product reaches the buyer within two weeks. To start with, we order raw materials and tools (this includes paper, steeldie and print plates). After that comes to us, we feed the flexo-machine the paperboard for printing, scoring and cutting. Then we feed the printed and cut board to the gluing machine – this same machine also folds the box in its shape. When it’s done, we pack and dispatch the boxes for delivery.
All the printing of the boxes is done in a personalized way, that’s why we had the printing plates made. If you’re curious about how box printing works, we’ve explained a little in this article.
Cardboard Boxes in Vancouver by Racer Boxes Box Manufacturer
Normally, our prices do not include the shipping cost. But we do offer free shipping to most of the Vancouver area on orders of at least $500. As we’ve explained here, if you have a place to stock your boxes, ordering in larger quantities can be very economical, as paper shortages have made prices soar. If not, we offer 30 days of warehousing from PO date. Talk to us and we can help you with your needs.
We are always talking about the importance of custom cardboard boxes for the marketing of a brand here in the Racer Boxes blog. That’s because using boxes with your logo and colors is a simple action, but it makes a good impression with customers. Furthermore, it is a way to reinforce your brand with your audience. But do you know how custom box printing works? It’s exactly what we’ll talk about in today’s post, where we’ll explain a little about flexographic printing.
Flexographic printing for custom boxes
Flexography is a rotary printing method. For this process, a rubber or photopolymer plate with an embossed image is used. The printing system is direct and made with fast drying liquid inks (water or solvent based). To obtain color, pigment or dye can be used. Inspired by woodcuts, the flexographic system is similar to a stamp, in which only the areas that are in high relief will receive ink.
Flexography is indicated for printing texts, photos and images on paper, corrugated cardboard, plastics, raffia bags, ceramics and much more. In other words, it is a very versatile way of printing that allows different jobs. In addition to the aforementioned advantage over the ability to print various types of materials, flexography has very fast drying. You don’t have to wait hours for the paints to be good. The risk of smudging, staining or spoiling the work is very small.
Custom Boxes in Vancouver
Racer Boxes works with flexographic printing in the Vancouver area. So, if you need custom boxes for your business, please let us know. We have two printers available that print in up to three colors and in a range of sizes. Printing plates are quoted separately, as production costs, based on the size of the artwork to be printed on the boxes. We can help you with your needs – we produce a wide variety of cardboard box types. To contact us, click here.