The war between Russia and Ukraine is now a global concern. With the sanctions imposed on Russia, due to the military attacks on the neighboring country, the economy of the nation presided over by Putin suffers from restrictions from around the world. In a globalized world, the consequences of the strangulation of the Russian economy affect several markets.
And this also applies to the pulp and paper market. After all, petroleum derivatives (whose prices have soared) generate chemical products and some of these are used in this industrial process. We also have the fuel used to transport wood, raw material and final product. And there is the use of fuel in the burning of the industrial process. So we can say that, yes, conflicts also affect the paper industry.
Another factor that impacts this scenario are the Ukrainian and Russian companies themselves, which have been facing problems to maintain their operation. Since the end of February, paper manufacturers in both countries have had their production interrupted. In addition, sales and deliveries of chemical products used in this industry were suspended. As Russia’s biggest export partner in this segment is China, it is very likely that they will need to import from other countries to be able to maintain consumption figures.
Will the Packaging Market Continue to Grow?
According to an estimate prepared and released by Adobe Projects, 2022 should be the first year in which online commerce will move US$ 1 trillion. And most of these purchases must be made through a smartphone. That is, even with an uncertain global scenario both because of the pandemic and because of the conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, consumers will continue to buy online.
And the pulp and paper industry, which has faced high prices recently due to the scarcity of raw materials, will continue to grow. In the first two months of this year alone, consumers spent around US$ 121 billion, 34% more than in the same period last year.
Is it Possible to Dodge Higher Cardboard Prices?
If you have a business that relies on cardboard boxes to function – like an online store, for example – you’re probably wondering if you’ll have to pay more for packaging. As we have seen, in a globalized world it seems almost impossible to go through situations like these unscathed. After all, price hikes work as a kind of domino effect and impact the entire production chain. But it is possible to try to minimize these effects. Some tips on how to do this:
- Prioritize a long-term relationship with your packaging supplier. After all, with longer contracts, you can negotiate better and often get better prices than if you were jumping from supplier to supplier in search of the best prices at that moment.
- Buy from local suppliers! After all, if you buy from outside suppliers, they will spend more fuel to deliver your order to you than a local company would. This price will be included in the final price.
- Use data to your advantage. By analyzing your company’s sales and seasonality, you probably already have a sales estimate for the next few months, right? So, if possible, advance your order of boxes and keep a good stock for the foreseeable future. Especially if you get a good price for the largest quantity from your supplier.
Cardboard Boxes in Vancouver
If you are in the Vancouver area and are looking for a cardboard box supplier, please contact us. As our suppliers are local, we were not as impacted by the global price hike on packaging. We work with all types of boxes, from customized boxes to produce markets, and we can help you with your demands in this regard. Please request a free quote by clicking here.
Over the last month, we’ve talked about the fact that for online shoppers, cardboard boxes have replaced the traditional shopping experience. After all, this is the first impression of a product’s brand when it arrives at the consumer’s door. And it is worth mentioning that this does not only happen with products purchased in online stores – it also applies to fresh food and even delivery.
Data show that 49% of online shoppers aged between 18 and 29 in the United States stated that they are more excited to receive their purchases in packaging that contains the brand’s identity. In other words, the time has come to face your company’s personalized cardboard boxes as an investment in advertising and not just as an expense on packaging.
Cardboard Boxes as a Marketing Tool
In recent years, the process of producing and printing custom boxes has developed a lot. And we will continue to see innovations in this regard in the near future. After all, online shopping is here to stay – this trend was already strengthening even before the pandemic, which gave an extra push and consolidated e-commerce once and for all.
Today, in addition to flexographic printing, widely used to customize cardboard boxes, we also have digital printing. Nowadays, it is possible to have boxes (especially the internal ones, made of more flexible paper than cardboard) with colorful prints, high quality graphics and even different cuts from the traditional box that come to mind when we think of packaging.
As we have seen, in the e-commerce journey, cardboard packaging provides great opportunities for differentiation for brand communication. See below for an example of how to do this.
How Can I Use Packaging To My Advantage?
It doesn’t matter what kind of product you sell – it could be that you have an online store, or sell fresh produce directly to supermarkets (or sell your produce directly at farmers markets), for example. In all segments it is possible to find a way to strengthen the value of your brand through packaging.
Let’s say you sell grapes already packaged in 500g packets to local supermarkets. What type of packaging do you think would attract the most attention: a small transparent plastic bag or a cardboard box with color printing that contains pleasant images, the company logo, some information about the production of the product (what is the plantation like? What kind of grape variety is this?)?
If you answered the second one, you are correct. That way, you make yourself more present in the consumer’s mind – and this can convert into sales in the short, medium and long term. After all, not all consumers who see your boxes of grapes at the supermarket will buy them.
We have the portion of consumers who will look and notice the boxes but won’t buy right away (maybe next week?). We also have the portion of consumers who will actually buy – who will like your product and want to buy again. As your packaging stands out from the rest, it is easy for this consumer to identify it and re-purchase.
In addition, we also have the fact that today’s consumers are more aware of the origins of the product they are consuming and the excess use of plastic. Again, custom cardboard packaging comes out ahead.
So use your packaging to communicate with your consumers – the grapes example can be adapted to your segment. If you sell books, you can send them in boxes with literary tips or curiosities. If you sell home appliances, you can choose recipes and so on. All this without forgetting, of course, that you can also include QR codes and inform the addresses of your social networks – thus also strengthening your digital strategy.
Cardboard Boxes in Vancouver
Now that you know the importance of using your cardboard boxes as an advertising and marketing tool, don’t miss this opportunity. We at Racer Boxes are specialized in numerous types of cardboard boxes and can help you find the best option for your brand. To speak with us, please click here.
A study developed by a packaging manufacturer in the United States revealed interesting data to consider about packaging used in online commerce. Appropriately sized packaging for the product, reduction of excess material, safety, identification and communication with the brand were the highlights raised by the public that makes purchases directly in the channels of the manufacturer brands (D2C system, direct to consumer).
What Packaging Do Consumers Want?
Consumers believe that 75% to 90% of the packaging space should be filled with the ordered product. That is, companies that choose packaging adjusted to the product they sell come out ahead. When material, whether plastic or paper, is not optimized (to fill the box and prevent the product from getting loose in a box that is too big), consumers feel uncomfortable, as they have to dispose of all the material. And this causes frustration as part of the customer experience, especially when they shop online frequently.
In addition, when the product purchased is not fragile, 80% of consumers said they were happy to receive orders in flexible packaging, such as protective envelopes. This, in general, can lower shipping costs and reduce the excessive use of packaging. In other words, the study indicates that what consumers want is for the company to worry about conditioning the products it sells in packaging that is adequate enough to guarantee the safety of the items without generating unnecessary waste.
What About the Packaging Design?
The study also brought data that reinforced the importance of the appearance of the packaging and its positive influence on the relationship between brands and their consumers. Protective cardboard boxes have replaced the traditional shopping experience and are the first impression of a product’s brand when they arrive at the consumer’s door. This is a point that stands out among the young audience.
Data show that 49% of online shoppers aged between 18 and 29 in the United States said they are more excited to receive their purchases in packages that contain the product’s brand identity or packages that resemble a gift. On the other hand, among the public between 30 and 44 years old, this index drops to 37%; followed by 29% for buyers aged 30 to 44; 29% in the case of the public between 45 and 60 years old and 15% among buyers over 60 years old.
This indicates that custom packaging helps build brand awareness and create a positive unboxing experience for the consumer. At the same time, consumers expressed concern about the theft of goods. In the case of premium products, with higher values, the preference is for simplified cardboard boxes on the outside and more elaborate packaging on the inside.
This is a point of attention for brands, which need to develop a good protection plan, combining brand communication and security. An example of this would be the customization of the interior of cardboard boxes. Finally, the survey also pointed out that 20% of consumers are willing to pay more for personalized packaging to be sent as a gift.
Importance of Packaging
In the e-commerce journey, cardboard packaging provides great opportunities for differentiation for brand communication, such as the use of connectivity technologies. Many brands use QR codes as a way to provide information and coupons to consumers. The study found that two-thirds of e-commerce shoppers access QR codes for special offers and coupons, and of those who use the technology, 70% use them at least once a month.
Cardboard Boxes in Vancouver
If you are looking for a cardboard box supplier for your business and want to adapt your packaging to your products to offer a more pleasant shopping experience to your consumer, please contact us. We manufacture a number of varieties and sizes of cardboard boxes and can help you with your needs – in addition to personalized printing.
The logistics part of an e-commerce, that is, the process that goes from the moment a purchase is made to its delivery to the customer’s home, is one of the biggest wildcards of the online stores. On the one hand, efficient deliveries, at affordable rates, on time and in perfect conditions are a strong competitive factor, guaranteeing the attraction of the public and customer satisfaction. However, failures in this department can have the opposite effect and cause a higher rate of cart abandonment or even complaints and negative reviews about the company.
In summary, it is not for nothing that this process is considered one of the great challenges of e-commerces, since it can work as a hero or villain of an online store. The role that the delivery of purchases over the Internet will assume depends on mistakes and successes of logistics management. Therefore, especially in this period of high online shopping – a trend that should continue and strengthen for the next few years – it is interesting to read the list below to see exactly what not to do in your company. Check out.
Cardboard boxes unsuitable for the product
Regarding the internal processes of shipping for e-commerce, we have the correct choice of packaging for each product, which must always be considered. Firstly, because the shipping fee calculation is directly linked to the weight and dimensions of the package. Therefore, packaging larger than necessary can result in extra costs.
In addition, the preparation of the packaging must also consider the safety of the product, to ensure that the items will arrive to the customer in perfect condition. These packages often represent the first physical contact between brand and customer. Differentiated packaging, whether for a care with the look or even a thank you note sent to the consumer, can guarantee important extra points in the perception of your brand.
Therefore, it is interesting to have a reliable supplier to count on for safe and adequate packaging. If you’re in the Vancouver area, we at Racer Boxes can help.
Forget about reverse logistics
Different reasons can lead to exchange or return requests, requiring the product to return from the recipient to the e-commerce stock. Therefore, it is important to be prepared for these situations – after all, this whole exchange process also impacts customers’ perception of your company. Make this process as clear, simple and agile as possible.
An interesting suggestion is to already include the necessary information for the customer to make the exchange or return on the packaging – it can be through a pamphlet or even printing done directly on the cardboard box. Also, encourage customers to reuse the same packaging they received the products in to return them. In addition to being much more practical, it shows the company’s concern with sustainability in its processes.
Not offering shipping options
Let’s say that the carrier you usually work with goes through a situation such as employee or transport mode (such as road or air) stoppage. Do you know what you should do to not interrupt product shipments to customers?
If you answered “yes”, you probably already have more than one carrier among the services you use, which is great news! In addition to the lower possibility of risks, having access to the services of different parcel transport companies also helps the shopkeeper to find the best shipping conditions, ensuring greater competitiveness in the market.
An online store must ensure that its customers can choose the most convenient delivery method for each purchase. For example, those who want to spend less should find the option of economic shipping. Those who prefer to receive the product in less time, need to see express delivery available. In other words, these two alternatives — economic or express delivery — are the minimum necessary in any e-commerce. But the more options, the better!
Not calculating deadlines correctly
When we talk about shipping, we immediately think of trucks full of goods or the delivery man ringing the bell. But the truth is that shipping for e-commerce involves many other factors.
Many of them even depend only on internal processes of your virtual store. Take a look at some of the steps involved in delivering the products:
* Payment confirmation;
* Separation of the item in stock;
* Preparation of packaging for shipping;
* Post on carrier.
There are four internal steps of e-commerce, right? But, for the customer, the period for carrying out these steps already counts as waiting time for delivery. Therefore, the shipping period must also consider this interval between the completion of the order and the postage, in addition to the transport period informed by the chosen company. That way you avoid customer frustration with an order that took longer than expected on the website when the purchase was made.
Not tracking the delivery process
For consumers, the delivery time of the virtual purchase starts counting as soon as they complete the order. A good way to improve the customer experience in your online store is to share the order tracking code, provided by the carriers at the time of posting.
In addition to reducing consumer anxiety, shipping parcel tracking for e-commerce also allows the merchant to be aware of shipment movements. In this way, when identifying an unusual situation, the seller can anticipate and contact the carrier to solve any possible problem, either to avoid delays in delivery or to keep the consumer informed.
Cardboard Boxes in Vancouver
If you are aware of these issues mentioned above, you are already ahead of many other companies that still do not give due importance to the online purchase process. And if you need quality cardboard boxes to better accommodate your products on the way to the buyers’ homes, please contact us at Racer Boxes. We work with quality products, which can be customized, and good delivery time.
Have you ever stopped to notice the amount of single-use plastic packaging left over after any type of delivery? It is as valid for food delivery as for any product purchased online – a plastic bag, if not disposed of correctly, can take over 100 years to decompose. And as we always reinforce around here, more and more consumers are looking for more sustainable alternatives.
Therefore, the challenge for any company that sells its products online has increasingly been to reduce the damage caused by plastic consumption and reduce its impact on the environment. For this, replacing single-use plastic packaging with paper and cardboard options is a good start for your business. See how below!
Why to Replace Plastic?
Currently, Canada generates three million tons of plastic waste a year. And only 9% of that is recycled. The number is high and the search for alternatives to the use of this material is urgent. According to the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change, the government’s plan is to eliminate plastic waste in the country by 2030 – and items such as plastic bags, straws, toothpicks, plastic packaging closures, cutlery and non-recyclable food utensils should be banned.
For brands that are concerned with building a sustainable future, the question has been about how to contribute to reducing these impacts on nature. For starters, an interesting solution is to invest in sustainable alternatives to the use of plastic. That is, options that respect and preserve ecosystems during their useful life and also after disposal. Protection of natural resources must be one of the immediate priorities.
How to Replace It?
You may be asking yourself now: “so, what materials can replace plastic?”. Depending on the purpose of the product, there are several alternatives available on the market. For inner packaging, that is, those that directly involve your product, you can choose paper, cardboard, glass, natural fabrics and even metal. In the case of the last three, it is interesting to think of packaging that can be reused, that is, a metal can that serves to store small objects, for example.
The Benefits of Cardboard Boxes
As for external packaging, that is, those that will be used to send your product to the buyer, the best alternative always ends up being cardboard – which is normally already widely used for this purpose. Check out some of the most important benefits of using corrugated cardboard to replace conventional plastic in packaging for the most diverse products.
- Biodegradable
Made with renewable raw material, cardboard boxes are biodegradable. Which means that when discarded, they decompose naturally in the environment. In addition, unlike plastic, this process does not take a century to happen. That is why they are more sustainable options, since they do not spend several years in nature polluting ecosystems.
- Recyclable
Cardboard boxes are made to be used, repaired, reused, remanufactured and recycled. The circular economy allows the extension of the shelf life of packaging. When there are no more conditions for use, disposal gives way to recycling.
- Resistance
Contrary to what one might imagine, it is possible to have sustainability and resistance in the same product. That’s why corrugated cardboard packaging is reinforced to offer strength, stability, insulation and protection to the transported products.
- Versatile
Sustainability and versatility are not incompatible characteristics, it is entirely possible to have both in the same item. Therefore, cardboard packaging accepts high quality printing and can be developed in different formats and sizes.
In addition to all the benefits already mentioned, it is possible to add value to the brand by printing ads, visual identity and product information on the outside of the packaging.
Cardboard Boxes in Vancouver
Finally, one last tip: have a professional and reliable supplier of corrugated cardboard boxes. Because no one is better to help you define the best formats to use to protect your product. Any questions, contact our technical team and we can help you in this mission. We are at your disposal.
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.