It’s that time of the year again where temperatures drop and online orders skyrocket. This year more than ever, online shoppers have access to daily deals and the convenience of shopping at home, so foot traffic at mass in-store sales (like Black Friday) is predicted to significantly decrease. Shoppers no longer need to wait around for the big sale day when there are infinite other deals available immediately. This shift and other consumer shopping trends highlight the forceful growth of e-commerce packaging.
These are our top five questions to ask as you prepare for packaging your products this holiday season.
Are you changing your products or SKUs for the holidays?
Your customers love when you offer special holiday themed products. If you’re in food and beverage, this might be an increase in cinnamon and other season flavors. Stationary and gift companies also commonly expand their SKUs this time of the year to meet the unique gift-purchasing demands of their customers.
If this is the case for your business, what modifications do you need to make in your packaging product inventory? Do you need to expand your SKUs to accommodate your expanded offering or can you re-purpose the materials that you are already using? If you’re not sure, please contact a Hughes packaging consultant to get guidance on your options.
Does weather affect your goods or packaging?
As temperatures drop below 0 in many parts of the country this winter, how will your products survive the elements? This time of the year, your packaged goods may encounter the following conditions during transit:
- Heightened vibrations during ground transit from the snow, salt, ice and potholes
- Moisture from snow and melted ice
- Colder than normal temperatures for extended periods of time
This is where effective void-fill solutions and other packaging consumables come in to play. At Hughes, we offer InstaPak Foam solutions for product protection that are customizable and ideal for eliminating damage from harsh transport conditions. We also have a complete line of premium tape options to make sure your boxes stay completely sealed.
What do you need to do to prepare for last minute orders?
Your customers already expect a quick turn around and the holiday season is no exception. A staggering three-quarters of online shoppers want overnight shipping. If you have an e-commerce platform, you are likely to get those last minute shoppers looking for quick shipping right before the holidays. While we can’t control the parcel system, we can secure an effective processing and packaging system. The quicker you can get the products into the box and out the door, the more likely you will be to fulfill your last minute orders for your customers.
If you haven’t already integrated automated processes in your packaging department, just before the holiday season is a perfect time to roll out an automated packaging system. Not sure if you’re business is ready for automation? Contact our experts today and we will give you the guidance you need to make this important decision.
Do you have an opportunity to WOW your customers with holiday designs?
E-commerce trends have created new challenges for companies to maintain brand loyalty and brand recognition. Many online shoppers purchase based on recommendations from friends and acquaintances on social media, causing the consumer’s memory of the purchase to be associated with the social buying experience versus the brand from which they are purchasing.
Flexible packaging solutions at Hughes have made it easier than ever to create affordable, customized shapes, colors, and overall designs on your primary and secondary packaging. This customization may be the final touch that your customer needs to remember you for next time.
Could buying in bulk save you this holiday season?
If you track your year-over-year purchasing data, you likely already have a good idea of the percent increase you should expect to see in sales this holiday season. Our bulk purchasing options make it possible to save money on the products that you are already purchasing.
Our packaging experts have decades of experience with holiday packaging and creating cost savings for higher purchasing quantities. Contact us today to learn how you could save money on packaging.
Get started now!
As the holidays get closer, it will become more difficult to make changes to your packaging line. Act now to make sure that you don’t lose the opportunity to create a memorable experience for your customers, save money on packaging supplies and ensure your packages are safe this holiday seas. Contact our packaging experts today to get started.
