Easy Ways to Reduce Packaging Costs
We’ve all been there before. It feels like prices are increasing just about everywhere you look, but you don’t even know where to begin when it comes to cutting costs and trying to save a little extra money where you can. Even during the best of times, reducing expenses is a top priority for companies in virtually every industry across the country. Many folks often find themselves wondering where to get started, and while we certainly do not recommend skimping on packaging supplies, there are some easy ways to reduce packaging costs that you may never have considered. As your trusted partner for packaging supplies and automation, we’ve seen just about every trick in the book. Check out our suggestions below to uncover some tried and true methods that actually will give you a positive ROI.
Automate for Savings
At first, it may not seem like adding a piece of automatic packaging machinery to your line is going to save you money. In fact, it probably feels like a huge expense that you’d rather avoid when trying to reduce spending. While it is true that packaging automation can often come with a high initial price tag, the simple fact is that it ends up saving you plenty over the long term. Year-over-year returns when you invest in automated packaging equipment are astronomical. With automation, your company will soon see production rates go up, labor costs go down, fewer workplace injuries, consistent and high-quality packaging, and less material waste. All of these factors save you money over the long run, so it's only logical to make the initial investment now so that you see incredible savings on your packaging in the future.
Protect Your Products
Did you know that approximately 1 in 10 ecommerce packages will be damaged during shipping? This may not seem like much, but when you consider the millions of packages that are shipped every single day, that seemingly small number quickly adds up. One of the most effective methods to employ when you need to reduce packaging costs is utilizing protective packaging. Most commonly, protective packaging is a type of void fill that you place inside a corrugated box in order to stop your item from slamming into the walls of the container during hazardous shipping routes. This results in fewer breaks, dents, dings, or scratches, which saves you on the cost of replacements and reshipments. There are a variety of different void fills available, including foam-in-place packaging, air pillows, kraft paper, and beyond.
Fit Just Right
When it comes to packaging, many of us have a tendency to go overboard. Oftentimes with companies that manufacture or sell multiple products, we come across the line of thought that buying “one-size-fits-all" packaging is the cheapest option. In some ways this is accurate, as it is likely faster to just purchase a lot of one thing instead of a variety of differently sized items. But what happens after that? Due to their larger dimensions and heavier weights, bigger boxes and mailers always cost more to ship, so you’ll lose money there. Additionally, products are more likely to break when they are placed into containers that are too large, as they are susceptible to sliding around more instead of staying firmly in place. The solution to these problems is easy. You can reduce packaging costs by rightsizing all of your packaging to properly fit the item it protects or contains.
Keep an Open Mind
Staying open to change is tough for many of us. If you’ve spent a lot of time and resources on your current packaging, it can be difficult to accept that it may not be performing at an optimal level. Sure, it looks great, but when it doesn’t do its job, costs will rack up quickly. For that reason, your company must keep an open mind when it comes to reassessing your packaging and how it functions. If a redesign becomes necessary, don’t hesitate to research and test new styles that may keep your goods better protected as they make their way through the supply chain. This reduces packaging costs over the long term by lessening damage rates, returns, and replacements.
Reduce Packaging Costs and Your Stress
It’s important to frequently reexamine your packaging line and process to ensure that you’ve optimized both for high-quality performance, effectiveness, and cost savings. These suggestions will help you get started on analyzing your system to see where you can reduce packaging costs. If you need some extra assistance, don’t hesitate to contact one of our expert packaging specialists. Give us a call at 800-277-7007 today!
