[PL] What cartons do you need for e-commerce?

Building an e-commerce business from scratch is a real challenge! Optimising logistical processes, setting up a warehouse, as well as continuous investment in staff upskilling. As an e-commerce entrepreneur, you need to take care of all of this. Find out how to speed up the packing of goods for shipment.

Your own online shop and shipment of goods – how do you ensure the quality of transport?

An advantageous contract with a courier company is essential to maintain continuity in deliveries and to guarantee that dispatched parcels reach customers on time. The carrier is largely responsible for the safety of the parcels being sent, but you cannot put the full responsibility on an external company.

As an e-commerce entrepreneur, it is your responsibility to ensure that your goods are properly secured for courier dispatch. You can use professional packing materials for this purpose, which you will train your warehouse staff to use. Below you will find some tips to help you maintain the quality of your goods shipment.

pack your products in properly fitted items,
use tested packing materials and parcel fillers,
ensure correct labelling of shipments, e.g. with warning tapes,
try to pack your parcels ahead of time.

You can read more about how to optimise fulfilment in e-commerce on our blog. It is a set of processes that translate into reduced costs for shipping goods and storage.

The most popular types of cartons for e-commerce – check it out!

Shipping goods as an online shop is only possible if you have access to suitably adapted corrugated cardboard packaging. If you do not have a cardboard box, it will be problematic or even impossible to ship the goods ordered by the customer. Popular types of cardboard packaging that are recommended for e-commerce are:

3-ply corrugated card board boxes – you can use these for shipping lightweight items that do not require particularly precise protection.
7-ply cor rugated cardboard boxes – these varieties of cardboard packaging are ideal for shipping glass items, ceramics and highly sensitive products.
Cartons with automatic bottoms – these are ideal for warehouses where shipping time plays a key role. The automatic bottom significantly speeds up the process of packing the completed order and its release into the hands of the courier.
Cartons and telescopic boxes – these are packaging models available in round, square and rectangular versions. Some versions of the boxes can be freely adjusted in terms of length, so that the carton fits perfectly over the packed goods.
Cut cardboard boxesfor shipping – in e-commerce shops, they can come in handy for sending general merchandise or gift sets. A cut carton also works well when picking an order with the proviso that the customer can still make changes to the order.
Cartons and bottle boxes – these are essential equipment for an e-commerce store if you are shipping goods sold in glass bottles, such as alcoholic products.

The above suggestions are just a few tried-and-tested cardboard boxes that work particularly well in an e-commerce warehouse. Also familiarise yourself with the principles of personalisation in e-commerce. These issues mainly concern cardboard boxes with the option to personalise their appearance, e.g. by printing your company logo.

Operating materials for e-commerce – it’s not just cardboard boxes

Selling and shipping goods over the internet requires investment in appropriate warehouse equipment. Those responsible for picking and packing goods into carton packs should have access to professional warehouse accessories, as well as proven operating materials such as:

bubble wrap by the metre,
polystyrene parcel filler,
kraft packing paper,
anti-static films,
sleeves for glass bottles,
bubble and foilenvelopes,
self-adhesive parcel labels.

There are indeed many materials worth using to pack items from the online shop for shipping. Well-composed store equipment significantly speeds up the process of packing parcels, as well as increasing the level of safety of the goods during transportation by the courier company.

Check also why it is worth investing in parcels with your company logo. Not only is it an interesting way to promote your business, but it’s also a good way to make it easier to identify lost parcels at your carrier’s loading centres.

Parcel packing in e-commerce – what are the rules for shipping goods?

The rules for packing shipments in the e-commerce industry are always set by the entrepreneur himself in consultation with the carrier. The most important thing is to maintain the highest possible quality when preparing parcels for shipment. Here are some tried and tested tips that translate into reduced transport costs and satisfied customers of the online shop.

stack the goods inside the carton evenly and neatly,
always use cushioning fillers
keep the package clean, so that the customer does not get an unpleasant surprise after opening it,
optionally insert small promotional gifts in packages, e.g. fudge,
attach self-adhesive labels to packages so that the courier knows how to handle them.

Want to deepen your knowledge of effective packing of cartons of goods? Read our short guide on the principles of e-commerce parcel packing. Once you’ve learned a few tips, you’ll be able to improve the quality of shipping goods to your customers while reducing packing costs.

Remember, when running your e-commerce business, to always ensure that your work is properly optimised and invest in recommended corrugated packaging and fillers. Also use eco-friendly forms of preparing your operating materials, for example you can create eco-fillers from used cardboard boxes. This is a guarantee of success for any online shop.