The online shopping phenomenon and Christmas 2016

Today, with a click of the mouse, the delivery man is at the door in just a few days. That’s how easy it is to shop online these days. But how did such shopping happen when the term computer or internet was still in the dictionary of foreign words?

The first type of “mail” evolved in ancient Egypt as part of the exchange of messages and documents that were carried on travelers’ ships and delivered to messengers on horseback. The roots of our contemporary mail order business lie closer: Ernst Mey is considered to be the founder of mail order, who sold goods from 1886 onwards via a catalogue containing goods made of plastic.

What started on a small scale then has become a phenomenon abroad and a leader in the Czech Republic thanks to industrial progress and modern technology today – and that is online shopping.

Christmas as the peak time for online shopping

According to the server Podnikatel, Czech e-shops achieved a turnover of up to CZK 93 million in the Christmas period from October to December last year. Compared to 2013, that’s a fifth more, and it’s interesting to look back to 2010, when the turnover stood at around CZK 22 million. So we can expect a similar trend this year and e-shops should – the sooner the better – prepare for it.

As early as mid-September, the demand for shipping packaging of all kinds is starting to increase. Autumn and winter are among the peaks in shipping and therefore packaging purchases every year, to ensure that all packages are wrapped and shipped to the customer in time. One of the busiest months is clearly November, when demand for packaging and packaging materials is at its peak.

What packaging is most in demand during the Christmas season?

In almost all cases, the cheapest and most popular packaging solution for packing and shipping electronics, mobile phones, toys, touch tablets, fashion and clothing, perfumes, bottles of wine or spirits and other consumer goods is the classic three-layer or five-layer cardboard box. Whether to use a three- or five-layer box depends on the fragility or weight of the goods. For heavy or delicate products, go for a five-layer box, for lightweight and more durable items use three-layer cartons. In the Rajapack.cz shop you can also find special packaging for safe sending of books, calendars, DVD or Blu-ray, wine, etc. Lightweight plastic envelopes are best for sending fashionable clothing, household textiles, shoes and other “soft” goods.

For wrapping the items in the box or fixing it in the packaging, we recommend bubble wrap with small or large bubbles. The rule applies here too – if you are sending heavier goods, use a stronger protection, i.e. bubble wrap with large bubbles.

For closing the box, rely on the tried and tested PP tape or printed tapes. Corporate printed tape is the ideal product for the Christmas season every year. Not only does it seal the package, but it promotes the company on every shipment sent. If we take into account that over 32,000 products were sent out via e-commerce in the last 3 months of 2014, then printed tapes at Christmas are one of the very high potential advertising mediums. However, companies should think about buying them as early as possible as printed tape takes about 2-3 weeks to produce – so the latest month to order it for Christmas is October.

Once the box is sealed, simply stick the accompanying envelope with the invoice on it (unprinted is the most desirable) and the parcel is ready for delivery to the post office or delivery company.

We wish you a successful entry into the 2016 mail order “online” season!