Frustration Free Packaging: the trend for online shops

Do you operate as a webshop? Then frustration-free packaging is the trend to keep an eye on. Anyone who regularly shops online has probably already experienced it: the ‘unboxing’ of a parcel does not always go smoothly… Think super-sticky tape, a big clunky box or a metre-long wrap of bubble wrap. And is all that packaging material environmentally friendly? With frustration-free packaging, this will be a thing of the past from now on. We show you step by step how you too can bring a little more roses and moonshine to your customer’s shopping experience.

1. From order to… annoyance?

Packaging has several functions. The most important one is undoubtedly to protect your product so that it reaches the customer’s kitchen counter in one piece. However, the way you pack says a lot about your shop and can make or break the relationship with your customer. How is your packaging doing? We list a few painful top annoyances:

• The packaging is difficult to open because it is wrapped with too much tape.
• The product ordered is in too big a box. Filling such a large box also requires more filling material, which creates even more household waste.
• The packaging is difficult to sort due to the combination of different materials (e.g. plastic and paper stuck together).
• The products are damaged because they were packed in a too fragile or non-adapted box.

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2. What does frustration-free packaging look like?

Frustration-free packaging is often abbreviated as FFP, which in turn stands for ‘Frustration Free Packaging’. It is a collective term for all kinds of sustainable and smart packaging solutions that respond to 3 factors:

• Improving the unboxing experience for your customer.
• Encouraging sustainable and 100% recyclable packaging.
• Reducing waste by avoiding unnecessarily large packaging and refills.

There are frustration-free variants for both boxes and shipping bags these days. Shipping bags are particularly useful when shipping non-vulnerable products such as clothing, fashion accessories, textiles, etc. Boxes give your product a sturdier casing and are multi-purpose for almost any product. Ready for frustration-free? The box you see below has all the extras and features to get rid of your customer’s annoyances.

• Easy to close: the adhesive strip eliminates the need for extra tape. This saves on packaging materials.
• Easy to open: choose a version with tear-perforation. Goodbye scissors or cutters!
• Compact: choose a box that fits as closely as possible around your product.
• Mono material: the entire packaging is made of only one raw material – cardboard. Finish your packaging with filling paper and throw everything together in the paper waste. No more sorting hassle!
• Strong: choose a box made of double corrugated cardboard, lined with kraft paper for extra protection.

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3. In 5 steps to frustration-free packaging

Provided a few small and inexpensive interventions, you can easily customise your packaging and make it ‘frustration-free’. With the 5 steps below, we will show you in detail what is possible.

► 1. Easy to open

How to avoid a lot of unpacking frustration? Simple! Make sure your parcel is easy to open. There is nothing more annoying than a box wrapped with way too much tape or foil. By the way, did you know that there are packages which do not need tape at all? These boxes or shipping bags can be closed easily thanks to their integrated adhesive strip.

Do you really want to score? Then choose one with a ‘tear-open perforation‘. You can tear open the packaging with the same ease as a zip fastener, without having to use scissors or a cutter. Handy for your customer and safe for your products because there is considerably less chance of damage.

► 2. Compactly packed

The next way to achieve frustration-free packaging is to jettison oversized boxes. Did you know that in about 60% of e-commerce orders, a quarter of the packaging consists of padding? So from now on, opt for packaging that fits better around your product. A clever solution for this is the variable-height box. Thanks to the creasing lines in the walls, you can easily adjust the height every 1 or 2.5 cm. A second solution consists of the shipping bag: you can use it for products that are already sturdy anyway, or for something soft like textiles. Push the air out of the bag and you have packaging that is 100% utilised, with no voids.

► 3. Environmental friendliness trumps

As we explained earlier, FFP is not just about the unboxing experience. The ‘environment’ aspect plays just as big a role. Avoid that your customer is saddled with too much packaging material that he finds difficult to sort or that is not recyclable. A few tips:

• Go for mono-materials: ease the sorting process and choose packaging made entirely from 1 raw material. An example is paper: use a box, padding, tape and packing list envelope – all made of paper or cardboard. Consumers can sort that together in one smooth move and have it recycled. In addition, don’t forget to make it clear how to sort your packaging. You can do this using logos or pictograms.
• Go for renewable: give preference to packaging made of renewable raw materials such as paper and cardboard. This way you reduce the pressure on raw material consumption.
• Go for recycled: do you use plastic? Then prefer recycled material. At RAJA, for example, you will find shipping bags, bubble wrap and PET foam that are largely made from recycled waste. Good to know: plastic can be recycled almost endlessly, provided we sort it correctly.

► 4. Resistant

This fourth concern has to do with the strength of your packaging. If you use packaging that is too fragile, there is a risk that your product will be damaged during shipping. Result? Your customer is not satisfied and will probably opt for a return. You could also easily have avoided this by opting for frustration-free packaging. Depending on the price of your product, it is worth choosing:

• A strong box made of double corrugated cardboard or even triple corrugated cardboard. This offers better protection than a box made of single corrugated cardboard. Good to know: the majority of RAJA’s boxes are also lined with a layer of kraft paper. That gives you another form of protection.
• A postal box with shock edges; the reinforced edges provide a sturdy buffer to absorb shocks.
• A strong mailing bag made of recycled plastic ; highly resistant to tearing and water. Ideal for clothes and textiles, for example.

► 5. Dare to choose less

Less is more… even when it comes to packaging. This last tip is probably an inside joke for most of you but we still like to mention it for completeness. The rule here is: be sparing with the packaging material you use. You don’t want to leave your customer frustrated with too much residual waste. Apply your tape cleverly and sparingly around your parcel, for example. Find out the best way to do this in this article on sealing boxes with tape. Or you can simply choose a package with an integrated adhesive strip. That makes a roll of packaging tape completely superfluous.

The same thrift applies to padding and protective material, by the way. Sometimes this material is even superfluous, especially if you ship fragile products such as clothing, textiles, wood, plastic bottles, etc. Finally, there is packaging made to measure. Just think of shipping boxes for bottles, flowers, books, etc. Due to their unique design, they fit perfectly around your product and you no longer need extra protection inside the box. They are the ultimate proof that you can achieve more with less.

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4. What are the advantages for your company?

Frustration-free packaging represents a great opportunity to take your relationship with your customer to the next level. And as the old marketing saying goes: a satisfied customer, is a returning customer. With PPP, you offer your customer a pleasant unboxing experience: unpacking is made easier and more fun, and recycling is simplified.

However, the benefits go beyond the relationship with your customer. You will also see that FFP has a lot to offer your company in terms of logistics and the environment.

• Save costs: a more compact packing method means you need to buy less packaging material.
• Reduce the number of returns: by choosing strong, tailor-made packaging, you are less likely to have to deal with product damage.
• Reduce your required storage space and costs.
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions: by choosing smaller packaging and renewable raw materials, fewer packaging materials need to be produced and destroyed. Good for your sustainable corporate image!
• Reduce your transport movements: by packing more compactly, more parcels fit in your van.