E-commerce packaging tips for food manufacturers

Apart from changing the game rules, e-commerce has created a completely new game. Snack and baking food manufacturers require to think about a basic different approach over their standard packaging for retail if they want to have success in the e-commerce focused world. As per the Statista DMO, online sale of physical goods was of $504.6 billion in 2018, and it could cross $735 billion in 2023.

Online sale of products has a process that requires more damage risks and touch-points in comparison with a traditional sale. A common product placed on the retail shelf may have a dozen touches while it on the e-commerce platform has more than 20 touches. It means that manufacturers selling their products through e-commerce channels need to focus on these areas while packaging their products:

1. Value customers’ expectations

You need to evaluate your product before its packaging. Find out whether it is a money saving product or a high-end article that holds an increased customer experience on the receipt. You can create brand loyalty and retain patrons by giving a unique unboxing experience. For this, you can think about personalization of packaging with unique designs or functional enhancement. You can stick personalized labels and stickers on the pack your product. On the stickers or labels, you can get printed personal messages, recipes, or a thank you note for your customers.

2. Shrink the packaging by portion and size

Food items come in different sizes. Some are larger while some are small. For perfect packing, you need to do the packaging as per the size and portion of the product. With this, there will have no blank space inside the box you are using to pack your product.

3. Prioritize the safety while packaging

Food items like potatoes and noodles may get damaged while being handled in transportation. The damages can be in the shapes and sizes of food items. You need to take efforts in packaging to ensure the safety of food products during transportation. The products should be in their original shapes and sizes when they reach to the customers who have ordered the same on an online store. For the safety of food products, you can use paper granules or foam while packing them in the right box.

4. Opt the highest quality product materials

There is a high chance of damages to products sold through e-commerce channels. The damages are especially in the form of breakage and leakage. In the e-commerce world, the need for particular product protection is growing on. As a food product manufacturer, you need to be very careful in packaging so that your product could not have any damage. For this, you need to choose the right packaging material. As per your product type, whatever material you select for packaging, it must be of the highest quality.

6. Use the right packaging technology

E-commerce has created a need to review your packaging from all angles — whether it is packaging size, sustainable materials, adding personalization attributes, or product personalization. The right packaging helps you maintain customer loyalty and retain consumers. It is clear here that you need to take utmost care of everything from material to personalization and packing size. For personalization of your food products, you can contact a reputable company like iCustomLabel.

7. Insert product sample

In the e-commerce world, you should take every possible effort in product packaging. One of the best ways to get repeated orders is placing a sample food item inside the pack of the product ordered online by a customer. It can be valuable for various reasons. One of them is that customers can place an order for the product you have placed as a sample inside the pack.

8. Place coupons of discounts inside the box

Inserting a discount offer in the form of coupons is a straightforward type of packaging. You can send discount offers via email. However, placing the discount offers inside the box ensure that the coupons will directly be in the hands of the customers who ordered particular products online. They will be shocked to see such an offer inside the pack and will decide to take advantage of that offer. Hence, you will have a new product order.

9. Put small gifts

In today’s world, people think a lot when they spend a single penny. They look for ways to save money and get free items while purchasing something. You can take benefits here by placing small gifts inside the pack. Suppose that a consumer places an order for a pack of milk in large quantity. You can place a cone of ice cream as a gift inside the pack. By getting such a gift, customers will love placing orders of food products you are selling via an e-commerce channel.

Conclusion

Proper packaging is essential for food manufacturers selling their food items through an e-commerce channel. They must take the appropriate step to ensure safety and do the packaging to get repeated orders.