Shipping Books? A Guide to Good Book Packaging

 

Protection, presentation and efficiency are vital when it comes to mail packaging for books. Although they might seem like sturdy items to post, there’s still the risk they’ll get knocked about during transit.

To make sure you’re optimising your book packaging in every way to avoid damage and appeal to customers, take a look at the following guide:

1. Protective & Secure

Whether the books you’re sending are soft or hard back, they need to be properly packaged so they reach the end customer in perfect condition. If books aren’t packaged up securely, they are susceptible to damage or getting torn. Corrugated cardboard is one of the most popular choices for mail packaging and for a good reason! Its two barrier design is extremely secure, keeping any fragile items protected during long periods of shipping and handling.

2. Sustainable

 

More people are switching to greener choices every day, so when it comes to your mail packaging, you might want to think again before opting for plastic alternatives. Choosing recyclable materials that won’t end up in landfill is a sure way to appeal to customers while broadening your market by considering those who are more environmentally conscious.

3. Appearance

While secure, protective packaging should be your top priority, it’s also worthwhile to make your mailer packs stand out by focusing on the design. In a world that’s growing evermore competitively across all industries, good first impressions with customers are a must. This can be done by aligning your packaging with your brand colours and logo or creating an ‘unboxing’ experience!

4. Easy-to-Open

 

All mailer packaging should be secure but not so much that customers struggle to open its contents. If you add too many layers of protective packaging, making it difficult to undo, customers are at risk of damaging the book inside. Your packaging should be streamlined and easy to tear at the seams to reduce this risk.

5. Cost Effective

The more packaging you use, the heavier your items will become which can really amp up postal costs when sending them out to customers. Instead of piling more packaging on to protect your books, ensure that the packaging is tightly compact. This will not only prevent the books from moving around and protect them from internal damage but also keeps postal costs at a minimal fee. 

6. Custom Made

Whether you’re posting textbooks, paperbacks or even comic books, customising your packaging guarantees you’ll receive the best solution for your particular products’ needs. Custom made packaging takes into account size, shape and weight of your products to keep costs low and also considers printing and design options to communicate your brand as soundly as possible. Your mailer design can also cater for the need to ship differing sizes and quantities of books on the one multi mailer pack.

As your packaging and manufacturing partner, at PPI our in-house designers and packaging engineers can help refresh your current packaging or design a completely new solution. Connect with us or call us on 1800 25 8000 to book your FREE initial packaging consultation.

 

 

Why now is the perfect time to upgrade your packaging for online orders

COVID-19 restrictions are causing an unprecedented boom in Australians shopping online.

Even before ‘seclusion shopping’ became the new norm, online sales have been skyrocketing for years. Now, millions of Australians transitioning to a work from home lifestyle has translated into an even bigger trend towards eCommerce.

The latest statistics show that eCommerce was up 80% year-on-year in the eight weeks after the World Health Organisation declared COVID-19 as a global pandemic, according to a new report from Australia Post.

The report says 200,000 new households started shopping online in April 2020, making Easter 2020 the busiest period in Australian online shopping history.

Choosing the right packaging for your business has never been more crucial, as more customers receive products straight to their door than ever before.

Right now is the perfect time to step up your product packaging to make the most of the COVID-19 eCommerce boom.

1. Consumer behaviour is changing fast

Millions of consumers are changing their shopping habits at the same time and their needs are changing just as quickly. New shopping behaviours mean that now is the time for businesses to ensure their packaging is up to scratch.

Customers see your business through the lens of their delivery experience, so having the right packaging is key to removing friction from their experience of shopping with you.

A sea of shopping is flooding through cities and towns across the country in millions of unmarked boxes. In this new landscape, upgrading your packaging is key to standing out and staying on brand amongst every other cardboard box.

2. Custom solutions avoid damaged product

 In the era of online reviews, custom engineered protective packaging is crucial to ensure your product survives shipping without significant damage to your product or the user unboxing experience.

Production Packaging Innovations has an in-house design team who can engineer the perfect solution to ensure your online orders arrive undamaged and on brand.

3. The eCommerce boom is here to stay

Although COVID-19 is kicking the ecommerce boom into overdrive, the popularity of online shopping is much more than a passing trend.

Businesses are rethinking how central their traditional bricks and mortar presence is to their business model, because the experts are saying this trend is here to stay.

4. The second boom is coming

Businesses who take their ecommerce packaging seriously will find themselves well equipped to flourish the post-COVID landscape.

Professional services firm KPMG has compared the COVID-19 eCommerce boom to a similar shift that happened during the Global Financial Crisis in 2008.

The GFC triggered a four-year eCommerce boom, according to a KPMG report. The firm predicts a second wave of eCommerce growth will happen as consumer confidence begins to recover post COVID-19, just as it did with the GFC.

Step one to making the most of the opportunity within the COVID-19 crisis is to make sure your packaging represents your brand and has the guts to get your products to their destination undamaged.

At PPI, our in-house team of packaging designers and engineers will work with you to understand your packaging needs. We offer custom solutions that are economical, protective and environmentally friendly.

Connect with us or call us now on 1800 25 8000 to book your FREE initial packaging consultation in Melbourne. We’ll work to ensure your packaging requirements are met, if not exceeded.

 

How to get personal with your packaging

Personalised marketing is one of the biggest business trends in the world right now. Whether it’s a suggested playlist based on your most listened to songs or a reminder that you’ve forgotten an item at the checkout - brands can now deliver highly targeted content to their consumers, using algorithms, cookies and data collection.

While the primary purpose of packaging is to protect and transport products, it can also play a similar role in connecting, engaging and even entertaining consumers (have you heard of unboxing?!) Personalising your packaging will help you stand out from the competition and shows your customers that you’re paying attention and care about them!

What is Personalised Packaging? Personalised packaging features a number of specific and tailored design and manufacturing elements that have been influenced by business and consumer insights or data. These additional elements are deliberately employed to generate a specific feeling or experience from the receiver or customer.

Here are five ways to get personal with your packaging:

1. Put the customer first - Include a personalised letter or note card, your customer’s first name and a personal message with your package as a reminder of how well you know them. This this level of personalisation is ideal for repeat-customers or subscription-based products as it helps maintain long-term relationships and builds brand loyalty. Personalising the actual packaging for individual customers could be as simple as having distinct ‘his’ and ‘hers’ or ‘it’s your birthday!’ versions available.

2. Showcase the brand - Whether your product is luxurious, sleek and modern or bright, young and spontaneous - making sure your packaging accurately reflects the brand values and vision of your business can help build brand identity and reputation. Your brand and packaging might therefore be bold and in-your-face, or subtle and nuanced. Consistency is key when it comes to establishing and growing a business, so make sure everything you do, right down to your packaging, links back to your vision and goals.

3. Showcase the product – Standard packaging isn’t always going to be the right physical fit and may not offer adequate protection for some more fragile or oddly shaped items. Create packaging to fit or having tailored compartments within a box for individual items will help to showcase or emphasise that product’s distinct features. Custom boxes like wine mailers for example, are often created for practical purposes but packaging can also be used to create drama, excitement and intrigue. Imagine if your latest pair of shoes came in a shoe shaped box?! Check out the customer design solution we created for Sussex Taps for a great example of how to blend practicality with finesse.

4. Create an experience - Add interesting layers or a number of steps to your packaging and take your customer on a journey as they unpack their latest purchase! The ‘unboxing’ trend has resulted in a number of companies creating elaborate, babushka-style packaging - particularly for the younger market. Whether you have boxes inside boxes, levers that open secret compartments or include puzzles to solve along the way - packaging can become an extension of your brand story. Just make sure you use environmentally friendly materials where-ever you can!

5. Create a work of art – packaging can more than just functional. It can also be a thing of beauty, something to be admired, kept and even collected. Whether you create your own or commission an exclusive illustration, painting or photograph to be printed or used on your packaging - creating something that is aesthetically pleasing can help elevate and communicate your brand’s unique personality and beliefs. Creating uniquely shaped or sculptural-style cartons is another creative way to turn the humble box into art…

Personalising your packaging will make your customers feel special and valued, and also allows them to engage and identify with your brand and products on a whole new level. Our in-house team of experience and creative packaging designers and engineers love any opportunity to get creative and will take the time to understand your brand, product and customer experience needs, in order to produce a packaging solution that is fully personalised and right your business.

Connect with us or call 1800 258 000 to book your FREE initial consultation in Melbourne.

5 Protective Packaging Tips for Your Products

In a world where leaving a product review is only a few clicks away from a smartphone, it’s vital for your products to arrive on your consumers’ doorsteps in mint condition. Delivering damaged goods can result in negative backlash regarding the quality of your products and affect your reputation as a company.
To help prevent users from taking to social media to leave your business a critical review, make sure your products are safe from harm with suitable protective packaging. Below are some key tips for providing greater protection with your packaging:

 

1. Customise Your Packaging

Customising your packaging takes all of your particular product’s needs into consideration including size, shape, weight and levels of protection. It helps you identify and understand any potential hazards for your products when they are shipped to customers. Quality, customised packaging can help you avoid delivering damaged goods which can lead to potentially bad product and service reviews. It can also save you the time and money involved with issuing replacements and refunds.

 

2. Use Protective Inserts

Protective inserts can be customised to suit large, small, misshaped and hazardous items.Protective inserts are extremely useful when it comes to protecting regular items, multiple small items bundled into one package as well as odd shaped items.
Not only to do they add an external layer of protection to the item but they prevent items from moving around, making them less likely to damage during freight. Cardboard protective inserts are also 100% recyclable and can be conveniently stored flat to save on warehouse space.

3. Consider the Size

In the world of packaging, size definitely matters! Having extra space within a package can be hazardous for your products unless they have protective inserts or padding. Creating as little space as possible will also help lower your shipping costs and save warehouse space. One of the extra benefits of using corrugated cardboard is the material is highly pliable – it can be shaped and reshaped easily so you can accommodate a range of products which require different packaging sizes.

4. Avoid Over-Packing

While it might seem like a good idea to condense items into one package to save on wasting packaging and costs, most cartons are designed to take a certain amount of load and weight. Specific individual item packaging can offer much greater protection for your goods, especially if they are high value or fragile. This way each item can benefit from its own individual, protective packaging and is at less risk of damaging surrounding products or causing the seal on the package to break.

5. Test Your Packaging

Before you make any bulk purchases or final decisions with your packaging, make sure you have tested and trialled different packaging options to find the most suitable protection for your products. Performing tests helps to ensure that your packaging needs are met based on your product and the modes of transportation you will be using to distribute your product.

Our dedicated team of designers at PPI Create will customise a packaging or display solution to meet the specifications of your product. Industry knowledge and experience, combined with our commitment and care for your business ensures an optimal packaging solution to transport or display your products.
Connect with us or call us on 1800 25 8000 to book your FREE initial packaging consultation.

4 Ways To Manage Heavy Duty Packaging

There is much to consider when storing and shipping heavy duty items, especially when it comes to the packaging! There are many risks associated with shipping heavy duty items including product damage, workplace injuries and customer complaints. Heavier shipments are more likely to be moved with forklifts rather than manually and might switch delivery vehicles or planes several times on the way to further destinations.

Here are some key tips to remember when it comes to packaging heavy duty items:

1. Packaging Needs to be Durable

Packaging for heavy duty items needs to be notably stronger and more protective than it would be for regular items. You need to ensure that the packaging can withstand multiple environmental factors such as:

• Getting dropped (accidently)!
• Vibrations and bumps from conveyor belts, trucks or planes
• Compression when pressed against other items
• High or low temperature and humidity or moisture

Corrugated cardboard is great for heavy duty items as the material is incredibly versatile, customisable and recyclable as well as extremely strong and durable. Corrugated cardboard is manufactured with three and sometimes 5 layers of paper which includes an inside liner, an outside liner and fluting with a ruffled shape. The layers make the material lightweight with a high strength-to-weight-ratio and added protection.

2. Pack Items Correctly

Packing heavy duty items correctly can save you a lot of hassle in the long run, especially for odd shaped items. To avoid items getting damaged during transit, you can use protective inserts.

Protective inserts can be customised to suit large and small items as well as hazardous items. Cardboard protective inserts are 100% recyclable and can be stored flat to save on warehouse space.

3. Avoid Making Boxes too Heavy

One of the biggest mistakes people make is over-packing items into one package. Overly heavy boxes are more likely to break during transit. Consider breaking up the items into separate boxes and wrapping individual items with protective inserts.

To test whether the item has been packaged correctly, give it a gentle shake and make sure the items inside the box do not easily move around. Anything that can move has the potential to crush other items.

4. ​Customise your Packaging

Properly packaging heavy-duty items means they are more likely to withstand the challenges of multiple transits. For a large, heavy or irregularly shaped product it is best to customise your packaging to make sure it is individually protected, safe and can manage the weight.

Custom packaging can also help you save on storage space. Unlike standardised ‘one-size-fits-all’ packaging, custom heavy-duty packaging specifically matches the measurements of the contents and reduces overall waste by eliminating unnecessary materials.

At PPI our team of in-house designers and engineers will work with you to understand your packaging needs. We offer custom solutions that are economical, protective and environmentally friendly. Connect with us or call us now on 1800 25 8000 to book your FREE initial packaging consultation in Melbourne, where we will ensure your packaging requirements are met, and exceeded.

 

Packaging Trends to Look Out for in 2020

2020 is here, and with the new year comes a wave of packaging trends that are predicted to take the industry by storm. Here we consider some of the top trends to look out for and what you need to know about them:

1. 100% Recyclable

Sustainability has been on the rise for a while with businesses picking up on how a vast number of consumers care for the environment. Now more than ever you can’t go a day without seeing news stories about plastic reduction and climate change. In turn, more organisations are vouching for sustainable packaging to reduce their own environmental impact and please potential consumers. Opting for cardboard packaging and protective inserts which can be recycled and reused for easy returns are effective ways of achieving 100% recyclability and a step towards zero waste.

2. Storytelling

Storytelling has long been a successful marketing tool to entice customers. While most brands provide some background information on their website, its just as easy to tell a story and convey a message on the physical packaging that consumers receive. It’s especially important for e-commerce businesses, where customers do not have the opportunity to see, touch or taste a product in real life. When it comes to storytelling, creativity is key to stand out from the crowd. Don’t be afraid to tell the story of how your brand came to light or the benefits of your product!

3. Bigger, Better Details!

While minimalism will always have a place in the packaging industry, we’ve seen several brands switching to maximising details to set themselves aside from other packaging designs. Whether it’s colour, text, pattern, texture or a flamboyant logo, brands are opting for head turning designs to ensure their products are picked from the shelf. In the age of social media, consumers are constantly looking for aesthetic value, so this year try to focus on a way you can enhance the details of your packaging to make it worthy of a social post!

4. Smart Packaging

QR codes are a great way to draw customers
back to your website to find out more about
your brand and product!

Augmented reality has already sparked interest among consumers shopping for furniture or shoes with certain brands as they get to trial and visualise items as if they have already purchased them! As technology continues to develop, there’s no doubt we will see more ‘smart’ technology incorporated into packaging as well. If it seems daunting, one of the simplest ways to update your packaging into the tech age is by displaying a QR code. QR codes are a great way to draw customers back to your website to find out more about your brand and product! They can also be used for the purpose of a rewards program or competition as incentives to purchase your product over another.   

5. Custom Fits

To keep up with the demands of e-commerce orders and cut down costs, the custom-fitted approach is increasing popularity in order to save waste, time and money. Using custom-fitted packaging allows companies to eliminate using excess materials for protection like Polystyrene. Instead, with custom-fitted packaging, businesses can get exact, made-to-measure packages to fit the needs of their product range. This includes protective inserts which can be made from cardboard for an eco-friendly option.

At PPI, our in-house team of packaging designers and engineers will work with you to understand your packaging needs. We offer custom solutions that are economical, protective and environmentally friendly.

Connect with us or call us now on 1800 25 8000 to book your FREE initial packaging consultation in Melbourne. We’ll work to ensure your packaging requirements are met, if not exceeded.

 

4 Easy Ways to Reduce Plastic in your Packaging

We regularly hear about the plastic-free revolution on the news. If you haven’t heard, it’s a movement involving people cutting down on their individual plastic consumption, particularly single-use plastic items like straws which pollute and damage the environment. Every day, we’re seeing consumers and businesses make changes for the sake of the environment. Supermarkets in Australia now follow the European approach to combating single-use plastic and charge a fee for their plastic bags, while local cafes offer discounts to customers who bring in reusable cups.

More companies are vouching to do their part for the environment and cut down on plastic use. So, what can your business do to join the plastic free revolution? Here we look at some plastic-free alternatives to packaging and their benefits:

1. Opt for Cardboard

Cardboard is one of the most ecofriendly options when it comes to packaging. While cardboard packages can be recycled, many boxes already comprise of 100% recycled materials. Not only is carboard better for the environment than plastic but it’s also durable, suitable for a vast range of products and it can be easily adapted to showcase a brand through printing, colour and specialised design.

2. Use Eco-Friendly Inserts

Unfortunately, plastic inserts or protective materials like bubble wrap which are used to protect items during transit frequently end up in landfill. This is because these materials cannot be recycled unless they are taken to specialised places such as 830 REDcycle Drop Off Points across Australia. To avoid using wasteful protective materials, instead opt for eco-friendly inserts. Cardboard inserts are strategically designed to fix products in place so they can’t move, mitigating the risk of being damaged during shipping.

3. Apply Biodegradable Tape

Most sticky tapes and packing tapes are unable to be recycled but thanks to advances in technology there are now some biodegradable options which are equally secure and reliable to use! Biodegradable tape is extremely useful because often people forget to remove the tape from packages which hinders them from being recycled. But if you use biodegradable tape then it doesn’t matter whether it’s removed or not from a package.

4. Choose Custom-Made

 

Do you need to freight fragile, odd shaped or even hazardous items? Cardboard inserts are 100% recyclable, extremely durable, versatile and perfect for protecting products.

While standardised packaging might seem like a straightforward option, if the logistics of your product packaging is poorly designed then you’re at risk of losing sales, disappointing customers and having to pay costly redelivery expenses. Getting your packaging custom-made ensures you receive the best advice on environmentally friendly, safe and secure, and reliable options for your product line. Custom packaging considers all elements of design and engineering, so your business receives the most efficient solutions for eliminating waste, cutting down on costs and satisfying your customers.

At PPI, our in-house team of packaging designers and engineers will work with you to understand your packaging needs. We offer custom solutions that are economical, protective and environmentally friendly.


Connect with us or call us now on 1800 25 8000 to book your FREE initial packaging consultation in Melbourne. We’ll work to ensure your packaging requirements are met, if not exceeded.