Shipping for Success Part 4

At this point you have done everything. We have gone over how to set up the order confirmations, the enhanced sales sheets with a customized message as well as the instructional information and tips sheet for your customers order to accompany the product that upsells and cross promotes related products. Now the last part of this series for shipping for success is based upon branding. We have pointed out several parts of branding thus far, but this type of branding is free advertising that is somewhat utilized by businesses but is enhanced to make it more memorable for your buyer as well as the people who see the package.

How many times have you seen a plain box left on the doorstep with the only brand message coming from the shipper who makes sure that you know who it was shipped by? Whether it was the post office, UPS, DHL they typically leave a mark showing that they shipped it. Companies like eBay and Amazon also leave their mark on branding. If you order a product from Amazon, they let you know it not only came from them, but also advertise their prime service with the tape that says “Amazon Prime” on it.

This is because many times people see packages and the branding on the package gives extra exposure and marketing that a plain package does not. Some companies think that a return label on a package with a logo has the same effect, however this is not the case. You want to make sure that your branding on the package is legible from a far distance and not just up close. As well, you want to make sure your logo is visible. This is important as well because logos help consumers recognize products and companies. The logo is what creates brand awareness and will further establish your company out in the marketplace. Here are two ways that you can do this as well as the pros and cons of each method.

Pre-stamped packages

These types of boxes and packaging come pre-stamped with your logo and could even include your return mailing address. This is a great option because you can have all of the packaging premade and have your branding with anything else you want on the package.

Pros

Everything is premade and done for you. All you have to do is put the package together and put your product in. This not only makes it convenient but also saves you in labor costs of having someone do this for you which could make for a good return on investment depending on how many packages you are fulfilling. The larger the volume of packages, the more money you will be saving while expanding your brand.

Cons

With anything that is done for you there is a cost. It will be ore expensive and if you are not sending out a lot of packages then it may be better to use the next method to fulfill your orders. The other negative aspect is that changes cannot be made. So if you have specials, promotions or want to make any changes then this could incur more costs.

Stamp Your Own Packages

Doing this not only will allow you to change any content on the boxes, but it could save you more money as well. The great option about stamping your own packaging is that you do not need heavy machinery. You can buy a custom stamp and self-stamp it. We would recommend buying several stamps at once to get a better deal on them.

Pros

This could save you money by not having to buy large quantities of pre-stamped packaging to get a good return on your investment. It also allows you the flexibility to change the stamping on your packaging to have it match promotions, holidays and seasonal items. This option offers you the most flexibility without being tied into one stamping option.

Cons

This option could be more costly if you do a large number of packages. Not only for inserting a stamp but especially so if you are including multiple stamps on your packaging. Having staff continuously stamping can not only be tedious work but the stamps will not be aligned perfectly every time like as if a machine would do it. This leads to opportunities that can make the packaging sloppy and less consistent.

Another option we recommend is to use paper with bubble wrap that has your brand on it. We also recommend using tape that may list specials, deals, loyalty programs as well as your company in general. This leads to customers inquiring about specials and loyalty programs as well as a more professional look that extends brand awareness simultaneously.

By following these tips and tricks found in our series of shipping for success, you can turn your shipping into a money making opportunity.

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