A lot of customers wait for shipments, and they want it to be perfect. Packaging foam is a part of this since it protects the products that are shipped out. When in transit, it’s at risk of getting jostled without the protective elements, and the products may get damaged. This offers protection in the item and the hard surfaces too. It also helps protect them from the changes in contact with this too. 

The Packaging foam types 

You have different kinds of packaging foam that does protect it from the elements. Polyethylene foam is the closed-cell, absorbent foam that’s moderate to low in terms of fragility against the bacteria, chemicals, and mold, and mildew. Then there is cross-linked polyethylene, which is a closed-cell, compact format that’s high density and protects against water and chemicals. 

Then there is expanded polypropylene and polyethylene which are both durable and good for different cushioning needs, and they offer impact resistance too. The materials form the basis of different kinds of packaging foam, which include the rolls, the sheets, and pouches, and this s the best type of packaging for this. You should consider the following: 

• Weight
• Positioning 
• Fragility 
• Cushioning 
• Aesthetics 
• The abrasion 

They also have trays of this which you can use to organize all of this. 

The uses and Benefits 

Packaging foam is great because of how versatile it is. That means you can design this so that it handles items of all sorts of shapes. It can actually accommodate items with flanges, buttons, and brackets, so that they don’t end up getting messed up, or hitting sensitive areas. They can actually help to ensure that they’re protected from being jostled. 

There are also different grooves notches, and curves that help to keep the shape of this. It also lets you have better shipping of different product packaging. The uses of this are varied, and there are tons of benefits. First, it doesn’t damage the fragile items that you’re shipping via chipping, scratching, and whatnot. 

There is also low-density polyethylene which is actually eco-friendly and it can be recycled by other people for best results. It also is available with different types and purposes of such, which makes it very useful for a variety of different projects. It also will not break the bank like other packaging elements that may not be as good. That’s because it’s light, so you don’t have to worry about it eating not your profit margins, and it won’t increase the weight of the product that’s there. 

It’s also good for the products that you’re shipping such as electronics since it offers anti-static options that help protect the product from different damages related to shocks or static. Finally, it’s so lightweight and so versatile, but it won’t mark up or mar the product, so you can use this to properly package all of the items that you have easily, and effectively. 

The beauty of packaging foam is just how useful it is. If you’re someone that is shipping anything that may break, you don’t want to have to replace it, right? And you don’t’ want to have to worry about your customers leaving due to this either. 

That means, that packaging foam is the answer for the sole reason of how versatile it is, and also because, it’s so simple, effective to use, and easy, that you’ll be able to see some worthwhile benefits from this and be able to ship the products that you have without worry right away as well. 

If you’re shipping anything, you may wonder whether or not billable weight applies here. It can, and it can affect your shipping weights. Here, we’ll discuss what it is, and what you can do to reduce the costs of such. 

What is It? 

Billable weight is a type of technique in pricing that does reduce the costs of shipping that does factor in the weight and dimensions, and the weight of your shipment too. Usually, the weight that’s greater is what they take, and that’s the shipping rate they go for. Until about 2015, they used to have the weight of the package and how far it was to calculate shipping. 

This however was scrapped when smaller packages took more cargo space on the carriers. The problem with this is that the shoppers wouldn’t optimize the package for tinier items and weren’t charged for the dimensions of the package too. 

That means, that depending on what you choose to use, such as a small, light item in a big box, or a heavy item in a small box, they usually take the one that’s heavier. But this can eat at shipping costs right? How can you fix this? 

Look at Packaging 

One of the biggest mistakes that businesses make is that they use incorrect packaging. It may be a bit less of a headache for just using boxes, but the thing is, boxes carry a much larger dimensional weight than the billable weight, and it ca eat away at costs. It also may not be the best experience for customers too, since if it’s tiny in a big box, it comes off as super wasteful. 

You also may end up spending a lot more on excess. One way to fix this, is to choose the right shipping containers for you to use and be mindful of this. It saves you money and looks a whole lot less wasteful too if you choose to go this route. 

Switch to Poly Mailers 

Boxers aren’t always in the right dimensions, don’t have flexibility, and usually have a lot more padding than a poly mailer may require.  If you’re shipping stuff like clothes including t-shirts, then you may want to use a poly mailer instead. 

They’re sturdy, take up a lot less space, and are light and will also self-seal. It does save you ample costs on the types of packaging supplies that you’d be using for this. They are great for shipping smaller options, and if you’re going to ship something small, this is good. But be mindful because stuff like glassware and other fragile stuff is not good to ship in a poly mailer, for obvious reasons. 

Use SIOC Packaging 

This is a ships in own container packaging, which means that the product is shipped in the same packaging, and it doesn’t need an over box.  For example, shoes don’t need this in some cases, and it is great because not only does it get rid of the excess packaging so it makes you look less wasteful, but it also reduces your billable weight too. 

Choose a 3PL 

A 3PL usually saves you money, even if you’re getting someone to work with you, since they can choose the right packaging for you to use, and they can offer a cheaper and more efficient sort of means to do this. They also look at the metrics which are there, to help you determine the correct shipping costs of such too. 

Regardless, be mindful of the weight here, since it plays a big part in the costs of shipping various goods too. 

For those who do business on the internet, you probably will get some international customers every now and then. There are some big little differences in how they handle packaging and different things for you to consider. Here, we’ll go over the three biggest factors, and the most important tips that come with actually dealing with these types of customers. 

Be mindful of Rates

The rates change a lot the second you bring international shipping into the fray. What this means is that the changes can oftentimes be something that can actually change within the company website itself. Singing up for newsletters and alerts is a good way to be abreast of changes, and it also lets you know how to prepare the package. 

Remember that with international shipping, the smallest is the best way for you to go, especially in weights and sizes. Compact, lightweight kinds of packages usually offer faster and cheaper delivery, provided there is a measurement that lets you know of the dimensions that are exceeded. Before you mark a package to send, you should also check the current rates, choosing the cheapest one, and also see if they do offer batched shipping to take off the price as best as you can. 

Know what’s Not sendable 

There are certain items that you can and can’t send to certain countries. Usually, there are certain items that customers usually know about, but some are random, and you may not know this until it’s too late. Some alcohol, foodstuffs, seeds, and plants and even tableware are actually banned from shipping in the US for various reasons. 

It’s similar in other countries too. If you send this as well, customs will actually hold it, resulting in legal problems and fines too. Before you ship off a package, you should always check to ensure that it’s allowed there. 

The Right Packaging matters. 

The other thing is that you should always make sure that your packaging is good for the journey ahead. Having the address, return address, and the postage is very important, but there are different other factors that also need to be focused on too. Some may require markings that are extra, and different tags and different paperwork too. 

When you ship to other countries, find out the regulations, and also make sure that you have itemized lists of the contents that are on the outer parts of this, including the manufacturer of this, and the price as well, and also have this on hand too in the event that the package is lost. You should always make sure that you have the proper filler, and some packaging tape that’s good for sealing this, since of course, it will help to ensure that everything is properly secured and sealed throughout the journey itself. 

Having a secret package will offer a faster journey for lots of people, especially if there is some worry about this too. With that said, you also should try to maybe add a little bit of branding to this too. Even branded tissue paper and stickers letting people know the logos and your brand’s existence are always very important for people to see. 

Why? It’s because you’re going to have to show to others who you are, and these international customers should be treated in the same vein as those regular customers within the country. With that in mind, you should always consider international hipping if it can fit into the budget, and also consider these three factors when shipping out something and be mindful of the changes as well too.

If you’re wondering how much you can put in a box, you’re not alone. This can offer a difference in costs for a lot of business professionals. Boxes of course are made of layers of paper, with a liner inside, outside, and then fluting that’s between. The fluting offers layers and offers structure to the boxes to offer more protection. The corrugated or containerboard method does protect your products and offers the strength that’s needed for this weight as well. 

The strength does start with the material that’s in place, where the strength of the box does start with how dense it is. The larger your walls are or the more walls there are, the stronger it will be. Usually, you can check the inside of a box to see if they are single, double, or triple walled to figure out how strong this box is. 

Because not all of them are made the exact same way, the dimensions do vary, so the weight that can be offered does vary. Businesses can figure out the logistics of this and figure out whether or not this will effect the supply chain of management. However, the size of the box does not affect the total overall strength of the box. While it might be tempting to measure from your outer parts of the box, the box size is usually based on the inner parts of the dimensions, and while length is typically the first one mentioned, the longest is the opening part of this, which is then followed by the depth and the width. 

Ideally though, corrugated boxes go with a 2:1:2 ratio of this, but they can be a different dimension for different products that won’t fit the normal sizes. For boxes that fit all kinds of sizes, the proper calculation of this weight is usually done with the edge crush test, or ECT. This is a measure of the strength of the board and is made by compressing the smaller segments of board between two plates which are rigid, perpendicular to the way the flutes are, until you get the peak load decided.

Compared to the other standards, this ECT rating usually results in smaller materials, a lower energy requirement, and of course, a better usage f energy and to reduce the pollution that’s there. This also plays a part in the life cycle of packaging. The ECT test is usually calculated by looking at the number. 

The smallest will be 32, and that holds about 30 pounds. The largest is 82 and that holds up to 140 pounds. In general, you  can look at the different numbers in between, and from there, see what the best kinds of boxes are. There are those that go above 82 on the ECT, but the thing is, that’s usually a much higher cost. 

If you do plan to use this, you can make the correct decisions finally on the amount of product to have in the box, and how big the box should be for your needs too, and that’s something that can help you.If you’re not sure whether or not this type of box is right for you, then you’ll want to make sure that you figure out the best kind of packaging through asking someone. 

There are tons of ways to go about getting the right containers and boxes for your needs, and we are able to provide the basics so that you know the right kind of box that you need for those packaging needs, and what is right for you too.