Five Benefits of Shipping Box Inserts
Imagine opening a shipping box and finding all the products jumbled together. Inserts are used to prevent this from happening. Depending on the product you imagined – a piece of hardware or a glass bottle – your reaction may have been different. While it’s true that not all products require inserts, there are some benefits that you may not have considered.
First, let’s start with what a shipping box insert is before we cover the benefits. An insert is a component made of corrugated or foam that is placed inside the box to serve specific functions:
• Separate products from each other.
• Prevent movement of a product or products within the box during shipping and handling.
Some inserts are used to do one of the functions, and some may do both. The type of insert you need will depend on your product or products. Inserts are often customized for a specific need. Below are some of the benefits of using inserts in shipping boxes.
Product Protection
The most obvious benefit of using inserts is product protection. Inserts prevent products from moving around inside the box. Fragile or delicate products will become damaged if not adequately protected during shipping, storage, and handling. Liquid or chemical products that leak can cause damage to property or the people that touch them. Inserts will protect products from breakage and protect the end user, reducing your costs and liability.
Surface finishes are especially vulnerable to shipping damage, particularly if they have a high polish. When products bump into each other or the sides of the box during shipping and handling, they are easily damaged. Corrugated or foam inserts can add protection and prevent scuffs and scratches on these surfaces.
Even single products can benefit from shipping box inserts. Unusual or irregularly shaped products may move around in a box even if it has been sized for the product. Custom inserts that match the product’s contours can be added and hold the product in place.
Customer Convenience
Products that require assembly and have many parts can benefit from inserts. While you may not worry about damaging the parts, the customer convenience of having parts segregated to make assembly easier may benefit you in the long run. In a world of short clips and instant gratification, consumers are impatient and have short attention spans. Spending time sorting parts prior to assembly may cause them to give up and return the product. Inserts can be used to divide components or groups of components, making assembly easier. In a world of instant communication and social media, do you want to risk having your product portrayed publicly in a poor light?
Inventory Control
One benefit you may not have considered is inventory control. Inserts can be used to divide your box into the number of products intended to be packaged in the box. So when packaging products, you know you have packed the correct number. This is particularly helpful for products that are hand packed. You can avoid customers feeling shorted or accidentally giving away additional products because the count was off.
Many customers will appreciate this for their own inventory. They can see how much of a product remains with a glance without having to count each individually. This allows them to reorder at precisely the right time.
Customer Satisfaction
Customers value the care brands take with their products. Custom inserts protect the product, add convenience, and allow for easier inventory control, but they also add to the overall feel of the packaging. Using inserts conveys to your customers the care you have taken to ensure the entire brand experience – not just the product – is exceptional.
Keep in mind the cost of customer attrition is high. After one bad experience with a brand, 72% of customers will switch to a competitor. Custom inserts will allow you to elevate your brand, improve customer satisfaction, and reduce attrition.
Cost Savings
When you think of all the other benefits, it becomes clear that you can save money and protect your bottom line. Inserts protect products, preventing costly returns. Customer convenience and customer satisfaction can prevent attrition and encourage sales growth. And inventory control ensures you are not eating additional costs, which are not reflected in customer pricing, or upsetting customers by miscounting packaged products. Packaging inserts are a cost-effective investment to ensure peace of mind.
Start Reaping the Benefits of Custom Shipping Box Inserts
Custom inserts for your shipping boxes offer many benefits that you can’t afford to pass on. From product protection to the customer experience, cost-effective inserts practically pay for themselves. If you are experiencing product damage, customers who are dissatisfied with your packaging, or are looking for insert options, contact us for a consultation. Working with you, your goals, and your product, we will design and manufacture the perfect inserts to meet your needs.x