The cold chain shipping business has exploded over the last 2 years. The reason for such a boom is easy to see: the demand for ground shipping that is designed to maintain cold temperatures is growing rapidly, especially for products such as food and vaccines that must be kept cold at all times.
As a shipper, you may be familiar with the costs associated with packaging your goods to keep them safe during their journey through the supply chain. Of course, you want to minimize costs and simplify operations. But if you’re looking to cut costs by streamlining your supply chain, you’ll likely find that your packaging itself is a major factor.
In fact, when you’re looking to optimize your e-commerce supply chain, one of the most important components to focus on is packaging. A good warehouse management system can help you to optimize the flow and accuracy of products entering your e-commerce warehouse, but it’s important to make sure that you’re using electronics packaging solutions that are optimized for shipping as well.
Volumetric Weight
In order to optimize e-commerce shipping costs, the main factors that must be taken into consideration are the dimensions of the box or parcel and the weight. How you pack your products will also have an impact on the shipping cost. Depending on the product you are going to ship, you might be able to reduce transportation costs by using specialized e-commerce ready packaging.
The volumetric weight of your packaging tells you how much space it takes up when loaded into a container. The volumetric weight is the weight of the packaging itself plus the cargo that it holds. The volumetric weight of your packaging is particularly important, especially in the pharmaceutical industry, because it determines how much you will pay for shipping the items.
While the protective packaging is necessary, it can actually add a significant amount of extra weight to your shipments. When you increase your shipping rates, that increases the overall cost of your shipments. Therefore it’s important to be aware of the amount of packaging you use—and the number of layers you use. Each product should be assessed to determine the level of protection it requires.
Packaging Solutions
A solution for e-commerce shipping involves using custom packaging. For example, one way to control costs is by using inflatable packaging, also known as air cushions. Inflatable packaging is a cost-effective way to provide the protection that your goods need. For example, inflatable packaging can be used for a variety of different products, including books and electronics.
To find out more about e-commerce ready packaging, including inflatable foam packaging, visit Distinctive Solutions online.