Sales/marketing teams are typically the ones spearheading most packaging projects, and while this can be a great thing from a creative and graphic design standpoint, it is not without its challenges. As important as it is to ask the question– “What will our customers think of this packaging?” –it is equally important to ask “What will our fulfillment team think of this packaging?” Achieving a positive answer to both is not a simple task. This is where we come in.
Salazar Packaging Expertise
Our decades of experience means that we have seen countless (structural) packaging designs that may check several boxes (attractive, end-user friendly, eco-friendly) but fail to check that all important 3PL/fulfillment-friendly box. This is often overlooked in the design process because MOST packaging designers are not trained to design with an ease of assembly in mind. Their goal is typically to design a box and/or insert that will protect the internal components/products. Occasionally they will factor in sheet size/scrap and component/tooling cost. Sometimes they will weigh the importance of unboxing and the end-user experience. But very rarely will they consider the plight of the person(s) who is assembling fifty, a hundred, or thousands of them on an assembly line. However, we are unique, because we understand all of these goals and weigh them all equally to ensure we are considering all aspects of the process.
3PL/Fulfillment Costs to Consider
There are many, but we’ve highlighted a couple. It’s important to realize that every aspect of your box/packaging will likely factor into your fulfillment costs, so they must be a crucial part of the structural design process.
Size-the size of your packaging will naturally affect shipping costs, with dimensional weight being a large factor. But also consider that the size of your packaging will determine what you may be charged for pallet storage. The larger the box, the fewer that can fit per pallet (in a truck and on a warehouse floor).
Ease of Assembly-we’ve seen some corrugated inserts that may be great in terms of their protection and durability, but are a nightmare to form/assemble. The best designs are attractive in presentation, durable during shipment, and require little assembly time or instruction. You want to avoid paying more in 3PL/fulfillment costs because your box/insert requires multiple complex components that are difficult to form. Many 3PLs/fulfillment centers will do “time testing” to determine how much to charge based on how long the assembly time requires. You also want to avoid the potential that the packaging could be formed incorrectly, thus rendering the packaging ineffective, leading to costly damages and returns.
Fulfillment-Friendly Design Options 
- Consider a box divider or partition in cases when a die cut insert may not be necessary to protect the product. These internal components typically do not require tooling costs, and they can be very easy to assemble and pop inside of a mailer box/RSC. Also, partitions can come pre-assembled on request.
- RSCs-these can be made to any dimensional specifications without tooling cost, meaning you can right-size your packaging and avoid the drawbacks of oversized boxes and void fill materials.
- Built-In Inserts-These are a great product-specific option when appropriate. If you have a product that is a strong seller that always sells in the same order count (3 pack, 6 pack, single etc) then a mailer with a built in insert can greatly reduce assembly time and eliminate any confusion by the fulfillment team in terms of what and how many should be packed. Reducing and combining packaging skus can be a fulfillment life-saver. However, the design must still be simple enough to fold/assemble to avoid creating a problem during assembly. A built in insert (or any insert) is only as good as the designer who created it. That’s where our expertise comes into play!
Utilize our knowledge and reach out today to get personalized assistance with your packaging needs. We are here to help.
Please Contact Us Today
As always, if you have any questions, one of our branded packaging advisors is standing by to assist, with decades of experience behind them. Please call us at 630-551-1700 or contact us via email at www.SalazarPackaging.com.
Related Posts:
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/blog/how-a-good-packaging-design-can-reduce-your-3pl-costs/
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/blog/how-packaging-can-help-reduce-your-3pl-fulfillment-cost/
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/blog/packaging-for-amazon-aggregators-and-other-dtc-fulfillment/