Around half of UK businesses have done nothing to account for the effect that the explosion in e-commerce deliveries might have on the condition of their products’ packaging, research shows.
A survey by packaging specialists WePack found that 49.7% of UK companies have no plans in place to alter the design of their packaging to cope with the added wear and tear caused by deliveries from popular e-commerce sites like Amazon.
One major problem for companies is that damage to packaging can lead to poor online reviews, leaving businesses risking major falls in sales.
Of those companies that had considered changing their packaging, almost one in eight thought making the size smaller (11.8%) would help it cope with deliveries, while more than one in 10 firms (10.7%) considered using a stronger design.
Mick Clark, sales director at WePack, said: “Many large retailers now allow people to order online, so the strength and durability of packaging has become more important than ever.
“People also love to share on social media these days. This means personalised premium packaging with a strong design can be posted across a number of social media platforms. Unfortunately, the same can also be said for products that arrive with superficial damage to the box they’re in.”
Research by Dotcom Distribution shows that four in 10 consumers will share a picture of a product on social media if it comes in premium packaging.
A second study, from Citizens Advice, found that more than one in 10 people have received damaged goods when ordering online.
Mr Clark added: “A few simple changes to the way your product is packaged could result in far happier customers when they receive their delivery. This has the potential of greatly boosting sales volumes in the long run.”
Tips on how packaging must change to cope with growth of e-commerce deliveries
