How to save on cushioning materials without risking damage
Is the unboxing experience worth the investment?
Dimensional weight is a hidden cost in cross-border shipping
Another easily overlooked point: the packaging must withstand the round trip of returns. If a package looks pristine going out but falls apart on the way back, reselling the product becomes difficult. For product categories with high return rates, packaging durability standards should be calculated based on a round trip.
This means that if you make the box even slightly larger—even if the extra space is empty—shipping costs will rise. Consequently, the design approach for cross-border packaging is the opposite of domestic packaging: while domestic shipping just requires filling the space, cross-border shipping demands minimizing the outer box size while still ensuring adequate cushioning. Some clients increase dimensions by two centimeters just to make packing easier; this significantly raises shipping costs per shipment, adding up to a substantial amount over a year.
It depends on the channel. Consumers on general marketplaces care more about the product itself, whereas for independent sites and DTC brands, the unboxing experience is part of the marketing strategy and worth the investment.
In cross-border shipping, costs are calculated based on the greater of actual weight or dimensional weight. Dimensional weight is derived by multiplying the box’s length, width, and height and dividing by a billing coefficient; since coefficients vary by carrier, the calculated weight for the same package can differ significantly.
The way to save money isn’t by switching to cheaper materials, but by optimizing internal space. If the box is much larger than the product, you have to fill the gaps with packing material—which is an added cost. Keeping internal gaps within a reasonable range and using paper-based inserts to secure the product is often more cost-effective and stable than piling in loose fill.
Shipping directly in the product’s retail box (skipping the outer shipping carton) saves on both materials and labor. However, this requires the retail box to have sufficient structural strength; it usually needs internal inserts to secure the product and a water-resistant surface finish. This approach is cost-effective for small, lightweight items with internal inserts shipped locally or within the same province, but it carries higher risks for long-distance, inter-provincial shipping or routes requiring multiple transfers.
The purpose of void fill in e-commerce packages is to keep the product stationary inside the box. If the product can move around, any drop results in an impact. The difference between e-commerce packaging and retail packaging lies in the journey between the warehouse and the consumer.
Standard shipping boxes are typically made of three- or five-layer corrugated cardboard; they offer good compression resistance and low costs but look plain. The product’s visual appeal upon unboxing is somewhat diminished, making them best suited for heavy items or consolidated shipments containing multiple products.
Common internal packaging materials include air pillows, bubble wrap, EPE foam (pearl cotton), kraft paper void fill, and honeycomb paper. Air pillows are cheap per unit but require an inflation machine and take up space; bubble wrap is versatile and convenient for small-batch manual packing; EPE foam is ideal for custom-molded cushioning; kraft paper is eco-friendly and recyclable but offers only moderate cushioning, making it suitable for lightweight, crush-resistant items.
These three approaches serve different scenarios.
There are several low-cost ways to enhance the experience: printing brand colors or a short message on the inner lining, using custom-designed sealing stickers, or including an after-sales or instruction card. While the unit cost of these additions is low, they significantly increase the likelihood of customers taking photos and sharing them on social media.
One client, who had operated offline for two years before moving into e-commerce last year, shipped their first 300 orders using their standard retail color boxes directly as shipping containers. Upon delivery, a frequent complaint in negative reviews was that the packaging had been crushed. The color boxes themselves weren’t defective; the issue was that they had previously only been handled on store shelves and had never been subjected to the rough tossing and dropping typical of automated sorting lines.
Shipping boxes, “airplane boxes” (mailer boxes), or direct shipment in color boxes?
There is another key difference: retail packaging is opened by a person, whereas e-commerce packaging is not. When a product is exposed directly inside a shipping box, it lacks an extra layer of cushioning and the benefit of careful manual handling to absorb shocks. Consequently, packaging for the same product usually needs to be one grade sturdier for e-commerce than for offline retail.
The journey for retail packaging goes from warehouse to truck to store shelf to the consumer’s hands. E-commerce packaging involves an additional sequence: sorting center, long-haul transport, local distribution hub sorting, and final delivery by the courier. During these extra handling steps, items are rarely treated with gentle care.
The “airplane box” (or mailer box) is a flat-style box made of E-flute corrugated cardboard. It features an integrated locking tab, allowing it to close securely without tape. Key characteristics include being lightweight, quick to assemble, and offering a pleasant unboxing experience; it is ideal for small-to-medium-sized, moderately priced, and relatively lightweight products. However, its compression resistance is average, so it should not be used for heavy items.
