Packaging for a Small Business: Mailers

WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN SOURCING MAILERS TO SHIP YOUR PRODUCT

Budget

Shop online or shop local? If you are not concerned about your product being made in the USA, you may consider foreign suppliers. Weigh in factors such as shipping time, insurance, and shipping cost. Who knows, you may find a better deal local to you.

I found a local company to my hometown, which offered free shipping on 250 bubble mailers, and my total was less than $32—not kidding.

What Can You Afford To Spend?

1. How much did your product cost to make?

2. What other costs will be associated with each mailer? Branded "contact us" cards, stickers, paper coupons, postcards w/ QR codes.

3. (We will talk about shipping costs in another post)

4. How much of your profit margin can you afford to chip away?

Use a percentage calculator to calculate how much the packaging costs per unit relative to your profit margin for each item sold. I did not want my packaging to account for any more than .7% - 1.2% of my net margin in my business. Even 1.2% makes me cringe tbh.

Packaging Materials

When preference and reality are on the far ends of the spectrum, it comes down to compromise. I knew I wanted a product made in the USA, and I needed something waterproof. Could I afford these things? That's a different question.

What Packaging Should You Choose?

Always start with your product. **I emphasize, ALWAYS start with your product**

1. Would your product be damaged if it got wet?

2. Could your product sustain a package tear?

3. Can your product fit in a standard mailer, or do you need to use a box?

4. Do you need extra packaging like bubble wrap or recyclable paper to protect your product?

My product, 2VERSES, is a paper product. The conversation cards and the product packaging cannot withstand water damage. I knew I needed waterproof, tearproof packaging at a minimum. I also wanted aesthetic simplicity. Therefore, I chose to use Brown Kraft Paper Bubble Mailers. This packaging is waterproof, tearproof and gives the aesthetic I was looking for.

Have $$$ For Extras?

1. Eco-friendly

2. Adhesive Strips

3. Bubble Inside

4. Branded Packaging

Packaging Size

I learned from a BIG mistake here!

Go a Size Up If You Can Afford It!

I sourced packaging that I thought would fit the 2VERSES conversation cards while leaving some space for the product to 'breathe.' Well good thing I went a size up. I realized I only considered packaging for an order of ONE UNIT. What would happen when someone ordered more than one unit? The packaging I have can fit two orders of games, but when I get an order of three, I eat the cost of buying packaging at retail price.

Don't Forget These Items:

1. Mailer weight: Your shipping costs will be affected by the weight of your packaging

2. Dimensions: Consider an order of multiple items. Can the package size accommodate an order of two items? Consider the shipping costs associated with increasing packaging dimensions.

Things can be tight if you run a business using small amounts of funding. Shopping around for a good deal is your best bet.

Written by Maddie

Christian Icebreaker Games

2verses.com