Tips to Enhance the Customer Unboxing Experience

With the explosive growth of online shopping, many online merchants are online only, without a physical, bricks and mortar presence. These merchants do not have the opportunity to create a memorable “wow” experience for their customers in person, so they need to be creative to stand out in other ways such as by creating a memorable unboxing experience when an online order is received.

Packaging used to be a function of the shipping department where goods were packaged and prepared for shipment. The goal was more or less to utilize packaging that provided a good chance for the product to arrive at its’ destination undamaged.

Today, packaging has evolved to the point where it is now integral to the overall customer satisfaction experience. Packaging done right not only protects products from damage, but it can also be used to create a memorable customer experience and a positive brand image, stimulating repeat business.

Here are a few tips on how to be creative and get more out of your packaging.

Be unique in your packaging

Example by jukeboxprint.com

There are many ways to make your packaging unique and to stand out from the mass of brown corrugated shipping boxes. One way is to use a custom printed box with your brand prominently displayed. This will reinforce that you care about the customer as the packaging has your name on it.

No business wants their name prominently displayed on a crushed box so ensure it is sturdy enough to meet the hazards of handling and transportation.

If custom printed boxes are too costly for your budget, you can still achieve some level of customization by utilizing a custom-made rubber stamp for printing your logo or a unique design on the box. It’s inexpensive, quick to do and can be memorable.

Another way to stand out is to utilize a unique colour or colours in your packaging. The bright or unique colour may or may not match your brand image and the theme can be carried through to all of your packaging materials including the box, labels, packing slip, etc.

In some cases, unique packaging materials can be utilized to enhance the box, creating a memorable look. Metallic look papers, unique fabrics, pre-printed packaging tape and custom printed labels or stickers are a relatively inexpensive way to spruce up the box to create a unique and memorable look.

Don’t forget what else goes in the box

Since the goal is to create a great and memorable unboxing experience for your customer, what else goes in the box along with your product is really important. It can speak volumes about how much you value your customer. Here are a few items to consider including in the box.

A thank you note, hand written if possible, is often an unexpected yet very much appreciated gesture that can go a long way to securing repeat business. Every box should contain a thank you even if it is short and pre-printed.

A discount coupon is an appreciated surprise and is an effective method of stimulating repeat business. For better results, make the discount coupon time-limited or for use on a specific targeted product.

A product sample included in the box is an effective method of introducing customers to a new or related product. Customers are always happy to receive something for free.

A small treat placed in the box, such as packaged candy, is an inexpensive way to create a memorable and unique experience. It creates a similar reaction to a hotel leaving a couple of chocolates on the pillow in your room. It’s unexpected and nice.

There is much more that can be included in the box such as a review or online survey request, a sale flyer, a user guide, etc. Don’t include everything you have with every order as you may want to provide new customers with something different than returning customers.

Kitpak Fulfillment is a leading provider of e-commerce fulfillment services to many online merchants and will ship products throughout Canada and the USA.

For more information on how Kitpak can help streamline your fulfillment process and save you money CONTACT US or REQUEST a QUOTE today.

1615 Inkster Blvd.
Winnipeg, Manitoba R2X 1R2
(204) 471-8251
sales@kitpak.com

Do you ship posters, banners, artwork or large drawings?

Which do you think is better, the Round or Triangle Mailing Tube?

Kitpak prefers triangle mailing tubes for a few important reasons.

• Triangle tubes are stored flat, requiring less storage space in the warehouse
• They are easily assembled when required.
• Triangle tubes are easier to orient for automatic label scanning as they lay flat and do not roll around
• The flat sides offer the best branding opportunity
• The triangle tube is typically stronger in the mid-section
• Many carriers apply a surcharge for tubes vs triangles that can increase the shipping charge significantly

The Kitpak Fulfillment distribution center in Winnipeg, Manitoba is ideally located for reaching all points in North America quickly and inexpensively. To learn more about how Kitpak Fulfillment can help improve your e-fulfillment processes while saving you money, please contact us today.

REQUEST PRICING

1615 Inkster Blvd.
Winnipeg, Manitoba R2X 1R2
(204) 471-8251
sales@kitpak.com
 

Why Choose Kitpak as Your e-Fulfillment Partner

When online businesses grow, order processing and fulfillment can quickly begin to consume a greater percentage of your valuable time, limiting your ability to effectively manage (plan, market, strategize, etc.) some elements of your business. You can become a worker in your business rather than the entrepreneur who must continuously be working on the business. It may be time to find a great e-fulfillment partner to work with. Choosing the right e-fulfillment partner for your business is essential for keeping your customers happy and ensuring your ongoing success.

Kitpak Fulfillment (Kitpak) would like to be your partner of choice, and here is why.

• Kitpak is located in the geographic centre of Canada, making it easy to quickly reach all major centres.

• Kitpak offers a local, Winnipeg based e-fulfillment solution for businesses in Winnipeg.

• We are locally owned and operated and provide personal service to our customers.

• We are not too big or detached like a call center either. You are welcome to visit our warehouse.

• If your product requires special handling or processing, we provide custom or “white glove” service.

• Our order fulfillment software seamlessly integrates with almost any shopping cart.

• Kitpak provides web portal access for visibility of orders, tracking, inventory and reporting.

• We process orders for shipment the same day they are received (some conditions apply).

• Our economies of scale and shared resources can generate significant savings.

• We offer daily shipments to the US border for direct entry into the USPS (US Postal System).

• Kitpak services are scalable to meet the needs of your business now and in the future.

• Kitpak offers a super easy client onboarding process. We handle everything for you!

To learn more about how Kitpak can save you time and money on your e-commerce order fulfillment, visit Kitpak Fulfillment online today to request pricing or contact us to request more information.

1615 Inkster Blvd.
Winnipeg, Manitoba R2X 1R2

(204) 471-8251
sales@kitpak.com

How Do You Fulfill Your Online Orders?

If you recently launched an online store or have an existing small online business, you are probably fulfilling the orders you receive in-house, by yourself. Often, this is a good way to start in that you learn what is involved to get an order out the door and what it takes to satisfy your customers. Happy customers will often become repeat customers or they may leave a positive review about you (spreading the word) earning you more sales.

When your online order volume starts to grow, it can become much more difficult to manage the every day fulfillment processes internally. When fulfilling orders starts to consume too much of your available time it can hinder your ability to manage other aspects of your business. Is your valuable time best spent working in your business doing order fulfillment or would it be better spent working on developing your business? If you would like to regain some of your time for more strategic tasks, it may be the right time to seek the services of a reliable e-fulfillment partner.

A good e-fulfillment partner will ensure that your business continues to meet the expectations of your customers by efficiently and professionally managing the entire fulfillment process from the time an order is placed until the time it is delivered to the end customer.

Here are a few of the ways a great e-fulfillment partner can help:

• Seamless integration of your online store with the order fulfillment system

• Provides online portal for viewing transactions, inventory and reporting

• Provides the necessary warehouse space

• Can scale with your business

• Having the correct packaging materials

• Manages the logistics for return orders

• Saves you money by providing

   – Greater economies of scale

   – Sharing of expensive resources

   – Volume shipping rates

   – Professional staff

Customer Expectations

When online shoppers consider making a purchase online, they have high expectations that must be met. The pricing must be transparent and the cost of shipping their order must be reasonable and easy to see. Orders must be processed fast and quickly provided to the delivery service.

If you are considering outsourcing your e-fulfillment and have questions about how to go about it or even if it is the right time to outsource, please contact Kitpak Fulfillment today. We will be happy to answer your questions and provide information on how we can help you save money.
 

1615 Inkster Blvd.
Winnipeg, Manitoba R2X 1R2

(204) 471-8251
sales@kitpak.com