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Too many businesses sacrifice their gift packaging to save money. Skimping in some areas to save money is a good business strategy, especially for a small business or a start up business, but gift packaging is not an area where businesses should try to save money. The packaging that you use sends a message about your company that customers pick up on loud and clear, and the last thing you want to do is send a message that your company is cheap.
Using great gift packaging doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Often the most creative types of packaging are inexpensive and consist of re-using recycled materials or using common materials in a unique way. You can also make a statement with your packaging by using stamps, stickers, and other items that have your business name, logo, or a slogan on them. Items like those can be printed in bulk at a discounted rate and then just added to standard item packaging which saves money without sacrificing the creativity of the packaging.
Gift packaging is important for all businesses because the type of packaging that is used helps to build your brand and cement your company in the minds of customers. Whether it’s good or bad the packaging you use is going to make an impression. It’s up to you to decide whether the end result will be positive or negative. Supply chain managers worry about the costs of packaging and shipping items but in the end the cost of using unique, creative packaging is an investment in the business not just another expense.
One of the most quickly growing trends in packaging is using environmentally friendly or recycled products to package gifts. These can range from high end handmade papers and environmentally friendly stickers made with vegetable based ink to recycled cardboard wrappers and reused newspapers and magazines.
If you need to save money on packaging in order to meet your budget requirements hire a fulfillment company to handle the packing and shipping of your products. Using a fulfillment center will drop the cost of packing and shipping your items dramatically because of the bulk discounts that fulfillment centers are able to negotiate with shipping companies and suppliers. Then you can use the money that you save on the cost of shipping and packing to invest in some unique gift packaging materials that will help your business become more recognizable to customers.
