E-commerce has made sustainability a major topic. Customers are increasingly paying more attention to sustainability and asking for more options from online retailers. Retailers are increasingly being seen as more environmentally responsible. Sustainability is also a hot topic for online fashion retailers. It is therefore crucial for retailers to develop new ideas for their shops.
Farewell plastic
Many products are wrapped with plastic and then protected with bubble wrap. The production and shipping of packaging materials and the packaging used to ship them cause massive amounts of waste and emission. Sustainable packaging is an important step toward more sustainable retail. Retailers can achieve this by using alternative plastic films.
For example, instead of using plastic air pads, traders can use old newspapers and old wrapping paper as filling material. You can also use corrugated padding, wood wool and cushioning chips made from corn starch. Shipping bags should be designed to be reused multiple times, if at all possible. You could offer a drop-off service to customers. The bags can then be reprocessed to be used for the next order.
This would also be possible with shipping boxes. Reuse cardboard packaging that is stronger. Plastic boxes made from recyclable materials that can be recycled several hundred times are a great alternative. This reduces the amount of cardboard boxes that are produced. For sustainable shipping, paper tape is preferred over plastic tape. It also reduces the packaging material. The size of the consignment is crucial.
With PARCEL.ONE, retailers can finally find their optimal shipping strategy. No matter if you need international or national shipping. You can take your e-commerce shipping to the next level. For example, many times, the cardboard boxes are too big for the contents. This can have several negative consequences on sustainability. Not only are more packaging materials used than necessary but it also has multiple impacts on various transport routes, from the first mile to the last.
The larger the shipment, the more space it takes in delivery vehicles. The biggest problem in sustainable shipping is empty runs. A delivery driver could deliver several smaller parcels for one large parcel. Delivery vehicles are forced to travel more than necessary when a large parcel is being delivered. E-commerce businesses should optimize packaging and adapt shipping materials to match the product’s actual size. This reduces empty runs and allows for sustainable shipping. PARCEL.ONE can help you make your packaging more durable and ship more efficiently. PARCEL.ONE has a PARCEL Check service, which will find the perfect size and best carrier for eco shipping.
Sensitise customers to sustainable shipping
Online retailers should make an effort to educate their customers about sustainability. One option is to show the environmental footprint of an order in terms emissions. However, it is important to address the issue of returns. This is especially important in the online fashion industry. Retailers can avoid mistakes and unneeded returns by offering better product descriptions and innovative online features. This eco-friendly approach not only helps fashion retailers be more efficient, but also the environment. A positive side effect of this approach is that it increases customer loyalty, which is a win-win situation for everyone.
