Online shopping for the 2022 holiday season is expected to break previous records. As a result, there will be an increase in the number of packages delivered and an influx of cardboard boxes and packaging materials. According to Stanford University, packaging accounts for approximately 30% of trash. According to one study, each household will dispose of 25% more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. It is critical for a print on demand eCommerce retailer to use recyclable packaging materials. Recycling conserves energy and natural resources, reduces pollution, and prevents landfills from overflowing. This time of year is ideal for educating and reminding your consumers to recycle.
PRINT ON DEMAND PRO TIPS TO REDUCE PACKAGING TRASH DURING HOLIDAYS
1. Encourage customers to recycle and reuse packaging.
Although most residents have recycling bins at home, not all recyclable items belong in these bins. You must keep certain recyclable materials apart from others. Many supermarkets have plastic drop-off stations to recycle plastics with resin identification codes 2 and 4. It is important to note that you cannot recycle contaminated boxes and other recyclable materials. Customers may want to keep your orders if they arrive in a cool branded box. Another good option is to keep or repurpose packages, as long as they do not end up in the trash. Although not every box will be in good enough condition to be reused, packing peanuts, bubble wrap, and other packing supplies can.
2. Use eco-friendly materials.
Online retailers can make environmentally friendly decisions. If you’re an eCommerce merchant looking to be more environmentally friendly, your packaging is one of the most important things to consider. You can be intentional about sustainability by using post-consumer recycled content in the manufacturing of products and choosing eco-friendly packaging and branded boxes. By limiting the need to collect raw materials, you can conserve natural resources, reduce the amount of waste in landfills, and prevent pollution by using recycled materials.
3. Make packaging more appealing to make consumers buy in bulk.
People in today’s society order items online on the spur of the moment with the click of a button. Items can travel in one box rather than many by grouping them rather than ordering them individually. Ecommerce merchants can reduce the number of packing materials used by offering bulk discounts and kits, using the right-sized box, and experimenting with other methods.
4. Reduce the number of miles traveled.
The greater the distance a package travels, the greater the environmental impact. One way to cut transit miles is to keep inventory closer to your customers. Knowing when to expect deliveries helps to avoid redeliveries and, as a result, a larger carbon footprint. Furthermore, more trips are made each time a customer returns a product. Retailers can optimize their websites to include customer reviews, high-quality photos, and detailed product descriptions to reduce the likelihood of eCommerce returns and exchanges.
CONCLUSION
Especially at this time of year, online shopping generates a lot of empty boxes. Unfortunately, cardboard and plastic are still being disposed of in landfills today. You can reduce the environmental impact of online shopping by recycling the leftover materials from online orders. Of course, it is ultimately up to each customer to make these choices. As a print on demand eCommerce merchant, you can encourage this behavior and even make decisions that benefit – rather than harm – the environment.
NEED A PRINT ON DEMAND FULFILLMENT HELP?
Speak with Fulfillplex. We are a top eCommerce fulfillment company specializing in print on demand services, with warehouses close to your customers and integrated technology to provide streamlined, affordable, and fast deliveries. Like you, we also promote sustainable packaging for a better environment. Contact us to speak with a fulfillment specialist and request pricing.