How to Delight Mom with Creative E-Commerce Packaging

Adding "Wow" Factor to Your Packaging

According to the National Retail Federation, Mother’s Day spending is expected to reach $23.1 billion this year. More than 85 percent of Americans surveyed said they will be celebrating Mother’s Day. If your e-commerce business is shipping packages to moms, here’s an excellent opportunity to contribute to this joyous occasion by adding the “wow” factor to your packaging.

You’ll create potentially profitable goodwill not only with the recipient, but, as a bonus, with the sender as well.

When Mama is Happy…

It has been said that, “If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” To put a positive spin on that humorous truism, “When mama is happy, everybody’s happy!” Other than having her children around her on Mother’s Day, nothing makes mom happier than a thoughtful gift, beautifully packaged and received undamaged.

“Other than having her children around her on Mother’s Day, nothing makes mom happier than a thoughtful gift, beautifully packaged and received undamaged.” TWEET THIS

Here are some tips for packaging your e-commerce offerings in a way to get mom’s attention and earn her appreciation:

1. Use colorful packing paper and dried flowers. If you want to elevate mom’s excitement and anticipation, swap out or augment your standard packing materials with brightly colored packing paper and sprinkle in some dried flowers. You can be sure she’ll share this detail with her friends, and your company will get some free marketing in the process.
2. Include a special note for mom. While you may not know the recipient personally, you know how important moms are. Sharing that sentiment in a short note and wishing her a Happy Mother’s Day is a nice touch.
3. Include a sample of another product. Putting a free sample of another of your products in the box is not only a great plug for that item, it makes mom feel like she got a second gift!
4. Ensure that the gift is properly protected so it arrives undamaged. Nothing puts a damper on mom’s day faster than receiving a broken gift. Worse yet, in the same way that good news travels fast, bad news may travel even quicker. Mom may just call you for a replacement, but she’s likely to inform the sender as well. Plus, it’s possible that she’ll also share her good news/bad news story with her circle of friends. She may even share her experience on social media.   
5. Use water-activated tape (WAT) branded with a Mother’s Day message. WAT is superior to plastic pressure-sensitive tape for keeping packages sealed and their contents safe from damage or theft while in transit. Plus, you can have a message printed on your paper tape rolls so that mom feels the love even before she opens the shipping carton.
6. Pay close attention to addressing. Even worse than receiving a broken gift, is never receiving the package at all due to incorrect addressing, or indecipherable or lost address labels. Not only does this mean mom won’t get her gift, it can lead to awkward interactions with a sender who is wondering why they were never thanked. Double-check mom’s address before the package enters the shipping stream, and always put a copy of the address label in the box in case the exterior label comes off.

Other Important Considerations

As you would expect, shipping volumes rise considerably in the days leading up to Mother’s Day. If your e-commerce business has been in operation for multiple years, you likely know how much lead time to build into your picking, packing, and shipping processes. If you are a new business, be sure to factor in plenty of padding as you consider the purchase cutoff date to announce to your customers.

Also, if you deal in perishables, keep in mind that your product may have to survive longer in transit. Shipping days earlier in a given week tend to be better for these kinds of items, so that weekend downtime isn’t a factor.

Are You Ready for the Next Shipping Surge?

Whether it’s Mother’s Day or the next big spike in e-commerce purchases and shipping, it pays to be well stocked with WAT and electric water-activated tape dispensers. If you have questions about our products, please contact us at your convenience.

---

[This post republished from the Better Packages Blog]