Packaging for e-commerce

Packaging for e-commerce

The e-commerce industry is somewhat of a particular interest to Kite Packaging due to the fact we ourselves operate an e-commerce arm of our own business. We understand that the need for presentable packaging is a high one, but that packaging also needs to be low-cost and in high volumes to suit the customer’s needs. Specifically, the e-commerce industry requires postal-ready packs that are fully printed, with the main objective to survive the general post or courier systems. E-commerce is a fast-moving industry that is unpredictable at times, which is why we have tailored service offerings to ensure this industry has a flowing supply of product.

We can also offer the required bespoke service package for the e-commerce industry from our extensive offering.

These include:

• Packaging technologists – Our expert packaging technologists will come to your site and assess each aspect of your packaging and packing process to come up with a solution that is tailored to your business needs
• Bench velocity –The packing process, which is incredibly fast moving in the world of e-commerce, needs to be as quick and efficient as possible. Kite will conduct time and motion studies to develop solutions that can more than double the number of packs going across the packing bench per hour
• Damage control – The last meter of the e-commerce process supply chain is the most expensive, and even more costly if products arrive damaged. Kite will work with your business to design and test packs through the postal service, ensuring products are right first and every time.

For further details of these offerings go to Service.

Product offering

Kite provides the e-commerce industry with several different packaging solutions to protect goods along the supply chain and ensure a smooth flow of service.

These include:

• Airbags
• Paper systems
• Foam in place
• Void fill
• Postal boxes
• Printed boxes
• Dispatch sacks
• Mailing bags

E-Commerce case study

Project Brief

Kite was approached by a large e-commerce retailer, a leader in the market of photo sharing and printing. They offer a number of different products using photographs including books and canvas prints, and therefore required a variety of different packaging products which would offer a high level of protection and good quality presentation. The key problem that this customer faced was that they were sending high volumes of product out, and therefore required a packaging solution which would speed up the packing process, survive the parcel supply chain and be delivered in high volumes to tight delivery times.

Design and development

Kite developed a postal-ready pack for this customer, which worked to protect goods and be packed quickly. The pack was specifically designed so that it would meet all of the customers’ needs and arrive to the customer flat-packed – to optimise storage space and allow for high volumes of product.

Testing

Testing was a key need for this customer, due to the volatile nature of the parcel network in the UK. Kite developed a semi-automated trial pack system in order to rigorously test the product. In the trial over 200 packs were sent out via the parcel network to evaluate performance. Kite then collected the data and produced a detailed report to present to the customer, which showed that in the trial all packs arrived to their destination without damage.

Result

The customer acknowledged in order to grow as a business a new requirement for a dedicated packaging supplier was necessary. Kite Packaging was taken on through an automated route and considerable capital investment to ensure that the business would continue to grow, and provide high quality packaged products to their customers. Since Kite became the packaging supplier several packaging lines have been developed and detailed advice on packaging machinery and design is provided on an on-going consultancy basis – which has been seen as invaluable.