What is the best packaging for e-commerce?

It depends on the product, but for most goods a right-sized corrugated box or 0427 mailer with paper void fill gives the best balance of protection, cost and recyclability. Soft, unbreakable goods can go in a paper or padded mailer.

How do I reduce e-commerce packaging costs?

Right-size your boxes to cut dimensional weight charges, reduce void fill by fitting the box to the product, and consolidate SKUs so you are not buying ten stock sizes where five would do.

Do I need different packaging for returns?

Not usually. A pack with a second adhesive strip or reclosable lid lets the customer return the item in the original box, which improves return rates and protects the product on the way back.

E-commerce packaging guide: boxes, mailers, returns and void fill

Short answer

A good e-commerce pack answers four questions: does a box or mailer suit the product, is it the smallest safe size, what void fill protects it without waste, and can it come back as a return if needed? Get those four right and damage rates, carriage costs and packing time all drop together.

Start with the product, not the packaging

Before you pick any packaging, write down what the product is: weight, dimensions, fragility, value and how many SKUs ship in a typical week. A soft garment and a glass bottle need completely different answers, and buying one stock box size to cover both is where most e-commerce packaging budgets go to die.

Box or mailer?

0201 corrugated shipping box: the default for anything fragile, heavy or irregular. Taped top and bottom, strong stacking, good for multi-item orders.
0427 die-cut mailer: tuck-in lid, no tape on the base, tidy unboxing. Ideal for apparel, books, small electronics and subscription boxes.
Paper mailer or padded bag: cheapest and fastest to pack for soft, unbreakable goods. No void fill needed.
Padded Jiffy bag: for small, semi-fragile items like cosmetics and jewellery where a box is overkill.

As a rule: if the product can survive a metre drop onto concrete inside the pack, it can go in a mailer. If not, it needs a box and cushioning.

Size it properly

Couriers charge on dimensional weight, so every centimetre of empty space costs money. Boxes should be 5 to 10 mm per side larger than the product plus cushioning, no more. If your range means you ship a lot of air, a made to measure box sized to your top five SKUs usually pays for itself in carriage savings within a few months.

Choose your void fill

Void fill	Best for	Trade-offs
Paper air cushions (Paperwave)	General e-commerce, kerbside-recyclable priority	Needs a small inflation machine on the bench
Loose fill chips	Irregular shapes, heavy items	Messy, slow, disliked by customers
Kraft paper	Scrunch-and-fill for medium duty	Cheap, recyclable, but heavier
Bubble wrap	Fragile individual items	Plastic, though ours is 30% recycled and recyclable
Die-cut corrugated fitments	Repeat SKUs, presentation packs	Up-front tooling, but nothing to dispose of

The cheapest void fill is the void fill you do not need. A box that fits the product cuts void fill use, damage rates and parcel charges at the same time.

Plan for the return journey

Return rates of 20 to 30 percent are normal in fashion and footwear. If the pack is destroyed on opening, the customer has to find their own packaging to send it back, and many will not bother, which costs you the resale. A returns-ready pack has a second seal strip or a reclosable tuck-in lid, so the same box makes both journeys. We cover the design detail in our return-ready packaging guide.

Where we can help

We make corrugated boxes and die-cut mailers to your exact size on our own machines in Letchworth, and we stock the full range of mailers, tape and void fill to go with them. A free packaging review measures your current packs and shows where size, board grade or void fill changes would save money. Get in touch to book one.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best packaging for e-commerce?: It depends on the product, but for most goods a right-sized corrugated box or 0427 mailer with paper void fill gives the best balance of protection, cost and recyclability. Soft, unbreakable goods can go in a paper or padded mailer.
How do I reduce e-commerce packaging costs?: Right-size your boxes to cut dimensional weight charges, reduce void fill by fitting the box to the product, and consolidate SKUs so you are not buying ten stock sizes where five would do.
Do I need different packaging for returns?: Not usually. A pack with a second adhesive strip or reclosable lid lets the customer return the item in the original box, which improves return rates and protects the product on the way back.

Think your packaging is bigger than it needs to be?

Send us your product dimensions and we’ll come back with a right-sized option. There is no minimum on stock lines, and bespoke corrugated runs can start from as little as one, but we will advise the most cost efficient run rate depending on size and board grade.

Request a Quote

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