Choosing the Right Packaging Material for your E-Commerce Operation

As more and more retail business is transacted online, brands are turning more attention to the packaging in which it’s transported.

With no physical retail touchpoint, the packaging customers receive often becomes their first direct interaction with the brand, making its packaging fundamental to that impression. This is leading, in some cases, to full packaging redesigns, as packs designed for the retail environment aren’t always ideal for the courier network.

So, how do you choose the right ecommerce packaging material for your operation and which options work best with automated bagging systems?

Why packaging material choice matters in ecommerce

There are four key reasons why packaging selection must be carefully considered:

• Customer experience and brand perception – where no retail environment is involved creating any brand halo effect, the product as it arrives must speak for itself. The whole experience must reflect the brand’s values and leave the customer with the intended impression.
• Sustainability and environmental impact – with a choice of sustainable packaging materials available, ecommerce teams can select an option that further supports the brand’s values. Highlighting the choice made will ensure this point reaches the customer.
• Protection of goods during shipping – it’s vital that the product reaches the customer in excellent condition. The type of product will drive the practical choices needed to ensure this is the case.
• Business profitability – in the competitive retail field, packaging materials must support the business’s margin goals, both in the material’s cost and in ensuring the material works with packaging machinery to deliver an efficient packing operation.

For both horizontal and vertical bagging machines, paper and plastic packaging materials are available. Within these two broad categories, individual material specification is important, ensuring the finished pack delivers in every way.

Making your ecommerce packaging work harder

Ensuring the packaging enhances the brand is now vital. Pack aesthetics can be selected to match the brand’s visual appeal. In addition, the way the pack works for the customer can also enhance their experience of the product:

• Colour choices – For plastic polybags clear, coloured and printed options are available, including the use of two-tone bags, with a different substrate top and bottom or different colours inside and out. For paper bags, brown and white options are available and print is also possible.
• Further print options – As well as high-definition pre-printing on the substrate, in-process print can be used as long as your automated packaging system includes this feature. Materials need to be specified that ensure a clear print, but everything from the customer’s delivery information to barcodes, QR codes, product information, logos and images can be added.
• Additional features – Easy open tear strips, return strips and vent holes are all options for pre-made bags, which can make the customer experience of receiving their order and doing business with you simpler.

Sustainability in ecommerce packaging

Sustainable options in ecommerce packaging materials ensure the pack is in synch with the brand’s declared environmental standpoint. Publicising the reasons for the choice of material will make sure that customers can understand and appreciate that too.

The following considerations for the packaging system may be useful:

• Paper bags v polybags – Often paper is perceived as a more eco-friendly packaging material than plastic. Detailed analyses reveal that the reality is more nuanced. Many poly-based materials have good green credentials such as full recyclability or high levels of recycled content.
• Mono materials – Materials derived from a single substrate can be significantly more easily recycled, whether they’re a plastic or a single-ply paper.
• No added labels – Keeping the packaging simple, with a single material, retains its recyclability, so a system that can print directly on-bag and which will require no additional labels is more environmentally-friendly than one which results in a more complex finished pack.

Keeping the product safe throughout ecommerce delivery

The type of product being shipped has a considerable bearing on the type of packaging material needed, to ensure it lands in perfect condition, but there are other considerations too. The following are some of the elements that might be considered:

• Paper bags v polybags – Both ecommerce packaging materials can be used for a wide range of products, however products containing liquids are preferably shipped in plastic. Soft goods such as apparel and linens are ideal for bagging in paper substrates.
• Packaging material thickness – Ideal thickness varies between products, however often the thickness, and therefore overall packaging weight, can be downgauged due to the availability of high strength materials. YPS works with its customers to test different materials to agree the ideal finished specification.
• Perfect fit – A snugly-fitted pack will grant the product more protection during transit. This can be achieved on horizontal bagging machines by precise shaping of the bags on the line. For vertical bagging machines, a wide range of bag sizes are available, so that the ideal specification can be selected, and bespoke bag sizes can be supplied for high volume retailers.
• Colour choices – A common colour combination for polybags is a white exterior and dark interior, which enhances product security. Coloured bags are available, so that retailers can decide the level of discretion needed for their products.
• Special protective requirements – All manner of specialist specifications are available such as antic-static bags for electrical components and non-scratch bags for luxury items such as jewellery. Gamma and VCI bags are available too.

Packaging material compatibility with automated bagging systems

Specifying the optimal packaging material for the automated bagging system you’re using ensures that the machine and consumables work optimally together, increasing speed and throughput while retaining consistency. You might need to consider:

• Vertical or horizontal – a vertical system will be compatible with pre-made bags; horizontal bagging systems use rolls of material. This is useful to consider when specifying your system.
• Paper bags v polybags – Most systems are specified for one material or another. However, hybrid systems, which can accept either material with the change of a few simple settings, are also available.
• Pre-opened or fan-folded – Vertical systems use either fan-folded bags or pre-opened bags on a roll. For larger bag sizes, fan-folded bags are preferable as they will require fewer changeovers, ensuring a more consistent production flow.
• Print capability – The ability to print on the pack within the system offers more flexibility to retailers and allows packs to go out with no secondary packaging, such as labels, header cards or inserts. Many packaging materials are compatible with in-system printing, creating a smudge-free finish and ensuring downstream scanability.

Supporting E-Commerce Packaging Success

YPS is an ecommerce packaging supplier with experience of both machinery and materials. We help our customers to specify the best ecommerce packing system for their operation, supporting them at every step of the way.

Our customers benefit from:

• Pre-purchase guidance – whether you’re looking for new equipment or for materials for a current system. Our sales and engineering teams will conduct testing with your operational staff, using your own products to make sure that the specifications and recommended settings work optimally together.
• Training – When we install a machine, we deliver unlimited training to your team so that you fully understand how to operate and maintain equipment.
• Ongoing engineering support – Every machine we supply is delivered with an included service contract so that we can work with you to keep your machines running optimally for the long term.
• Material sourcing and review – We can source compatible materials for you and discuss plans to make sure that what you need is always available to you. Our advice includes guidance on the sustainable characteristics of the materials and on any associated EPR obligations. We’re happy to review the materials you’re using at any time, to help you source the most up to date alternatives.

Take the Next Step

Choosing the right ecommerce packaging material is not just a procurement decision — it directly impacts operational efficiency, sustainability performance and customer experience.

If your packaging setup is causing slow throughput, material waste, inconsistent packing performance or compatibility issues with your automated bagging system, it may be time to review both your materials and your machinery setup.

YPS works with ecommerce and fulfilment teams to test, specify and optimise packaging materials alongside your automated bagging system, ensuring both elements are fully aligned for performance, efficiency and scalability.

Speak to YPS today to review your packaging setup and identify the most efficient and sustainable solution for your operation.