Online retail is booming and has received an additional boost from the pandemic. The digital transformation offers retailers enormous opportunities. A few examples from DS Smith show which customer needs need to be taken into account and which packaging solutions can help.
The Covid-19 pandemic has Digitalisation of shopping is accelerating rapidly. According to a recent survey by DS Smith, 52 per cent of German consumers still prefer to shop in-store. However, with 32 per cent of respondents preferring to shop online, e-commerce is already hot on the heels of bricks-and-mortar retail. More than a third of participants (39 %) stated that the lockdown had increased their love of online shopping; eleven per cent even said they could imagine never shopping in a real shop again if they could avoid it.
The figures show: The transformation of German shopping behaviour is taking place at a rapid pace. For retailers, it offers enormous opportunities - if they know and can fulfil the needs of their customers. The following three points show what these needs are and how packaging solutions from DS Smith can help make the digital transformation a success.
Packaging as a brand ambassador
The packaging of a product is the first physical contact a customer has with their online order. A visual appearance in the brand design is just as convincing as a well thought-out packaging design that makes filling material superfluous and enables problem-free opening without the use of aids.
Examples of optimised packaging are the E-wrap for the individual dispatch of bottlesn and the e@Box from DS Smith. The latter is a All-in-one solution and combines product and shipping packaging, for example, to create a special Unboxing experience to make this possible. The outer packaging is opened using an integrated tear strip, creating the appearance of a sliding box. The solution saves online retailers valuable time and costs in logistics and, not least, motivates customers to make repeat purchases and recommend the product to others.
The e-wrap combines neutral shipping packaging with a attractive inner packagingwhich is also suitable as a gift. The 100 per cent corrugated cardboard solution is also designed to provide an optimal customer experience when unpacking.
For the Blue heroes DS Smith has designed particularly sustainable e-commerce packaging. The Hessian start-up has set itself the task of reducing single-use plastic and CO2-emissions permanently with its refill tablets for self-mixing dishwashing and cleaning products. The Material-optimised shipping packaging with the strong-identity exterior and interior print not only protects the product and nature, but also fulfils the end consumer's desire for an unboxing experience that can inspire.
Packaging as a process optimiser
To ensure that the item reaches the consumer as quickly as possible and, above all, punctually on the specified delivery date, the logistical requirements of online retail must be taken into account when developing packaging solutions. DS Smith's packaging solutions also enable speed and productivity in the process as well as smooth returns processing.
For Cailler for example, the premium chocolatier brand from NestléDS Smith has developed a packaging solution that facilitates logistical processes thanks to its flexibility and makes unpacking an experience. The design can be used for all chocolate box sizes offered in the online shop and also for different order quantities - what's more, it is made of 100 per cent corrugated cardboard.
Packaging as a sustainable protector
Sustainability in all its facets is becoming increasingly important for consumers. The demand for more sustainable, recyclable packaging concepts that avoid waste and conserve resources is also on the rise. In a DS-Smith survey, 40 per cent of respondents stated that they would use more sustainable packaging, want to switch to another providerif the desired product is delivered there with less packaging effort and material. This applies in particular to young consumers between the ages of 18 and 24, almost one in two of whom agreed with the statement. 42 per cent of European consumers stated that they try to buy products that are not packaged in plastic.
For retailers, the 100 per cent recyclable mono-material solutions made from corrugated cardboard, such as those offered by DS Smith with the "Sustainable Protector" presented in the summer, will therefore be an asset in the battle for consumer preference. The corrugated fibreboard spring corners were developed in accordance with the circular design principles that DS Smith developed together with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has developed.
They ensure optimum protection of the product in the parcel and also increase the sustainability of the delivery by replacing plastic filling materials with recyclable corrugated cardboard. The corrugated cardboard protective corners can be customised to the dimensions and weight of the respective products as well as to the respective primary and secondary packaging. The simple handling should guarantee efficient packaging processes.
Optimising business processes with cooperation
Whether individualised design with a wow effect, convenience and reliability when shopping online or greater sustainability - the e-commerce boom is forcing brands to focus even more on the more consistently orientated towards the needs of consumers. One thing is clear: bricks-and-mortar retail will not disappear from city centres overnight. But it is also clear that online shopping will increasingly become the "New Normal". At the same time, packaging is becoming increasingly important for shipping and sales. Those who deal with this in good time and focus on cooperation with their packaging partner can take advantage of the opportunities presented by the digital transformation and significantly optimise their business processes.
Guest author: Uwe Väth is Managing Director DS Smith Packaging Germany & Switzerland
