Transitioning From Boxes to Mailers With Pregis EverTec™

Executive summary:

• Shippers and 3PLs are searching for new ways to cut costs and reduce their environmental impact.
• Record high e-commerce demand puts even more strain on these efforts, emphasizing efficiency in a challenging supply environment.
• Mailers, including the Pregis sustainable, curbside recyclable EverTec mailer, can replace unnecessary boxes for shippers, saving on costs and creating better processes in shipping and fulfillment.
• Picking the right kinds of products to shift from traditional boxes to mailers is the first step to rightsizing a product line for maximum efficiency.

Part of the joy of shopping online is the experience of coming home to boxes and packages on your front porch or in the lobby of your apartment building. More and more, these packages arrive to consumers in the form of mailers instead of bulky boxes.

For certain items, switching from boxes to mailers not only saves money — it also supports sustainability.

The Challenge of Keeping Up With E-Commerce

In 2021, 60 percent of consumers said they expect to spend more online than they did during the pandemic. The result? Many more packages are expected to come through distribution and fulfillment centers, with shippers scrambling to perform.

In 2020, the uptick in e-commerce was thought to be caused by the immense number of store closings across the country. However, this year, it appears to be more a factor of growing consumer confidence in online shopping than the lingering effects of COVID-19.

Preparing for Another Wave of E-commerce Growth

To scale up for continued growth in e-commerce and the subsequent barrage of business and packages that will come with it, shippers and distributors must look to invest in new cost-saving measures. Switching from boxes to mailers is one option, helping shippers rightsize their parcels while increasing the number of products that can be shipped in a given period of time.

Padded mailers can take the place of traditional boxes, especially in fields with a large variety of products that can be shipped safely without inside-the-box protective packaging.

This helps shippers because increased shipping costs related to dimensional weight — a practice that computes the cost of delivering a package by multiplying length times width times height — has encouraged companies to ship without excess bulk in their packages. A protective, concise mailer that gets a package to a consumer with the lowest dimensional weight possible can mean immediate savings for a distributor or retailer.

The Sustainability Argument for Switching From Boxes to Mailers

Not everything can be shipped in a mailer — but shippers are still likely to find products in their purview that can be comfortably sent via a mailer. The most common products packaged in mailers include:

• Jewelry
• Small electronics
• Books
• Handcrafted trinkets or home goods
• Clothing and other textiles
• Toys and games
• Accessories
• Products that ship in boxes with less than 500 cubic inches of area

Essentially, the rule is you can use packaging like Pregis’ EverTec mailer for products that are mostly flat, small enough to fit in an envelope, or that don’t need extra packaging protection.

But there are more reasons to switch from boxes to mailers like EverTec than simply saving on dimensional weight and shipping costs. Fewer large boxes and more storage space on trucks and in warehouses can help make shipments more energy efficient, transporting more product at once and decreasing the emissions necessary for each purchase. When switching from boxes to EverTec, warehouses can halve the cost and effort compared to manual box packing.

Protecting Goods and the Environment

EverTec is also the only cost-competitive mailer that can boast curbside recyclability, a huge bonus for consumers and our environment. More EverTec mailers will make it into recycling bins this holiday season than competing packaging because consumers can be confident that all they need to do is walk it out to the curb.

But EverTec doesn’t skimp on its protective qualities, despite its sustainable profile. EverTec mailers are highly puncture resistant, water resistant, flexible enough to prevent tearing, and can cushion packages against impacts. EverTec is a truly circular solution for better packaging because it won’t increase returns or damages.

Delivering on Customer Needs

While cost reduction, improved shipping efficiency, and sustainability are compelling reasons for transitioning from unnecessary small boxes to protective mailers, there is still one driving motivation that cannot be overlooked. Consumers want right-sized packaging, and brands want to exceed customer expectations at every turn!

To learn more about EverTec mailers and other protective packaging from Pregis, ask for it by name and contact us today.