With Black Friday and Cyber Monday both in the rear window, many people will be ready for Christmas. It’s been a busy time for E-commerce. It continues to show more and more people around the world are favouring purchasing online. In fact, the estimate is it will continue to grow, closing the gap on physical retail. Online businesses will be happy with this, but need to think about key decisions like what packaging to use. We want to have a closer look here, then you can talk to us if you want to arrange things like laminating services.
Regional dominance
Overall, E-commerce has become a vital pillar of retail. Many consumers favour it for the ease of access and ability to compare prices. With so many different platforms to choose from, including massive digital marketplaces, people have more control than ever over what they buy. Additionally, there are niche specialists offering all kinds of goods, from meal kits and pet food to cosmetics.
While one of the greatest things about E-commerce is it offers accessibility for businesses, the data shows people around the world tend to favour established names. In fact, just 5 major platforms have over 60% of total traffic.
The most popular platform by a long way is Amazon. In the US alone they get over 2.7bn visits per month. If you add regional domains like .co.uk, .co.jp, and .in, they get over 40% of all global traffic to E-commerce sites. Chinese platforms also have become increasingly popular on a global stage. This includes Pinduoduo (TEMU) and Alibaba (AliExpress and Taobao).
Interestingly, while some platforms are global, many buyers favour the biggest brands in their particular region. This includes Ozon in Russia, Coupang in Korea, and Rakuten in Japan.
Packaging matters
As we said, it is vital that E-commerce businesses think carefully about what kind of packaging they use for different goods. Things like laminating services and foils are really useful. They can help create flexible packaging for a massive selection of products, including food and beverages, clothing, electronics, and more.
One growing area that showcases the importance of selecting the right packaging is the increasing demand for parcel stations. More consumers in various countries want to be able to arrange delivery to them rather than direct to their home. It provides more flexibility, meaning they don’t miss a delivery because they aren’t home. However, because packages could sit in lockers for several hours, the packaging must be able to effectively protect the goods.
Another thing to think about here is convenience. It is the whole ethos of E-commerce. The packaging needs to support this, ensuring it is convenient for consumers and businesses. Things to look at in particular include easy opening and recyclability.
Thinking about how you can use laminating services?
Businesses in various industries should be looking at the opportunities laminates can offer. They are useful for so many different things, including packaging and protecting a variety of materials. Even better, they are cost effective and you can choose laminate to align with green goals.
If you are thinking about how laminating services could be beneficial for you, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’ve been specialising in foil and laminate for a long time. So, you can benefit from our expertise and make the right decisions for all kinds of projects, including E-commerce packaging.