Shipping / Packaging Question

[Melos]

If you run an ecommerce shop that ships actual products to your customers, how important is the packaging and shipping methods?  I have been using the USPS for all my shipping needs and just using their boxes with a printed out shipping label.

I am considering investing in some plain white boxes on which I can affix company-designed labels or other stickers basically advertising my website.

Do you think this is more professional?  Increases brand recognition?  Perhaps gets the mail carrier to visit your website?

[Corey Bryant]

I know 800-Contacts does this and EcoData does it.  I order quite a bit online and for the most part, for me, I do not see that much of a difference.

If you can do it at an affordable price, then it might be worth the consideration. But if your products are of different sizes, requiring different boxes, you might consider one size box.  For example, Ecodata probably only has one size since they are probably just sending out hard drives.

[Melos]

That is a very good point.  I ship products of many different sizes, and buying (and storing!) multiple sized boxes would be troublesome.

Do you think professionalism suffers if you use the Post Office flat rate boxes?  With the USPS symbols and pictures all over them?

[Corey Bryant]

No - I don't think that it really matters one way or the other.  For me ordering online, the ease or ordering, checking out, and getting my order soon - that more important to me than having a "branded box".  Plus I re-use a lot of those boxes when I ship out.  So a lot of times, those branded boxes, just go in the trash. 

I prefer the regular boxes myself.

[sweet_mayhem]

same for me..i don't really mind if the boxes are branded or not...the service should always be a priority.

[Slashmire]

From the times where I bought from another country, I was more interested in the amount it cost rather than when it arrived, that might only be me though

[hoosierhunter]

Labels with your logo and website as well as an included business card remind customers to check out your specials. I like to include a coupon printed on the back of a business card with a code for a discount. There are a lot of places you can buy simple boxes for shipping that you can apply your own labels to.