Joy of Medina County Magazine | March 2021
BUSINESS: THE IN BOX
25
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About the Box by Amy Barnes One of the pain points for low- to medium-volume shipping is
One of my favorite sources for new boxes is a local paper
the cost of shipping boxes. There is not enough shipping to buy
supply store. Such stores can be found by doing an internet
boxes in bulk, but the by-the-box cost can drastically cut into
search for “paper stores” or “papercraft stores.”
profit margins. There are a few tricks to decreasing the cost. Free used boxes are the first way to save money. Used boxes have the plus that you can reassure customers you are doing everything possible to help reduce waste and save the environment. Make sure the used boxes are clean, not ripped, and that all labels are removed. Sources for used boxes could include any shipped to your business or home, friends, and local businesses. If you also
It also is easy to save on packing filler materials. Recycling packing materials from other packages is a great option. However, packing peanuts and bubble wrap are not the only options. Another great option is crumpled, used wrapping paper (remove any tags). It makes a great, environmentally friendly, festive filler. The long cardboard tubes from the gift wrap can be z-folded and used as a lightweight packing aid. Clean cardboard drink carriers and crumpled newspapers also work well for bracing items in a package.
work for another business, check into what they do with their used boxes and tap into that possibility. Many shipping boxes do not have any markings on the outside of the box other than the shipping label, which is easily covered by crossing out the old label and placing the new one on top.
Have small business pointers you would like to share as a columnist? Contact Amy Barnes at Joy@BlakeHousePublishing.com Be sure to include information about your business experience and a sample column of no more than 350 words.
If there are brand names, numerous markings on the outside of the box, or a really stubborn label that is too big to be covered by the new shipping label, flip the box inside out. A box can be flipped by first opening the bottom of the box. Next, find the side seam and carefully separate it. Turn the box inside out, and reassemble it. To refasten the side seam, use a glue stick and apply a layer of glue to the sides that need to be joined. Cover over the seam with packing tape,
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reseal the bottom of the box. While flipping a box may be a little awkward at first, after flipping a couple, you should have the hang of it and be able to do it quickly and efficiently. Keep an eye out for deals on new boxes and stock up when they are on sale. As long as you do not go crazy stocking up on boxes, it does not take much room to store them. Boxes, new or used, can be stored flat on end by simply opening the bottom of the box. Store in ascending size order to facilitate quickly grabbing the needed size. For an idea of how much space storing boxes would take, I have more than 100 flattened boxes stored in this way in a 4foot long, 2-foot wide space.
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