Is there anything more disappointing than opening up an eagerly anticipated e-commerce or subscription box package only to find everything that was carefully packed is now an unrecognizable heap? Many of our customers work very hard to create a great presentation for their customers with custom printed branded shipping boxes, color coordinated tissue, interior box graphics and a variety of other techniques, all designed to impress. However, the trip from their facility to their customer’s address can be a long, brutal trip, and what looks great going out, typically does not look so good when it arrives. Fortunately, there is a fix for that.
What are scored pad dividers?
They are typically corrugated board inserts that are designed to separate products to prevent damage or simply present better. It may sound extreme but imagine shipping a 12 ounce soft drink can with a bag of potato chips. No matter how carefully you pack them, it is very likely the potato chips will arrive crushed. If you shipped a pair of sunglasses and a tee shirt, wouldn’t both items look better if there was a partition separating them?
What about cutting dies and changes?
The best part about scored pads is that for the vast majority of applications NO CUTTING DIE is required so they can be changed at will with no cost.
Let’s say your box has an 8” long X 4” wide packing area. This month because of the products you are shipping, you would prefer a 50/50 cross directional divider creating two cells that are each 4” X 4”. However next month you are shipping a long, small product like a pen and would like a 1” X 8” longitudinal divider? No problem, no die cost!
If you require slots, holes, rounded corner, cut-outs, etc. then a cutting die will be needed, but a simple divider as shown in the photos is tool-less.
What about colors or printing?
The two basic board color options are white or natural Kraft (brown) board. Custom prints and color are available but minimums will apply and print plates will be required.
Aside from appearance, are there any additional benefits?
Scored pad dividers ship and arrive flat and are formed as needed so they take up very little space compared to most forms of void fill or cushioning. Typically they weigh less so shipping costs inbound (to you) and outbound (to your customer) are also minimized. In some cases box sizes can even be reduced. The greatest savings, however, may be a reduction of labor because void fill can be very time consuming. Packers can usually pack and ship more boxes per hour decreasing cost and increasing productivity.
Scored pad dividers are not the best internal packaging solution for every application but for many, they can be. Except for the very largest applications, the minimum is 1,000 and depending on size, the minimum might be higher for custom printed applications.
For a free, no cost, no obligation review of your application, please contact us at Salazar Packaging or call us at 630-551-1700. We can probably create a mock up and help you determine if it is indeed the best option for you and your products.
Related posts:
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/sustainable-products/the-best-inside-and-outside-a-shipping-box/
