The 2019 packaging holiday rush season is winding down and by now you are probably tired of taping all the boxes you recently shipped to customers. Like most of us, you likely have a love/hate relationship with tape, whether it is plastic, or water activated paper. You know it takes time, it can be expensive especially when multiple strips are required, it can be sloppy, possibly covering your graphics, and tape does not always cooperate when you are in a hurry.
For twelve years we have been asked by custom branded e-commerce packaging customers, “why can’t we get the same type of boxes that the post office provides? The ones with the adhesive strip that eliminates the use of tape?”
They are known as auto seal, peel and seal, easy seal, and a wide variety of other names and none of those names are truly accurate. The fact is that these box closure designs are not truly “automatic,” but they can save a tremendous amount of time and money while adding a level of security that standard box and tape options cannot offer.
Cost versus benefit
This is when you must truly analyze your costs. I know it is a tedious, sometimes difficult process but that is the only way to truly determine whether you are better off using tape to seal your boxes or purchase boxes with a peel and seal adhesive strip.
Let’s say your box cost rises by 20 to 30% (just a wild guess estimate) and for the uninformed, that may be a deal breaker already. However, for those who want to understand their operating costs, what if a peel and seal box will enable your packers to pack 50% more boxes? Boxes, even custom printed boxes, are relatively inexpensive and labor tends to be quite expensive, especially if a fulfillment company is doing that packing and sealing for you.
Peel and seal mailer box features
There are basically two things this type of box does for you: a covered, peel and seal adhesive strip, and an easy-open perforation tear strip.
The peel and seal adhesive strip is covered until the packer decides it is time to seal the box permanently. Keep in mind that once the protective liner exposes the adhesive and it’s sealed, the box is not easily opened to insert a packing slip or a missed item. However, the good news is that is also not easily opened by prying fingers or eyes.
In fact, if done properly, the box is so difficult to open that a tear strip must be added to make customer access possible. Some manufacturers will just perforate the corrugated board but ideally a filament is added so the box opens cleanly and smoothly.
BTW, a second adhesive strip can be added to create a safe and clean returnable (two way) package ideal for clothing and other high return and often exchanged products. See first related post below.
We make sure each box is designed correctly with both a wide, aggressive adhesive strip and an effective, customer friendly reinforced tear strip. A well-designed box is good for our customers, good for the end user consumer, and for the packers that need to get orders out on time.
Keep in mind that our 1,000 MOQ for any custom size or custom print box still applies. The only negative is that with the extended flap and features, a custom cutting die is probably needed which probably means the ideal customer is probably ordering 3,000 or more of their boxes to justify the cutting die and plate costs.
If this all sounds confusing or complicated, it doesn’t have to be. Please call us at 630-551-1700 or contact us at www.SalazarPackaging.com. Our experienced branded packaging advisors are more than ready to answer any questions you may have.
Related posts:
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/two-way-returnable-and-resealable-packaging-for-e-commerce/
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/thc-and-cbd-direct-to-consumer-wholesale-and-retail-packaging/
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/sealable-easy-open-features-on-d2c-e-commerce-shipping-boxes/
