How to use Branded Shipping and beat the "Dead-Zone"

July 18, 2024

As an online seller, you have few opportunities to connect with your buyers. So in a saturated eCommerce market with lots of competition, giving shoppers a great experience is vital. By doing so, you can make your brand memorable and create loyal customers. One way you can do this is with branded shipping.

Below you’ll find 5 ways you can brand your shipping to foster a strong brand-buyer connection. And, of course, standout from your competitors.

What is Branded Shipping?

Branded shipping is when a seller customizes shipping materials and tracking communication with brand logos, colors, and tone of voice. For example, a merchant might use customized boxes, packing slips, and delivery updates to provide a branded shipping experience.

Benefits of Branded Shipping

Connects to your brand to your customers and beats the brand “dead-zone”

Shipping is often referred to as the brand “dead-zone”. In other words, it’s usually the point in the customer journey where the brand loses connection with the buyer. Think of it like this…

You’re in the passenger seat of a car. For around half an hour, you’ve been having a phone call with a friend. But all of a sudden, you go under a long tunnel and lose signal. Silence. Then, the call cuts off. Shipping is the point at which you enter the tunnel and lose signal. It’s normally when a brand stops being able to communicate with the customer.

However, you can beat the brand dead-zone with branded shipping. By customizing and personalizing your shipping, you maintain the connection between brand and buyer. As a result, this leads to a more positive shipping experience.

Helps your brand standout from the competition

Thanks to platforms like Shopify, starting and growing an eCommerce store has become super easy. Awesome. But because of this, everyone is now selling online. In fact, 20.8% of all retail sales are predicted to come from eCommerce in 2023. That means more competition. So, it’s more important than ever to stand out.

By branding your shipping, you can put yourself a cut above competitors. And you can make your brand memorable. Think about it, which of these is a shopper going to remember more…

a) The standard, brown cardboard box from your competitor?

Or…

b) Your beautiful, colorful, branded box?

a) The monotone and factual shipping updates from your competitor?

Or…

b) Your personalized shipping notifications with your brand tone of voice?

I think we know the answer to those.

Branded packaging creates a special unboxing experience

The unboxing experience is a crucial part of eCommerce. Now, there are entire YouTube channels dedicated to unboxing videos. And thousands of people watch them!

With branded packaging, you can give your buyers an unforgettable unboxing experience. In turn, this will strengthen shoppers' connection to your brand and encourage repeat custom. Plus, if the packaging is pretty, customers will be more inclined to share your products on social media. Leading to more exposure for your brand.

5 Ways to Customize Your Shipping and Provide a Branded Experience

Strips of brown and white branded shipping tape crossing each other horizontally.

1. Use branded shipping boxes and mailers

Your first port of call is to use branded shipping boxes and mailers.

This is the first physical interaction a buyer will have with your product. So you want the outside of your packing to showcase your brand colors and aesthetic. Seeing your branded box our mailer will build customers' excitement and deepen the connection they feel with your store.

2. Make the inside of your box on-brand and beautiful with custom inserts

Small brown shipping box with custom blue insert packaging. The packaging separates different shaving products into an perfectly sized separate compartments.

Next, use custom inserts to make the outside as beautiful as the inside. Branded inserts keep the inside of the packaging consistent with the outside and continue to tell your brand story. In addition, they also enrich the unboxing experience.

Of course, if you’re shipping clothes in poly-mailers, this won’t necessarily apply. However, if you’re shipping cosmetics products or candles, branded inserts are a real winner.

3. Switch to branded packing tape and shipping labels

The finer details always matter. And something as small as custom packing tape can enhance the shipping experience as a whole. By simply including your logo on tape and shipping labels, you can reinforce your brand aesthetic and story. This way, you’ll further imprint your brand onto your buyer's memory.

4. Send personalized tracking emails

Phone displaying shipping tracking info, including branded shipping notifications.

A branded shipping experience isn’t just about the packaging. In fact, a brand often loses connection with buyers for a long time while a package is in-transit. So, how do you beat this dead-zone and keep that connection? With personalized tracking emails.

Often, shipping updates are very factual and cold. However, by using software like Ship.com, you can send personalized tracking emails to your buyers. As a result, you can keep buyers in the loop and deepen your connection using your unique brand voice.

5. Brand your packing slips

Packing slips simply contain a list of all items in a shipment. So, they aren’t really the most attractive shipping accessory. But customers will check packing slips. That means, they’re the ideal place to pop your logo and a little thank you from yours truly. Combined with custom packaging and tracking, this provides a holistic branded experience. Don’t underestimate the power of the packing slip!

Where to get Custom and Branded Packaging Supplies for Your Products

Small, custom brown package with "Nouri" in white letters in the centre. The package is draped over with a stem with a few leaves to add a natural aesthetic.

Arka

Arka provides awesome custom and eco-friendly shipping supplies. From stickers and labels to boxes and mailers, they’ve got it covered. Plus, all of their supplies are made in the US and locally manufactured.

The Packaging Company

The Packaging Company has an entire custom shop section on their website. And it has a vast range of supplies. You can get your standard branded mailers, boxes, tape, and labels. But there’s also custom food and tissue paper available if your eCommerce biz ships foodie treats!

Packlane

The Packlane website is super user-friendly. They make it really easy to create branded shipping boxes and mailers by walking you through step-by-step. Though their range of supplies isn’t as broad as Arka and The Packaging Company, you can get custom boxes mega quick.

Is Branded Packaging worth it?

Branded packaging may be slightly more costly than regular packaging, but it is worth it. It gives customers a great first impression and makes your brand memorable. Plus, you actually use less shipping material with custom sizing. Ultimately less material leads to less waste and more eco-friendly shipping. As well as this, it reduces the weight of your package and consequently, the cost.

Conclusion - Branded shipping creates a memorable experience and strengthens brand loyalty

By branding your shipping, you provide buyers with an awesome and memorable experience. And it deepens your customers' connection to your brand. In turn, this creates brand loyalty and returning shoppers. For you, it offers a way to tell your brand story and strengthen brand identity across the customer journey.

If you can customize everything - great. Do it! However, we understand that there may be time and budget constraints for small sellers. So start small. Whether that’s shipping with custom boxes, or using branded stickers and providing personalized tracking updates. That little will help maintain the brand-buyer connection and enhance the shipping experience.

Want to make more room in your budget for custom packaging supplies?

Ok - branded packaging isn’t exactly the free shipping supplies you get from your carrier. But, they really don’t need to cost an arm & a leg! By accessing BIG shipping discounts with Ship.com, you can easily make buying custom supplies affordable.

Ship.com users can get up to 78% off UPS Ground and 84% off USPS Retail Services. Plus, as a Ship.com member you’ll also be able to:

Cut down your shipping time by 90% using 3-click label printing and 2-click home pick-ups. 🏠 📦
Make order management and shipping a breeze with incredible shipping software. 😎 🏖️
Provide customized tracking updates to your customers with a powerful, yet easy-to-use email tool. 📥
Access second to none customer service. Over 300 5-star Trustpilot reviews. Just saying. 👌
Use our simple and fun rewards tool to grow your business and increase customer loyalty. 📈 ♥️

The best thing? You can start today, FREE for 14 days with unlimited shipping…

Make room in your budget for branded supplies with HUGE Ship.com discounts, today.