In 2021, B2B e-commerce will grow 1.17 times faster than all U.S. manufacturing and distributor sales, which will grow 15.2% from $11.36 trillion in 2020 to $13.09 trillion in 2021. The dramatic increase in online B2B sales is a huge opportunity for any business but often presents challenges when it comes to shipping products.

Orders should arrive intact and ready to use. Packages are often not treated well by the shipping supply chain. While this can be a challenging fulfillment process, you must package and ship products securely to keep customers happy.

Proper packaging of e-commerce products also prevents damage to goods and product theft.

1. What packaging should I use? Why?

People often use the term “cardboard” when referring to any type of paper packaging material. However, for the professional packaging industry, the effective material used is corrugated cartons. So what’s the difference between the two?

While the two materials may look similar, corrugated boxes are more durable than cardboard boxes and can ease your worries about damage to your products during shipping. Read further to know more about the differences between cardboard vs corrugated boxes to enhance your packaging.

2. What is the difference between the terms?

When choosing the most suitable material to ship your product, the first step you should take should be knowing the quality of the packaging you are actually receiving. A customer’s first impression of your business is opening their merchandise.

1) Paperboard usually refers to thick paper stock or heavy pulp.

This type of material is often used to make cereal boxes or greeting cards. However, corrugated boxes are made from some types of cardboard, and it is important to know that these materials are not the same.

2) Corrugated paper is composed of three layers of paper, including inner lining paper, outer lining paper and grooves with pleated shapes in between.

This type of material enhances the overall packaging process. There will be significant differences in:

  • durability
  • product protection
  • Reduce costs
  • Environmental friendly

Bonus: It’s lightweight and has a high strength-to-weight ratio! Boxes made from corrugated sheets are strong and durable, and they can be recycled easily.

While the surface level difference may not be noticeable, cardboard is better for items like cards and cereal boxes. Corrugated paper, on the other hand, is the preferred packaging material for shipping boxes for secure and protected packaging.

3. Environmentally friendly packaging solutions:

Shipping and packaging products should prioritize eco-friendly solutions in today’s world. When making a purchase, nearly 80% of US consumers consider sustainability (of the product, retailer, or brand). Nearly 80% of retailers believe their sustainability efforts are paying off in terms of increased customer loyalty.

This is another major win for utilizing corrugated board as the primary packaging solution. Corrugated paper contains a high percentage of recycled paper, contains no harmful bleaches or dyes, and can be recycled again after use.

4. Enhance the packaging process:

When you send out a large number of orders every day, having the right shipping materials is critical to your production. The responsibility of a business owner is to ensure that products arrive at their destination in perfect condition.

To enhance security and enhance your brand, corrugated boxes can be sealed with water activated tape (WAT).

WAT is primarily made of kraft paper tape that forms a permanent bond to corrugated boxes. Unlike plastic tape, it cannot be removed without leaving tamper marks. Water activated paper tapes are usually reinforced with multiple layers of polyethylene thread and are available in various widths and thicknesses.

By activating the packaging tape adhesive with water, the adhesive penetrates the carton material and forms a permanent bond. WAT offers several advantages that no other carton sealing solution can provide.

The tape is strong enough for heavy duty cartons, versatile enough to seal different sized cartons, withstands extreme environments and has the ability to print your logo directly on the paper packing tape from the shipping tape dispenser.

By choosing between a manual tape dispenser or an electric tape dispenser, you will have the carton sealing method that works best for your business.