Black Friday for your webshop: how to plan your packaging stock on time
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
5 min reading time
Calculate how many boxes, tape, and void fill you need for the peak month around Black Friday — and order on time instead of getting into a bind.
Around the end of November, small webshops quickly transform into a packing hall. Those who don't think about boxes, tape, and void fill in October will have to reorder during Black Friday week when suppliers are behind schedule. This guide helps you calculate what you need and where the most common inventory mistakes lie — so your peak week runs smoothly.
When should you order?
Count back from Black Friday (end of November). Packaging materials are stackable goods: the ordering period often takes three to five working days, and cardboard manufacturers themselves experience increased demand in November. If you order by the second half of October, you'll have a margin to reorder if your sales exceed expectations.
Don't place one very large order, but order in two rounds. Round 1 in October: 70% of your expected needs. Round 2 in early November: the rest, based on initial sales. This way, your money isn't unnecessarily tied up in boxes that you won't use until January.
How much packaging do you need?
Start with your monthly volume for a normal month. In the peak month around Black Friday and Sinterklaas, 2 to 3 times that volume is common for small to medium-sized webshops. Example calculation for 400 packages in a normal month:
Expected peak volume: 800 to 1200 packages.
Distribution letterbox vs. parcel: check your own order history. Many webshops are at 60/40 or 70/30.
Allowance for breakage, double packaging, and repacking: 5 to 10%.
For everything too thick for the letterbox. Choose one base size that covers 60 to 70% of your packages and one larger size for the rest. Examples from the range: the Cardboard Shipping Box 15 x 15 x 15 cm in white for €1.99, or colored variants such as the Black Shipping Box 15 x 10 x 4 cm for €1.99 if unboxing experience is important to you.
Tape
Rule of thumb: one roll of 50-meter tape is good for approximately 60 to 80 packages, depending on box size. For 1000 packages, you'll need 14 to 17 rolls. Choose one workable quality and order in bulk: the Tape Rolls Box of 36 pieces - 48 x 66 mm costs €108.00 and is enough for three to four thousand packages. For smaller peaks, a set of 6 tape rolls 48 x 66 mm for €21.00 works. One roll per packing table: the KINZO Packaging Tape 50 meters x 48 mm for €3.00.
Tape Dispenser
A dispenser pays for itself in a week. Manually tearing tape takes about 10 seconds per package; with a dispenser, it's 3 to 4. For 1000 packages, that saves two hours of work. The Kinzo Tape Dispenser with 2 Rolls is €9.95.
Void Fill
Choose one type of void fill and structure its use. Bubble wrap works for fragile items; paper void fill for lighter items. The Bubble Wrap Roll 500 mm x 500 m costs €12.95 and lasts a long time. For fragile items: allow for 2 to 3 layers around the product, plus void fill in the surrounding space.
If you ship without external packaging, VOID security seals (60 pieces) for €9.95 leave a clear visible trace if a package has been opened in transit.
What usually goes wrong?
Too many box variations. Four or five sizes are usually enough. More sizes mean more searching and repacking work.
Underestimating tape. In a peak month, tape runs out faster than expected — especially if you're double-taping larger packages. It's better to order one roll too many.
Forgetting void fill. Boxes that are "almost full" but with a half-empty layer of air arrive with dents. Calculate void fill separately — don't just rely on 'something from the closet'.
Underestimating returns. Peak months also bring peak returns. Keep a separate small stock of neutral shipping materials for returns that will be reshipped.
Setting up your packing station
Set up one workstation with tape, dispenser, knife, void fill, and the two or three most frequently used box sizes within reach. Anything you handle more than once per package or have to get from somewhere costs time. Place one stack of packing slips and one stack of shipping labels next to each other — not mixed up.
Work with bundles where possible. Since you ordered in October, you can proceed in November without waiting for deliveries in between.
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