Five misconceptions about packaging and shipping that cost you money
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
5 min reading time
A larger box isn't safer, more tape doesn't stick better, and a bundle isn't automatically cheaper. Five stubborn assumptions, calculated with real prices.
Most shipping errors don't arise from carelessness, but from assumptions that sound logical. They cost you a few cents to a few euros per package, and this only becomes apparent when you compare your expenditure with your revenue at the end of the quarter. Here are five assumptions we encounter most often, and what's actually true in practice.
1. "A larger box is safer"
The opposite is true. Damage is caused by movement: a product that slides from corner to corner in an oversized box takes a hit with every transfer. A snug-fitting box limits this movement even before you've used a single sheet of void fill.
An envelope takes the shape of what's inside. That's fine for textiles or a book, but not for something with corners or a product that shouldn't bend. If something goes wrong, you pay for a new product, new shipping costs, and the time spent handling the issue — all these costs outweigh the €0.50 you saved on packaging. For flat items that need to fit through a letterbox, a cardboard letterbox box is usually the better choice: the recycled letterbox box of 180 x 115 x 28 mm (A6) costs €17.95 per bundle of 100 pieces, which amounts to about 18 cents per box. The 255 x 160 x 28 mm (A5+) size costs €24.00 per 100, or 24 cents per box. Always check the current maximum dimensions and weights for a letterbox package with your carrier; PostNL publishes these conditions on its own customer service page.
3. "More tape sticks better"
Tape seals a box not by quantity, but by placement and adhesion to clean, dry cardboard. Three strips over the seam and the two sides — the so-called H-method — do more than six layers haphazardly applied. If you tape over dust, powder, or damp cardboard, even the most expensive roll will come loose.
It's worth calculating your usage once. A KINZO packaging tape of 50 meters x 48 mm costs €3.00, so 6 cents per meter. With roughly one and a half to two meters of tape per medium-sized box, you're looking at about 9 to 12 cents per package. If you ship 300 per month, that's €27 to €36 for tape — an amount worth comparing. A tape dispenser with 2 rolls for €9.95 also saves on torn pieces that you throw away.
4. "A seal protects my package"
A security seal prevents nothing. It shows after the fact that a package has been opened, and that's different from protection. Security seal stickers with VOID effect, 60 pieces cost €9.95 and are useful for expensive or sensitive shipments: in case of a complaint, you can determine if something has been opened. They don't replace a good box, void fill, or proper sealing.
The same applies to markings on your box. A text like "fragile" is a request, not a guarantee: your package goes over the same sorting belts as all others. Assume in your packaging that the package will be dropped, stacked, and placed on its side — then a label is just an extra.
5. "A bundle is inherently cheaper"
Bundles are often more economical, but not automatically, and rarely in the way you expect. Therefore, never compare per package, but per piece or per meter — and check if the specifications are the same.
At first glance, the set of 6 seems more expensive per roll than the single roll. Whether that's true depends on the length of the rolls: this varies by item and is listed on the product page. Always calculate back to the unit you consume — meters of tape, number of boxes, sheets of film — and only then consider if you have space for the stock and if you'll use it within a year. A box of 36 rolls stored in a damp shed for a year and a half is not a saving.
What this means for your next order
Once a quarter, list your consumption: how many boxes, how many meters of tape, how much void fill, and what that costs per package. If you exceed €1 in packaging per package without your product requiring it, the profit usually lies in a more suitable box size and not in cheaper cardboard. And factor in time: a set of 8 utility knives for €4.95 sounds insignificant until you notice how much faster a packing table operates when everyone has one within reach.
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