4 quick to pack postal packaging solutions to keep up with Black Friday

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With Black Friday 11 days away, it can feel overwhelming to try and keep up with the pressure of the high-demand season.

Despite originating in America, it’s still a popular affair in Britain. Last year, the UK accounted for over 10% of all global searches online during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday period! We also researched the effects on retailers and 3PLs during the season and found that 42% of survey participants reported their pack times increased.

So, it can’t be denied that higher order numbers impact your packing operation, but what can be done to help? We’ve curated four great postal packaging products to reduce your pack times and enhance customer experience.

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product damages packaging

The advantage of using postal wraps to save time and reduce product damages

A postal wrap, often called a book wrap or book wrap mailer, are a great postal packaging option. Postal wraps fit tightly around your products; this ensures minimal movement during shipping! In turn, this lowers the need to use additional packing materials (like void-fill), saving you time and money. It also helps prevent damages in transit as the product can’t move freely.

One of the best features of postal wraps during spikes in demand is the peel-and-seal closure! The self-adhesive strip sticks to the corrugate cardboard for secure sealing and eliminates the need for packing tape. This cuts your packing time and reduces waste!  

Book wraps and postal wraps are designed for shipping low-profile product. It makes them perfect for posting books, DVDs, games, and jigsaws, plus lots more this Black Friday!

And you can even send more than one product at a time with one postal wrap. So, it saves you time and packaging costs as you send out items in a single package with minimal material wastage!

What are the benefits of postal wraps?

  • Quick & easy to use
  • Can help you reduce pack times
  • Prevent damages in transit
  • Can be used to pack single or multiple items
optimise your packing times

Using crash-lock boxes to optimise your packing times

An eCommerce crash-lock cardboard box is quick to assemble and fast to pack – ideal for the peak season! The benefit of this cardboard box style is that the base pops in to place for easy assembly, eliminating the need for one strip of tape.

You can get crash-lock boxes with or without a peel and seal closure. They are sturdy, and if you opt for the easy-to-open tear strip you will create a great customer experience. The quick to use ecommerce packaging will help you breeze through order fulfilment!

Simple to use crash-lock boxes make it easy for seasonal staff to keep up packing speeds- so they’re a brilliant go-to option this peak demand season!

What are the benefits of crash-lock boxes?

  • Quick to assemble
  • Help speed up pack times
  • Reduce the need for packing tape
postal tubes

Why postal tubes are an efficient addition to your packaging materials

If you sell items such as prints and posters (all widely gifted presents during the seasonal period), you could consider a postal tube.

Postal tubes are simple and quick to use because they’re ready to pack, which is why they’re a top choice for Black Friday orders. All your packers need to do is add the item and fit the snug-fitting plastic end caps!  

You do need packing tape or staples to secure the ends of your postal tubes, to ensure they’re tamper proof.

Choosing postal tubes as your postal packaging means you don’t have to worry about complicated packing processes, as you’ve got an effective and quick to use solution, ready to go!

What are the benefits of postal tubes?

  • A ready to go solution
  • Simple to use
  • Good protection for prints and posters
100% recyclable packaging

Save time and help the environment with recyclable padded mailers

If you want to explore some sustainable solutions as well, then Enviroflute could be the padded mailer for your business. It’s 100% recyclable and a great alternative to more traditional products.

Padded mailers bags (also commonly called padded envelopes) are a great product for anything that needs lightweight protection; from fashion accessories to books, the possibilities are endless!

As Enviroflute offers a peel and seal closure, it’s super simple to add to your packaging operation. All packers will find it easy and quick to use and that’s why it would be perfect for peak, it allows you to save on packing time and help the environment!

What are the benefits of Enviroflute?

  • Seal-seal strip for easy closure
  • 100% recyclable
  • Great lightweight protection
  • Waterproof
quick packing tips

Macfarlane Packaging quick packing tips to make the most of your packing operation during peak (and year-round)!

Not sure about how to improve your pack times? Our team have listed some key tips to get you started…

Easy ways to improve your pack times:

  • Display posters showing best packing practises – this helps temporary staff and helps ensure people choose the right packaging for the product. This can help you with quality control, manage damages and keep packaging waste down.
  • Make sure extra packing materials on packing benches are kept in the “power zone” – basically, keep it stocked no higher than shoulder height, this minimising reaching and helps keep packing speeds rapid.
  • Keep additional packing materials close by – minimise downtime by keeping extra stock of packaging supplies near your packing area or have a member of your tam dedicated to re-stocking packing benches.
  • Keep teams motivated – what can you do to make things easier for your team? You could provide peak survival kits with snacks & drinks available or provide incentives for their extra-hard work.
  • Consider anti-fatigue mats to help your packers – this helps keep productivity high, by ensuring your team’s feet and legs aren’t subject to hard warehouse floors.
packaging operation peak 2023

Packaging operation changes to consider for the peak in 2023

You’re probably thinking “why do I need to know this now? I haven’t even got through this year yet!”. Well, there isn’t a “bad” time to consider what improvements you’d like to make to your packaging operation.

It might even be a great time as it allows you to be conscious about the struggles your packers are facing and any bottlenecks in your operation. Understanding where your business excels and what could be improved this year will help to shape your operation for future Black Friday and Christmas peaks.

If you want to develop your operation, consider adding packaging automation. It can seem like a big investment, but there are options for all sized businesses, from automatic taping to large-scale carton erectors; you can find something to suit you. It can dramatically speed up the packing process, so if you want to evolve your operation it’s a great option for 2023!

We have 73 years of packaging experience, and if you would like some personalised advice on your packing operation, please do not hesitate to contact us by clicking below.

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