Blog Posts Third-Party Packaging Solutions Help Wrap Up the Holidays
From gift-sets to specialty packs to gift wrapping, seasonal packaging plays a critical role in fulfillment. You must be ready to accommodate seasonal fluctuations, increase efficiency and present a consistently professional image – all while keeping costs under control. That’s no small feat.
5 Ways a 3PL Can Help Improve Your Seasonal Packaging
To get it right for Holiday 2016, start preparing now. Not sure where to start? A third-party provider can help to streamline the packaging process in 5 key ways:
- Custom solution. An experienced 3PL will consider the unique requirements for packaging your specific products and find seasonal packaging options that are systematic and scalable from an operations standpoint. They can reengineer processes, apply best practices and leverage economies of scale to deliver a professional presentation at a manageable cost.
- Preparation. A third-party provider can review your historical data to help determine appropriate inventory levels and ensure that sufficient packaging supplies are on hand for the holiday season. They can also leverage their established relationships with packaging suppliers to help reduce costs.
- Flexibility. Dramatic peaks in holiday volume can significantly impact your requirements for space, technology, equipment, and staff. A 3PL with scalable resources can enable you to accommodate these seasonal fluctuations without making a permanent investment in overhead.
- Manpower. Packaging can be a labor-intensive process. And the more complex the packaging, the more you need well-trained, skilled workers. Qualified candidates can be hard to find – particularly when you’re hiring for temporary positions. An established 3PL will have a pool of experienced workers ready when you are.
- Attention to detail. Consistency, accuracy and professionalism are essential to uphold your brand image. A 3PL with quality programs such as Lean and Six Sigma in place can ensure that your customers get the delivery experience they’ve come to count on. They’ll pay attention to the details, so you can focus your attention on your core competency.
There’s no time like the present to assess your packaging needs and ensure that you’re prepared for Holiday 2016.
For more information on, check out our new seasonal fulfillment SlideShare. For a first-hand look at a holiday packaging solution, download our Coty case study.