4 Tips for Choosing the Right Commercial Shipping Supplies

These strategies simplify deliveries

When you’re shipping products directly to customers, you quickly realize you never have full control of a delivery. Once the package leaves your warehouse or office, it might face harsh weather conditions, drops, spills or any number of other threats to its contents. All you can do is plan in advance while a package is in your hands—and choose the right commercial shipping supplies. Let’s explore the strategies and equipment every D2C and e-commerce business should know before packaging a single product.

1. Start with the right questions

Before you order a single box or roll of packing tape, you should determine your exact shipping needs. Start by asking questions like:

• What kind of products are we delivering?

• What are the characteristics of our product, such as size, weight or fragility?

• How many items are in the average order? Alternatively, should we expect multiple product categories in a single delivery?

• Is each product an individual object? Will it require assembly after opening?

• Will there be an unboxing experience where opening the package is like unwrapping a gift?

The purpose of asking and answering these questions is to help you identify your shipping needs—along with shipping wants and nice-to-haves—so you can best evaluate the costs and benefits of supply options.

2. Choose the best commercial shipping supplies

Once you’ve established the overall shipping needs, you can choose the right supplies to meet them. For most businesses, each of the following items should be included on your shopping list.

Boxes & mailers

Deliveries need packaging, especially if they are oversized items traveling internationally. Boxes are the preferred and versatile choice since they are available in multiple sizes.

For especially dainty items like jewelry, consider using premade mailers. These prepackaged envelopes only require a completed label and necessary postage.

Protective materials

Simply putting a product in a box isn’t enough for most deliveries. Protective supplies such as packing paper, bubble wrap or packing peanuts are vital for keeping each purchase safe within its container. Each material has unique benefits to consider—for example, bubble wrap excels at reducing impact damage while foam sheets prevent surface scratches. Always choose protective supplies that suit your products.

Shipping labels

Shipping labels are the adhesive tags that contain all the relevant information shippers need to complete a delivery. Each label should fit on a single package side and provide enough space to include essential information including:

• Delivery and return addresses

• Tracking numbers

• Supplementary delivery instructions

• Company logos and branding, as space allows

Businesses can fill labels using standard text, but they might also opt to print a barcode to automate and streamline delivery processes.

Tape

Tape is one of the most useful and efficient shipping supplies. It seals packages and holds them together for deliveries of any length. As such, your chosen tape must withstand the rigors of delivery. Pressure-sensitive packing tape is generally suitable for local deliveries. For international journeys with variable changes in weather or altitude, consider water-activated packing tape, which maintains a more durable seal.

3. Ship sustainably

One of the simplest ways to ship green is simply choosing biodegradable and compostable shipping supply materials wherever possible. Recyclable packaging is a good start since it ensures your packages can become something new once the delivery is complete. There are also environmentally friendly options for common shipping supplies like packing peanuts and mailers. 

Sometimes the best packaging materials are ones customers can use over and over again. Most notably, the sustainability movement has generated interest in reusable materials such as textile packaging. These supplies are made of cloth and fabrics that customers can reuse personally instead of tossing them in the garbage. This process extends the lifecycle of materials and creates opportunities for branded packaging that serves as advertising long after delivery.

4. Work with reliable shipping partners

You may need supplies, but do you actually need a supplier?

There are two kinds of partners you can source from—suppliers and manufacturers. Manufacturers are the companies that design and build commercial shipping supplies. With a direct relationship, businesses can often request perfectly sized boxes or custom materials that help packages stand out. Manufacturers are also more flexible than suppliers when scaling supply orders. Unfortunately, manufacturers don’t usually carry extra supply stock, which means they must construct orders before delivery. That tends to increase the time and cost of the supplies you’ll receive.

Suppliers, meanwhile, are the shipping industry’s merchants and resellers. This group works with businesses to find the best deals within a given price point. Most carry a high volume of boxes and other commercial shipping supplies, which lets them offer stock at a fast turnaround. Suppliers are also competitively priced so they can stand out from manufacturers and other suppliers.

So which option is for you? If you’re looking for custom orders made to precise specifications, a reliable manufacturer is ideal. On the other hand, if you need bulk orders processed within a rapid timeframe, suppliers are the preferred choice. In both cases, however, it pays to do your research—seek out reviews and references that shed light on qualities like material durability or customer support.

Find the right shipping supplies with Walmart Business

Every business has its own delivery needs that require specialized shipping supplies. Walmart Business can help with its wide range of shipping boxes, packing supplies and eco-friendly practices for achieving sustainability goals. What’s more, by signing up for Walmart Business+, you’ll gain access to free shipping,¹ free delivery from store on orders over $35² and 2% rewards back for purchases over $250.³ These savings could add up to over $500 a year!⁴ Learn more here.

¹ Excludes most Marketplace items, freight and certain location surcharges.

² Restrictions apply.

³ Rewards can only be used toward future purchases on Walmart Business. Additional terms apply.

⁴ Savings based on 1 free $35+ delivery order vs. $9.95 fee and 1 free shipping order under $35 vs. $6.99 fee biweekly, plus 2% Walmart Business Rewards on monthly order >$250 (average value of $400).