The Business Owner’s Guide to Packing & Shipping Supplies

Pack & ship with confidence

Package shipments aren’t just for retail—businesses of all kinds shipped over 350 billion packages last year alone. Whether you’re running an online business or need to ship important documents to a client, this guide will run through the packing and shipping supplies you need to make sure everything gets where it needs to go.

Must-have shipping supplies

Packages come in all shapes and sizes, but there are a few basics that no shipping solution should go without. Pick up the following shipping supplies to cover most of the bases: 

• Boxes of various sizes for shipping customer purchases and other items. Corrugated cardboard uses stronger material to prevent breakage and is useful for protecting expensive or delicate items. For everyday shipments, consider standard cardboard boxes to cut down on costs while still providing adequate protection.

• Padded shipping envelopes for smaller items that don’t necessarily need a large box. These envelopes often come with water-resistant and bend-resistant packaging to protect them during shipment.

• Labels for displaying shipment information, such as the recipient’s address, return address, barcodes and other tracking details. If you plan on making a lot of shipments, consider picking up an automatic label maker that will print out everything onto an adhesive sticker that can be easily applied to the package.

• Packing tape for securing boxes and envelopes. If you need additional protection against the elements, consider choosing water-activated tape, which is less likely to lose its adhesive when it comes into contact with humidity and other weather conditions. It’s also very strong and will likely damage whatever it’s stuck to when removed, so take care when applying it.

Learn more by reading How to Choose the Right Shipping Supplies for Your Small Business. 

Keep shipments secure with these protective supplies

When you drop your package off with the shipping service, it’s officially out of your hands, so you need to do what you can to protect customer purchases while they’re in transit. The following packing supplies will help prevent items from shifting around and protect delicate surfaces from scuffs, scratches or breakage.

• Bubble wrap keeps fragile objects protected from potential impact damage.

• Foam sheets prevent scratches on computer monitors, TV screens, smart devices and other glass objects. 

• Packing peanuts fill space inside boxes, reducing excess movement that can otherwise cause objects to collide during shipment. 

• Recycled paper fills a similar role and is helpful for filling up space in boxes with a large amount of empty space.

Get more packing tips inside 5 Essential Packing Supplies for an Easy Move.

Unique concerns for commercial shipping supplies

If you only ship items occasionally, you’re likely buying supplies as needed rather than keeping them on hand. If you run a retail business that relies on regularly shipping customer purchases, then there are other elements to consider that will help you get your products where they need to go while keeping costs low.

For instance, you may only sell one type of product with a consistent size, so you’ll only need to shop for one kind of box. On the other hand, you may sell many smaller, fragile items, so investing in protective packaging might be more critical. If you need the customer unboxing experience to feel like a special event, consider looking into custom box designs that will accommodate your product.

Whatever you choose, it’s important to balance quality against cost. Efficient packing that allows you to ship more items in a single box will stretch your shipping dollar. Meanwhile, reusable or biodegradable supplies ensure your packing material won’t negatively impact the environment.

Get more insight into shipping for retail and other business needs by reading 5 Tips on Choosing the Right Commercial Shipping Supplies.

Save money by shopping local

It may seem more convenient to order shipping package supplies online, but those shipping costs can add up. For example, while a single cardboard box isn’t that heavy, a bundle of fifty boxes is, and the cost of shipping that many supplies may eat into your profits if you’re not shopping in the right place. To avoid this, consider finding local supply stores with the volume you need to avoid expensive freight costs. Meanwhile, smaller supplies like packing tape or labels won’t necessarily break the bank if you need to order them online. 

However, if you need unique supplies like custom packaging or boxes with your company logo printed on them, you may want to use an online supplier specializing in these requests. Be sure to contact multiple suppliers for quoted rates to get the best deal.

Read 5 Tips for Evaluating Where to Buy Packing Supplies for more information.

Track spending to get the most out of your shipping inventory

If you decide to purchase shipping supplies in bulk, avoid shopping at the last minute, as stock shortages or late deliveries can impact your ability to deliver products to your customers in a timely manner. Waiting until you’re nearly out of boxes or packing tape will ensure that you’re paying a premium on emergency supplies to tide you over until your shipment arrives. 

Instead, lean on regularly scheduled shipments of must-have supplies as your monthly baseline. Then, utilize tools like Spend Analytics to help you track your inventory so you can purchase additional supplies before you start to run dangerously low. Once you have more data at your disposal, you’ll then be able to rely on it to predict peak business times so you can fill up your inventory ahead of time without overspending.

Read 5 Things to Consider Before Investing in Bulk Shipping Supplies to get even more out of your shipping supply budget.

How to choose a supplier

If shipments are a regular part of business, a supplier specializing in packing and shipping supplies can keep you stocked up on what you need to keep your business running smoothly. Which supplier should you pick? There are a few factors to consider:

• Quality: Check online reviews and ask other business owners about their experiences with the supplier to determine whether their products are up to the task. Also, examine the supplier’s website to see if they list their product testing process. That way, you’ll be sure that your customers’ packages arrive intact.
  

• Order minimums: Some suppliers may require a minimum purchase amount when doing business. If so, ensure that it aligns with your inventory requirements and budget. Otherwise, you may spend too much money on supplies you don’t need.

• Sustainability: Many consumers want to know that the companies they purchase from are environmentally conscious. Check to see if the supplier has any eco-friendly options to help meet this new and increasing demand.

Discover more tips by reading Boxes and Packing Supplies: How to Evaluate a Supplier That Meets Your Needs.

Save on shipping supplies with Walmart Business+

At Walmart Business, we understand how quality packaging and shipping supplies can make a difference in getting products to your customers safely and reliably. That’s why we stock our inventory with quality boxes, packing tape and other supplies to help keep your products secure on their journey from your business to their doorstep. Already have an account? Sign up for a Walmart Business+ membership. You’ll get free shipping on must-have shipping supplies,¹ access to Spend Analytics tools and potential savings of over $500 a year.²

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

² 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).