Packaging holds utmost importance in the export industry. It impacts the safety, cost, communication, and marketing of a product. Without packaging, only a few products would reach their final destination safely.
In the export industry, goods and products have to undergo long transits in which they encounter many hazards. So, the risk of being damaged is present even during the shortest journeys.
If the products are not packed accurately before exporting, then they become prone to damage. Due to it, the reputation of a company remains at stake. Export packaging requires proper knowledge of how goods will be transported and what are the dangers that are present in the journey.
The exporter or seller is wholly responsible for any damage that is caused to the product packaging during the transit. In addition, the seller also has to provide compensation in the form of another product or some amount to the buyer in case of damage. That’s why the importance of packaging in the export industry is non-negligible.
To understand the value of product packaging in the export industry, let’s have a look at some reasons which enhances its significance.
- Protect the Product:
The protection of the product is the first and foremost reason for product packaging in the export industry. The products go into various vehicles, stored in various temperatures under different circumstances during export from one city to another or one country to another.
These products are handled by different people; out of whom many people don’t have any knowledge of the safety measures of those specific products. In this whole process of moving from one place to another and moving from one vehicle to another, the product can be damaged by the irresponsibility of any person.
In this scenario, ensuring the safety of the exported products is the duty of the exporter or seller. So, these exporters take help of packaging in order to safeguard the product from any physical or any other type of damage.
- Maintain the Ideal Temperature for the Product:
Every product has different temperature needs. If those temperature requirements are not met, then the product can be internally damaged even if it is externally secure and properly packed. Some products require a hot environment, while others require a cold environment to survive during the export journey.
The packaging of the product provides an ideal temperature as per the needs of the product. Exporters pack the products in big wooden boxes, plywood boxes, plastic boxes that contain chemical ice or other necessary instruments to measure and maintain temperature. All of this is done to provide ideal surroundings for the products.
Perishable products especially have different temperature needs. If these needs aren’t fulfilled, then the products can perish before reaching their real destination. So, the task of providing an accurate temperature for the products is done by the export packaging.
- Tell How the Products should be Handled:
Usually, the exporters or the product manufacturers aren’t present on the ship or truck in which the products are being exported. The people who are present in the vehicle are the ones who will handle the products throughout the journey.
Now, these people are seldom aware of the nature of the products or the precautions that one must take while transporting these products. In this case, the instructions that are given on the packaging guide these people about how to handle the product.
These instructions are essential as the transporters often rely on these while handling the products or its cargo. The instructions given on the packaging informs people how to stock the product, how to place it, how to take care of it etc. It also informs about any special needs of the particular product. So, the product packaging also fulfills the responsibility of communication during the export.
- Assist in Optimising Space during Export:
The right packaging also saves space in the container, truck or other forms of cargo. Packing the product in the boxes of accurate size assists in optimizing the space properly. For example, if you have packed a product in a box with extra space, then it affects the number of product boxes that can be fitted in one truck.
It will indirectly increase your cost as well. Yes, if you will waste up to 20% space in the container, then you will have to spend extra costs up to 4% of the price of the product. So, the correct packaging also saves the space as well as the cost of exporting the products.
- Mirror Customer’s Cultural Values:
The packaging reflects the cultural values of the target buyers. The right packaging will decide the language, colors, sizes, and shapes as per place where the products are going to be exported.
For instance, if your products are going to be exported in China, then you should pack them in red and yellow boxes to gain a favorable reception. Yes, because these colors are associated with royalty in China.
In the same manner, green color products are not well-accepted in countries like Belgium, Japan, and France. However, the same green color is accepted with respect in Australia and Turkey.
So, all of this indicates that ideal packaging also reflects customer’s cultural values through its color combination, texts, and other visible aspects. It also makes clear why companies should do proper area analysis to understand the values of the city and country where the products are being exported.
- Increases the Convenience in Handling:
The product packaging also enhances the handling convenience for the people who are going to handle the packed good during export. Not only the instructions mentioned on the package but also the package type makes it easy for transporters to store and transfer the goods.
For example, the handles and simple shape of the outer package make even the most complex product easy to hold and easy to carry in transit. So, packaging also saves the time of transporters by providing them with proper convenience while transferring the products.
