Top 3 adhesive tips for ecommerce packaging

From the product label affixed to the front of the product to the packaging itself, adhesives are everywhere—and the ecommerce industry is certainly no exception. Regardless of if you’re selling steaks, shoes or something completely different, it’s important that you pay attention to the adhesives used in your labeling and packaging procedures.

Choosing the right adhesive will not only help keep your product safe throughout the storage, shipping and delivery phases, but it will also ensure you provide a pleasant end-user experience.

Yet how do you know which adhesives are best for your ecommerce packaging needs? Here are three tips that we’ve gleaned from working with clients across the ecommerce spectrum:

1. Consider both bond strength and the user experience: We’ve all felt the frustration of trying to open a package that has too strong of an adhesive bond. By the time you get to the product—ripping the package to shreds and potentially even damaging the product in the process—you feel annoyed and irritated. That’s not exactly the first impression you want to make on a customer, is it?

As you’re selecting an adhesive for your ecommerce packaging, you not only need something that’s durable during the storage, shipping and delivery stages but also one that creates a pleasant user experience at the end consumer. Test different adhesives with your substrates until you find one that offers the right balance.

2. Select the right pattern and placement: Your adhesive patterns and placement can make a big difference in creating customer-friendly packaging that opens easily but keeps products intact throughout the shipping process. Once you’ve determined the most effective type of adhesive, pattern and placement, consider using a pattern controller, which will consistently place the same amount of adhesive in the same exact pattern on each package. Though there may be some upfront costs associated with getting the pattern controller installed and running, you can ultimately anticipate lower ongoing costs due to fewer packaging issues, less adhesive waste and faster overall production.

3. Be mindful of temperatures: Many adhesives will provide satisfactory performance at room temperature, but far fewer work as well when it comes to temperature extremes. When selecting an adhesive for your product packaging, keep in mind the product that you’re selling and/or the locations to where your product will be shipped.

For example, if you’re selling steaks that will be transported and delivered in dry ice, you’ll want to choose an adhesive that performs well in low temperatures. However, if you tend to ship your products to extremely hot or humid environments, selecting an adhesive that can resist high-moisture levels and high temperatures is in your best interest. Thinking ahead to any temperature extremes your product packaging may encounter can help you proactively prevent packaging issues.

The right adhesive for your ecommerce business

Regardless of your ecommerce product, it makes sense to give some thought to the adhesives used in your labeling and packaging phases. Ensure that you choose an adhesive that will keep your product safe during storage and shipping without creating issues for the end user. Consider a pattern controller to cut costs and streamline the packaging process. Also, remember to factor any temperature extremes into your adhesive decision-making process.

By following these tips, you’ll be able to focus on growing your ecommerce business rather than fixing ongoing packaging problems.

Pierce Covert is the president of Glue Machinery Corp., a Maryland-based company that builds and stocks industrial strength adhesives and equipment used in a range of industries.