Custom Packaging for Etsy and Shopify Sellers: A Practical Guide
Updated · Vorex Packaging
For Etsy and Shopify sellers, the best packaging protects the product in the mail, fits snugly to keep postage down and carries your brand. Most small online brands start with a printed corrugated mailer box or a branded poly or paper mailer, sized to their best-selling products, then add stickers, tissue, an insert and a thank-you card.
Step by step
List your products and order sizes
Note the products you sell most and the common combinations in one order, with their sizes and weights.
Pick one or two standard boxes
Choose a small number of box sizes that cover most orders, so you can buy in useful quantities and pack quickly.
Choose the shipping format
Use corrugated mailers for items that need protection and a strong unboxing, and padded or poly mailers for soft, unbreakable goods.
Plan the unboxing
Decide on printing inside or outside, tissue paper, stickers, inserts and a thank-you or care card.
Test ship and refine
Pack real orders, ship them to yourself and others, and adjust size, inserts or board before reordering.
Start with how your orders ship
Online sellers' packaging has two jobs: getting the product to the customer undamaged, and making the first physical moment with your brand feel good. Before thinking about design, list your best-selling products and the most common order combinations. Note their dimensions and weights, and how fragile they are. This tells you how many box sizes you really need.
Choose the right format
- Corrugated mailer boxes: the most common choice for brands that want a strong unboxing. They protect well, close neatly and print inside and out.
- Shipping boxes: for heavier orders or multiple items, often plain with a branded sticker or tape.
- Poly mailers: light and compact for clothing and soft goods that cannot break.
- Bubble mailers: padded envelopes for small, flat items such as jewelry or accessories.
- Small product boxes: tuck end cartons or pillow boxes inside a mailer for jewelry, candles or skincare.
Size boxes to save postage and void fill
Many carriers price parcels by size as well as weight, using dimensional weight. A box only slightly larger than needed can move a parcel into a higher price band, and empty space needs void fill. Custom sizes made for your products reduce both. Vorex makes boxes to your exact size, so you can match your packaging to your actual products rather than standard stock sizes.
Many sellers settle on two or three sizes: one for a single item, one for a typical bundle, and one for larger orders. This keeps packing fast and makes reordering simple.
Build a branded unboxing on a budget
You do not need every finish to make an impression. Common approaches, from simplest to most involved:
- Plain kraft mailer with a printed logo sticker and branded tape.
- One-color logo printed on the outside of a kraft mailer.
- Full-color print outside with a message printed inside the lid.
- Printed tissue paper, a die-cut insert and a branded thank-you card.
Printing inside the lid is a popular choice because customers see it the moment they open the box, which often features in social media posts.
What to put inside
- A thank-you or care card with your website and social handles.
- Return or exchange information, if you offer it.
- An insert to stop products moving, especially for glass or multiple items.
- Samples or a discount code for the next order, if it suits your margins.
Labels and compliance
Shipping labels usually go on the largest flat surface of the box. Leave a clear space in your design for the label so it does not cover your logo. Product labels may also need specific information, such as ingredients for cosmetics or food, or bilingual text for products sold in Canada. Requirements vary by product and country, so check current rules for your category and markets.
Think about sustainability
Many customers notice packaging waste. Right-sized boxes, paper-based materials and less plastic void fill all help. If you print environmental claims, such as recyclable, make sure they are accurate and check current FTC and Competition Bureau guidance.
Test before you scale
Before ordering in volume, pack real orders and send them to yourself and a few friends in different regions. Check for crushed corners, scuffed print, movement inside and how the box looks on arrival. Then adjust board, size or inserts. Vorex provides design help and a digital proof before production, and a specialist replies with pricing for your sizes and quantities.
