Sustainable Shipping: Tips for a Green Supply Chain

E-commerce has grown tremendously over the years and especially in the 2nd quarter of 2022 it registered a 7.4% growth. This is great news for store owners issue when it comes to our carbon footprint while shipping cargo. There has been some research to suggest that 50% of consumers are willing to pay more for their products or services from businesses that are committed to positive social and environmental impact.

Which is why in this blog we have listed a few ways in which you can make your shipping practices more sustainable with either simple changes or long-term investments.

Switch to Eco-friendly packaging

When plastic materials are placed in landfills or end up in the oceans, it can take 1000s of years to biodegrade. Plastic packaging such as plastic bags and bubble wrap contribute a significant amount of retail packaging waste. While it might be impossible to eliminate all packaging, there are some more sustainable options that can be incorporated. For example,bio-plastics made from plant-based materials, corrugated bubble wrap made from 100% recycled cardboard and compostable mailing bags. These are all great alternatives that can protect your products from damage and still offers a great unboxing experience to your customers.

Offset your carbon footprint

At the moment it is not possible to be 100% green as the technology is still developing, however there are some things that your company can do to offset its carbon footprint. Carbon offsetting entails compensating for your stores emissions by supporting high-impact climate projects. This could be for example by planting trees, contributing a percentage of your profits to an environmentally friendly cause or by reducing your usage on non-renewable energy.

Consolidate orders

Some eCommerce stores will use split shipment methods to get orders out as fast as possible, but this can also cause more waste in extra packing needing to be used. By having to individually wrap items, this is not only more costly but is also hazardous to the environment. This can be prevented by consolidating multiple items. Give your customers the option of free next day delivery as opposed to same day delivery. This will then give you enough time to consolidate your customers order.

Reduce customer returns

We know that customers really appreciate free returns and it’s a great offer to entice potential customers to make a purchase. However,the back-and-forth shipping increase your carbon footprint. In addition, some return can not be resold and end up in landfills, contributing to further waste. We recommend if customers do need to return an item that businesses encourage their customers to return their items in the same packaging in which the item was received

As an eCommerce business, being sustainable is the way forward and customers support for companies that aim to protect the planet is on the rise.

We hope the above tips are helpful and you can start utilising them for your business.

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