Packaging is more than a box; it’s a brand statement and, for many merchants, a hidden cost. Working with fragmented vendors means missed lead times, over‑specced materials, and boxes that cost more to ship than the products inside.
Managing custom packaging can feel like its own supply chain: negotiating with multiple suppliers, tracking purchase orders, monitoring inventory, and scrambling when stockouts occur. Add to that the impact of DIM‑weight pricing, and packaging becomes a tax on growth.
Introducing PackSmart
We’re excited to introduce PackSmart, a premium service for high-volume merchants. ShipMonk will handle the entire lifecycle of your packaging: sourcing, buying, stocking, and managing corrugate and mailers. Then, each quarter, we’ll run a box‑set optimization study to right‑size your corrugate packaging. That means fewer oversize boxes, lower DIM‑weight fees, and a better unboxing experience for your customers. A holistic management of packaging, tailor-made to your business needs.
By aggregating the buying power of hundreds of brands, we negotiate better deals with suppliers. We simplify your operations to one partner and one plan. And right‑sizing alone can deliver significant shipping savings – a few cubic inches saved can cut DIM charges dramatically, adding up to thousands of dollars in savings per quarter.
At ShipMonk, we don’t just allow custom packaging, we proactively optimize and guarantee results from it.
What you get:
- Lower packaging and procurement costs. Ship less air!
- Prevention of stockouts and rush fees via safety‑stock buffers and auto‑replenishment
- A single point of contact for all packaging needs – a one-stop-shop for design, sourcing, inventory, and billing
- Improved unboxing experiences that reflect your brand
How PackSmart works
PackSmart’s process starts with discovery (we gather dimensions, order mix, and current packaging). Within weeks, our optimization engine proposes a right‑sized box set. From there, we handle RFPs, sample runs, pricing comparisons, PO placement, and ongoing inventory management. We share quote tables and mockups for your approval, and then we lock in inventory levels and reorder points. All you need to do is focus on your brand and customers.
Right-sizing and professionally managed packaging isn’t a “nice to have,” it’s a lever with measurable outcomes.
- Shipping cost control: Don’t let shipping costs double due to dimensional weight – right-sizing removes the “tax on air.”
- Damage prevention & CX: Eliminate frequent in-transit damage by reinforcing and resizing boxes, cutting reships and elevating the unboxing experience.
- The “war on air”: Industry analysts describe a market-wide push to rightsizing every box to eliminate empty space and avoid carrier penalties tied to volume, not just weight.
- Brand impact: 61% of consumers say branded parcels make them more excited for delivery, and 41% are more likely to repurchase when orders arrive in branded packaging.
Put simply: when packaging is engineered and managed end-to-end, you spend less on freight, protect products, and convert more customers, all without adding work for your team.
Who’s eligible for PackSmart
PackSmart is currently open to merchants managed by a Merchant Success Manager. If you’d like to discuss a custom packaging overhaul that reduces costs and delivers a better customer experience, your MSM will be happy to walk you through the next steps.
As we continue to enhance our fulfillment platform, custom packaging is just one way ShipMonk helps brands scale without complexity. Stay tuned for more innovations that turn your supply chain into a competitive advantage!
Ready to rethink packaging? Contact your MSM or reach out to support@shipmonk.com to learn more about PackSmart today.
FAQ
PackSmart is a premium, end-to-end packaging management service offered by ShipMonk. We handle the entire lifecycle of your packaging—from sourcing and design to inventory management and ongoing optimization—to reduce your costs, prevent stockouts, and improve your customers’ unboxing experience.
PackSmart delivers savings in several key ways:
Right-Sizing: We conduct a quarterly box-set optimization study to ensure your boxes are the perfect size for your products. This drastically cuts down on dimensional (DIM) weight fees from shipping carriers, so you stop paying to ship empty air.
Aggregated Buying Power: By combining the purchasing volume of hundreds of brands, we negotiate better pricing on corrugate, mailers, and other materials than most individual merchants can achieve.
Operational Efficiency: We prevent costly stockouts and rush fees by managing your inventory with safety-stock buffers and auto-replenishment.
PackSmart is currently available to high-volume merchants who are managed by a ShipMonk Merchant Success Manager (MSM). If you have an MSM, you can start the conversation with them today.
While you may already use custom boxes, PackSmart is a fully managed solution that removes the operational burden from your team. We don’t just supply boxes; we proactively engineer your packaging for efficiency and re-engineer it routinely. We handle vendor negotiations, purchase orders, inventory tracking, and quarterly optimization, turning a complex supply chain into a single, streamlined partnership.
Absolutely! A core goal of PackSmart is to elevate your brand. We work with you to ensure your packaging—from mockups to final production—perfectly reflects your brand identity and creates a memorable unboxing experience for your customers.
The process begins with a discovery phase where we gather data on your product dimensions, order mix, and current packaging. Our optimization engine then proposes a “right-sized” box set. From there, we manage the RFPs, samples, and pricing comparisons for your approval. Once you approve, we lock in inventory levels and handle all ongoing management.
To get started, please contact your dedicated Merchant Success Manager (MSM). They will be able to walk you through the details and next steps. If you don’t have an MSM but are interested, you can reach out to support@shipmonk.com to learn more.
