Candles are meant to bring relaxation and serenity to your customers — so why not make the process of packaging and shipping them as stress-free as possible for you, too?
Essential oil diffusers may be in vogue, but nothing can replace the soothing warmth of a beautiful, fragrant candle. If you regularly pack and ship candles as part of your e-commerce business, however, you know that there’s more to the process than meets the eye. Regularly encased in glass or tin and made from brittle wax, candles require extra care to make sure that they’re delivered to your customers in mint condition.
Even if you’re a seasoned e-commerce pro, there’s always something new to learn: check out our pro tips for packaging and shipping these highly giftable items.
1) Cushion Your Candles
Most candles come in containers made of glass and tin. These materials provide natural protection to the candle, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t add some extra cushioning. Use bubble wrap in an appropriately sized box to prevent the candle from shifting too much during transit — too much movement could crack the wax, break the glass, or dent the tin.
If you’re shipping loose candles, additional precautions are necessary. Wrap each candle individually with tissue paper to prevent candles from melting into one another, and consider wrapping all of the candles together with extra cushioning so they don’t jostle against each other on their way to their final destination.
2) Choose Durable Boxes
It’s essential to choose the right box when shipping your products, no matter what they are — but this holds especially true for candles. If your candles are encased in glass, a heavy-duty, corrugated box is ideal. The USPS recommends at least two inches of cushioning between the item and the walls of the box, so make sure that there’s enough space to include a cushion of bubble wrap or tissue paper around your products. For smaller candles — votives or loose tapers, for example — use a sturdy bubble mailer.
No matter what type of packaging you use, be sure to employ dependable shipping supplies, including “Fragile” labels. For boxes, consider writing “Do Not Stack” on the outer packaging, too.
3) Guard Against Melting
When shipping candles, extreme temperatures are not your friend. High temperatures can cause your pillars and votives to warp or melt entirely. On the other hand, some e-commerce businesses may freeze candles ahead of shipment, but they’re unwittingly doing additional damage in the process — freezing can cause the wax to crack. Instead, consider shipping candles with frozen gel packs. This will keep them cool, prevent melting, and make freezing them unnecessary.
4) Compare Shipping Options
If you’re worried about the risk of your candles melting during transit, use express shipping. These services offer quick delivery, which means your candles are less likely to be sitting in the back of a hot truck or a poorly air-conditioned sorting facility for a prolonged period. You should also offer delivery tracking to keep your customers updated on the expected time of arrival — that way, their candles won’t be sitting in the sun for hours before being unboxed.
5) Don’t Forget Aesthetics
As with any business, presentation is everything. Why pack candles in a plain box when you can incorporate a customized touch? Use decorative tissue paper in your packaging, and wrap candles with twine or ribbon to add a branded, enjoyable experience for your customers.
