Can you believe 2017 is already coming to an end? Well, that can only mean we must get prepared for the arrival of 2018 and everything it has to offer, including many of our failed New Year’s resolutions and that $50 a month you’ll be spending on never going to the gym.

If there is one thing that the corporate world dreads it is the idea of calculating shipping costs. Shipping is the biggest expenditure for retail startups and small- and medium-sized businesses. It expands your budget, eats away at your revenues and can hinder growth. With a new year on the horizon, it is time to start finding out new ways you can ship products to your customers, and how you can save dollars and cents over the next 365 days.

Here are five tips for SMBs to save money on packaging supplies in the new year:

1. Thermal Label Makers Are the Way to Go

Many companies will print out their labels and then proceed to tape them to the box or envelope. However, with constant printing, tape and ink, you may be spending more than you should.

What’s the solution? Thermal label makers.

Thermal label makers do not need ink, they self-stick and help make your packaging look more professional. These are elements that only retail SMBs dream of.

2. Only Use Boxes or Envelopes That Fit

As a customer, have you noticed that there is always an abundance of empty space in your parcel? Well, this is because the sender is wasting money by paying for shipping air.

SMBs can avoid this by concentrating on finding boxes or envelopes that fit your items with very little air space. Since you are charged for the dimensions on your package, you should only select boxes or bubble mailer envelopes to cut down on your shipping costs.

Yes, you may have fragile items, but if it’s something like a t-shirt or a pair of socks, then you don’t need to be so concerned about its fragility.

3. Reuse Shipping Materials

How much bubble wrap do you have in your closet? Do you have spare envelopes? What about paper? These are all things that you can utilize in your daily shipping endeavours.

Reusing shipping materials can save you money, and even add a little something special for your shipment. For instance, if you have spare paper, you can write a thank you note to the customer. Or, if you have some spare bubble wrap from another shipment (or from another company who sent you a product), then you can add it to your parcel.

4. Correctly Label Your Shipments

A few of the worst things that can happen to you are your shipments getting lost, sent to the wrong location or processed with incorrect labels. You don’t want this to occur at all.

This is why you must ensure that you label all of your shipments correctly. Name, address, shipping number, company and all of the other crucial pieces of information.

5. Packing Tape is Superior to Others

We think that we save money by using inferior tape, like masking tape or Scotch tape. Wrong!

Packing tape is far superior to the aforementioned types of tape. Everything from the durability of packing tape to the reinforcement capabilities, this kind of tape is essential to have. You don’t want your products falling out of the box, do you?

Another year, another accounting sheet of shipping costs. Isn’t it about time you start being proactive and discover new methods of reducing your shipping costs? Well, you can start by taking another look at how you can utilize packaging supplies. Everything from label makers to the materials you use, there are plenty of ways you can cut down on shipping costs.