Packaging sits between 'product cost' and 'freight' on the P&L — small per order, huge in aggregate, and wildly variable between sellers. The breakdown of what a parcel's packaging actually costs and where the waste lives.
The per-parcel cost stack
Poly mailer ₹4–8, small box ₹7–15, large box ₹15–25, tape ₹3–5, void fill ₹0–8 (newspaper free, bubble not), label ₹1, insert card ₹2–5. A standard apparel parcel lands ₹15–25 all-in; a fragile glassware parcel ₹40+.
Where the waste lives
Over-spec'd packaging: soft tees in boxes (poly mailer does it), tiny items in big boxes (void fill + volumetric), triple-taped everything (tape is a cost). The fix is matching packaging to product — the three-box standardisation covers most catalogues.
Where to spend, not save
Anything fragile earns the double-box — ₹15 extra padding beats a ₹400 claim. High-value goods get tamper-evident tape. Branding earns its ₹5 when unboxing is marketing — a sticker and tissue, not a ₹40 rigid box.
The bulk math
Standard sizes at 500-quantity pricing: boxes ₹7–15 each vs ₹25+ retail. Packaging is a predictable monthly spend — stock it like inventory, not stationery.
Pure Parcel automates exactly this — the pipeline from order to AWB without the manual steps.
See how →The playbook
Audit your per-parcel stack
One order's packaging line-itemed — where does it leak?
Poly-mailer the soft goods
Boxes for softness is paying for air.
Double-box the fragile
Spend ₹15 to prevent ₹400 — always worth it.
Buy in 500s
Standard sizes at volume prices — predictable monthly spend.
