Eco-Friendly Ecommerce: Effective Ways to Upgrade Your Brand

Today’s generation of consumers has become more conscious about how their buying habits affect the environment. As such, they’re now more mindful of which brands to support; leaning more favorably toward companies that advocate for eco-friendliness and sustainability or green ecommerce.

Also known as sustainable ecommerce or eco-friendly ecommerce, green ecommerce pertains to the practice of companies selling products and services online while taking into account the environmental impact of operating a business and working to decrease that impact. Brands that sell online can offer more sustainable and eco-friendly products to their customers while evaluating and reducing their carbon footprint.

Interest in sustainable products

Retailers and consumers are increasingly becoming aware of the urgency of protecting the environment. A lot of companies are already paving the way, by manufacturing goods in an environmentally friendly manner through sustainable materials and shipping practices.

Moreover, 48% of consumers have admitted that they’re likely to alter their consumption habits if it means that they can do their part in saving the environment. The same group of customers was found to have spent $128.5 billion on sustainable fast-moving consumer goods, such as water bottles, makeup, and household products. That’s a huge market share that business owners shouldn’t overlook.

The interest in sustainable products isn’t going to wane anytime soon. Truthfully, it will likely become embedded into consumerism and businesses across industries.

Reasons to go green with your brand and your online shop

Consumers look more favorably upon sustainable and long-lasting products that give them a bang for their buck. They’re even willing to pay more for them if that means getting to enjoy the merchandise for a longer period.

On the surface, going green would definitely improve consumer’s perception of your brand. As mentioned above, consumers are more likely to support companies that put an effort into eco-friendliness and sustainability.

Just being forthright about your advocacy can help improve the conversion rate for your ecommerce website. Sustainability practices obviously benefit the environment, and by actively promoting them as an online retailer, you can increase customer loyalty and, ideally, attract new customers.

Of course, there’s more to green ecommerce than boosting people’s impressions of your brand. Another benefit that you can glean when you commit to operating an eco-friendly business is that you can decrease production costs, at least in the long run.

After all, you can maximize your materials by recycling and reusing them and people wouldn’t mind because you’re doing it to reduce your company’s carbon footprint. By opting to go for value-for-money eco-friendly packaging, you will be able to spend the majority of your resources on enhancing your main products.

Solutions for sustainability in online retail

Although more and more companies have gone paperless in today’s highly digitized world, businesses can still improve in more areas when it comes to sustainability. Computers and other electronic devices still leave behind their own carbon footprint, so you need to be mindful of the waste that your organization generates.

Greenwashing must be avoided by brands and retailers. Instead of making false promises and creating misleading advertising, they should be transparent and disclose their sustainability plans. Rather than spending more money and time on marketing, you should have a strategy on how to actually reduce your company’s environmental impact.

Ways To Make Your Ecommerce Eco-Friendly

There’s also the question on how brands can remain profitable even when manufacturing eco-friendly products. Nonetheless, as stated earlier, you can recycle and reuse materials to lower production costs. Plus, with the recent focus on eco-friendliness, you can be sure that more manufacturers and logistics companies will come up with sustainability solutions that are affordable.

If you’re thinking about overhauling your process right now, here are some effective ways you can do so:

1. Ditch the plastic packaging

Online purchases are typically packaged in plastic. The material is used for both the outer packaging as well as the products themselves. Nonetheless, a growing number of brands have taken the initiative to go paper and plastic-free when it comes to shipping their parcels.

Items can be delivered in a recycled cardboard box rather than being individually packaged, which significantly reduces the amount of waste that’s generated. These boxes can then be recycled or reused for storage by the customers.

2. Use eco-friendly packaging

It goes without saying that excessive and non-recyclable packaging contributes significantly to waste production. On the other hand, eco-friendly solutions are made from recycled or easily recyclable or compostable materials.

Various eco-friendly packaging alternatives are available today, including recyclable and/or compostable cardboard. There are even recyclable plastic options, too, such as boxes, bags, tape, cushioning, and labels.

Additionally, some companies also provide branded custom packaging solutions made from eco-friendly materials. These ensure that you can find eco-friendly solutions that will fit your organization’s needs and goals.

As you can see above, even switching to embossing rather than printing on the package contributes to the reduction of your carbon footprint. Simple, yet creative ideas like this can not only help you adhere to your environmental commitments, it also gives your products that minimalist class.

3. Environmentally friendly shipping options

Aside from looking favorably on eco-friendly products and packaging, 57% of consumers are also willing to pay as much as 10% more for green shipping alternatives, such as bicycle delivery. This is great news for business owners since you won’t have to worry about reducing your profit margin to accommodate premium shipping costs.

As well, a number of shipping and logistics companies have already upgraded their eco-friendly shipping boxes and updated their policies to assist retailers who want to reduce their environmental impact.

A major logistics company now offers green shipping solutions and targets to be carbon neutral by 2050. They are laying the groundwork for this goal through non-toxic foams, biodegradable twine and packing peanuts, and reusable anti-static peanuts. Additionally, it has also upgraded its vehicle fleet by using teardrop trailers, which are shaped aerodynamically to decrease air resistance and, in turn, fuel consumption.

Another carrier has also stepped up in its green shipping services. The company now offers environmentally friendly, recyclable air pillows to its clients; thus, eliminating the need for bubble wrap and packing peanuts.

4. Use reusable packaging

Reusable packaging refers to packaging that can be utilized more than once. Most often, it’s used for the purpose of transporting products. Ideally, it should be collapsible or nestable and must be designed for durability as well as ease of use, cleaning, and repair.

Small businesses may maximize industrial-size containers, such as drums or smaller, consumer-size packages like kegs or plastic bottles. Reusable packaging can be opportunistic for consumers as well by reusing cardboard boxes, water jugs, or glass bottles.

As a business owner, you should seriously consider reusable packaging for high-volume shipments, regular deliveries, and shorter shipment distances. Industries that use this type of packaging are food and beverage, produce, groceries, appliances, pharmaceuticals, and electronics.

5. Purchase carbon offsets for the business

Carbon offsetting refers to the practice of buying carbon credits in exchange for carbon dioxide emissions. These credits are then used to fund projects that reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

The system aims to decrease the carbon emissions and carbon footprints produced by businesses and organizations. Basically, a business hopes to cancel out its carbon emissions by paying a fee. The proceeds are used for programs and initiatives that support renewable energy plans and methods as well as ways to capture harmful greenhouse gases, such as methane.

6. Promoting sustainability

If you’ve always been an advocate for eco-friendliness, you should promote sustainability right at the start of your ecommerce business and continue doing so as your company grows. This can involve updating delivery methods and switching from traditional fuel vehicles to automobiles that are powered by renewable energy.

You can also maximize existing logistics networks as well. Since couriers deliver products right at consumers’ doorsteps, then you can also ask them to pick up the latter’s used items, too, and return them to you for recycling and reusing whenever possible.

To promote sustainability, you have to be mindful when working with manufacturers and logistics companies. You should make sure that their products and services are sustainable to make a significant difference in the grand scheme of things.

7. Reconsider free returns

Although you want to create the best possible experience for your customers, you need to consider whether returns are hampering your vision of becoming an eco-friendly and sustainable brand. In the US alone, returns lead to five billion pounds of landfill waste as well as 15 million tons of carbon emissions each year.

As such, you should re-evaluate lenient return policies. Aside from losing a substantial chunk of your revenue, free returns are also harmful to the environment.

8. Avoid completely wasting returned goods

Speaking of returns, did you know that many returned products are actually thrown out instead of repackaged and resold? An ecommerce giant even made global headlines for this unsustainable practice, and they’re not alone since it’s cheaper for companies to dispose of the return than reselling it.

You can only imagine the huge adverse impact this practice has on the environment. This is another reason that you should rethink your return policies and find other ways to get rid of functional goods, such as by selling them at a lower price.

Final Thoughts

Making your ecommerce business eco-friendly isn’t as difficult as it seems. With today’s advanced technology, you can find alternatives that will allow you to reduce your company’s carbon footprint without compromising on the quality of your products and services.

Take a look at your current lineup of products, and see which ones are easier to start with as you embark on your green journey.

Author Bio:

Vincent Sevilla

I am a professional web designer and inbound strategist for Grit PH. My goal? Come up with innovative ideas, create good art, and to travel all the best places in the Philippines. You can follow me on Twitter @easyvince

Image sources:

Getty images, Info.ehl.edu , Blueandgreentomorrow, Internetretailing, Tripwiremagazine.