What Is the Difference Between Mailer Boxes and Shipping Boxes?

 

Introduction

When sending products, you want the right kind of box to ensure that your items arrive safely and they look great. Two types of boxes that are most common are mailer boxes and shipping boxes. While both serve to send things through the mail, they differ in many ways. In this blog, we discuss exactly what makes the boxes different and why it matters to select the right one to meet business needs. If you want to know more about custom mailer boxes, keep reading!

What is a mailer box?

Mailer boxes are small and rigid, designed to fit their respective products perfectly for mailing purposes. They are great for sending smaller items that need protection. Manufacturers typically produce these boxes with cardboard, making them easy to close. With Custom Mailer Boxes, you can add your brand's identity through a logo or a design that you believe will help define your brand. This makes your business look professional, and customers will appreciate receiving their orders in such beautifully packaged boxes.

Mailer boxes are suitable for a wide array of products, including:

• Clothing

• Small electronics

• Cosmetics

• Books

These boxes are, therefore, designed to fit snugly around your products so that they do not move during transit, hence helping the products avoid any damage during shipping. Many of the custom mailers come with self-sealing flaps, too, for ease of use.

What is a shipping box?

Shipping boxes, on the other hand, are larger and even more robust than mailer boxes. They are designed to carry heavier and bulkier items. If you are sending something big-enormous, say a piece of furniture or a huge set of toys-you will certainly need a shipping box. These boxes are also commonly used by businesses when sending items that are too large to fit inside a black mailer box. Shipping boxes are also more versatile in size and can be made into an enormous array of shapes to hold many types of products.

Shipping boxes protect larger items that may be difficult to package. For example:

• furniture

• Large electronics

• Toys

• Bulk products

These shipping boxes come in very different sizes, with some of them sealed up with tape and others glued. Several shipping boxes are double-walled, meaning they are extra strong. That is very important because such boxes have to be transported by big trucks or even planes and need to handle rough conditions on the way to their destination.

Differences Between Mailer Boxes and Shipping Boxes

Now that we understand what kind of box each is, let's take a closer look at some of the differences between a Black mailer box versus a shipping box.

Size and Shape

The biggest difference between a mailer box and a shipping box has to be their size. Mailer boxes are compact, smaller in nature, and fit items that do not occupy too much space. In this regard, they are designed to snugly hold products to avoid any movement while it is being shipped. Shipping boxes, by their very nature, are bigger and come in different sizes to accommodate larger items. These are boxes made for holding products that require extra room or those that cannot fit in a standard mailer box.

Strength and Durability

While both mailer and shipping boxes are made of cardboard, shipping boxes are most definitely much stronger and resilient. That is because they are intended to transport heavier and bulkier products. Most shipping boxes are double-walled for added protection. Mailer boxes are indeed sturdy but usually single-walled, intended for lighter items.

Design and Customization

Businesses dealing in several products to be delivered to their respective owners at times use mailing boxes as a tool for easing the hassle of delivery. Several firms prefer using custom mailer boxes because printer logos, brand colors, and designs are printed on it, which makes them more attractive and the customer will have a great experience when receiving his ordered item. You can also customize shipping boxes, though they are often used for products that don’t require much design or branding.

Ease of Operating

Mailer boxes are pretty straightforward to set up; many even come with self-sealing flaps. This means that once you put your product in it, you shut the box down and ship. Shipping boxes take a bit more effort in sealing completely and properly, especially for heavy or weirdly shaped items. At times, tape or glue keeps them in place to ensure the box stays shut during shipment.

Cost

Because they are small in size and lightweight, the custom mailer boxes are normally cheaper unlike shipping boxes. They are also easier to store, since they occupy a minimal space. On the opposite side, shipping boxes are much larger and stronger, therefore more expensive. However, once the items you send get bigger, you definitely need a shipping box for protection.

Protection of Products

Both protect the products packed inside, but shipping boxes are more protective for heavier or bulkier items. Shipping boxes have been designed to bear rougher handling in case of heavier shipment or when the products inside the package are fragile. Mailer boxes provide a snug fit for smaller items, protecting them from damage without extra padding.

Why does it matter which box you choose?

Choosing the appropriate box for your product is very important, since it gives insurance to the products that will arrive safely and should be in great condition. In the case of choosing a mailer box for an accessory that might be fragile or big, then such a product is likely to get broken, since the box is weaker than required. On the other hand, choosing a shipping box for a small product would definitely waste your taken space and money since the box is larger than needed.

Be it Custom Mailer Boxes or shipping boxes, at Swift Packaging, we will guide you in designing the perfect packaging for your products. To find out how we can best help you, feel free to contact us today!