If you have locally manufactured goods that you intend exporting to buyers outside the shores of Nigeria, then you should consider durable and attractive packaging for your products. Truth is that if your products are well packaged and all safety measure is put in place, then you wouldn’t have to worry about your products getting damaged on transit. If you are conversant with goods that are cleared from the wharf; you would realize that some of them get badly damaged because they are not properly packed and it is the loss of the importer.
The goods meant for exports are handled my different people that may likely not know the details of what you are exporting and as such may handle it roughly. If you want to give your customers value for every product they order from you, then you must pay serious attention to your packaging details. There are ways you could package you products to ensure that they are not exposed to what might damage them. For example; if you are exporting breakables like glass related products, eggs, et al, then you must take every little detail in the packaging seriously so that you possibly won’t end up exporting damaged commodities.
The truth is that the packaging you use for your products is as important as the products itself especially when you know that these products are meant for exportation and are subjected to longer travel periods when you are exporting via the sea (Shipping). Even if you are using Cargo Planes to export your products’ it possibly could also get damaged if not properly packaged. Also, if the packaging is not appealing, it can affect the sales.
If you are an exporter or you intend going into the exporting of products from Nigeria, then the following information will guide you on how to package your products properly;
Exporting from Nigeria: How to Package Your Products Properly
1. Use Packaging Material that is Friendly and Healthy
Whatever material you choose to use for your packaging should be user friendly and must not contain any hazardous chemical. The truth is that if you are in the business of exporting, then you must be careful of the materials used to package your products or else it could be rejected by the government of the country you intend shipping the goods to.
2. Use Attractive Colors for Your Packaging
It has been proven over and over again that the choice of packaging for your products contributes to the brand image you are selling to your customers. If the packaging for your product is eye catchy and attractive, it could easily be spotted and picked ahead of same products from other companies. The fact that you are expected to make the packaging of your products attractive does not mean that you should solely use attractive and bright colors. There are ways you may combine colors nicely that can be appealing to people.
3. Ensure Your Graphics is Self Explanative and on Point
You can design the packaging of your products in such a way that a buyer could easily tell the kind of product that is in it. Graphic artists have a way of communicating a message to people via their designs. So ensure that whatever design you chose for the packing of your product, is self explanative and the one that looks nice from both afar and from a close range.
4. Ensure All Instructions and Guidelines on the Packet of Your Products are Legible and Easy to Understand
It is important to make sure that all the information that is expected to be on the pack of your products are easily readable. You should use letters and fonts that can easily be read by all. You must also ensure that you use a minimum of four international messages to pass across very vital information on the pack of your products. For instance; if there is an instruction that reads “Highly inflammable” then you should not just write it in English language; you should also write it in French, Chinese, Spanish and German Language et al.
5. Make Sure You Use Water – Proof Materials
Products meant for exportation are subjected to all sorts of conditions; including mist, dews and waters. To prevent any of these conditions from damaging your products, you must include water – proof materials (nylon et al) to either wrap the products inside the package or to seal the entire package with it. With this in place; you can be sure that when your products are exposed to water it wouldn’t get damaged.
6. Ensure You Add Materials (Foam Like) That Could Absorb Shock
If you open a new electronic carton, you would see some foam like materials placed inside it. The purpose of such materials is to absorb all the shocks your products might likely be subjected to en route its destination. So you must be sure to include such materials when packaging your products meant for exports especially when they are breakables.
7. Ensure that you add Wrapping Materials That Can Prevent Scratches
There are wrapping papers used in wrapping products so as to prevent scratches that might occur in transit. You just have to pay attention to every detail with regard to the packaging of your products, if you want it to your consumers to receive the products they ordered in good condition. For example; if you are exporting products made from bronze or ceramic materials, you are expected to use paper or other friendly materials to wrap each unit of the products so that they do not rub off on each other and produce scratches on the products.
These are some of the factors you need to consider when packaging your products that you intend exporting from Nigeria to other parts of the world. Fact is that if you are exporting the products via ship, then you should expect the products to stay a longer period on transit and that is the more reason why you must chose durable packaging and containers for your products.