How to Be an Eco-Friendly Ecommerce Business

Did you know that more and more customers are gravitating towards businesses that are environmentally friendly?

The demand for sustainable products has grown significantly recently. Buyers are speaking with their wallets by supporting eco-friendly ecommerce businesses that promote environmentally friendly practices.

So how can you make your online business more eco-friendly?

Even though you might not have a traditional brick and mortar store, you can still implement some environmentally friendly practices. You can use this guide to help you get on the right track.

Stock Eco-Friendly Products

The best place to start becoming more environmentally friendly is by taking a closer look at the products you stock. You might already have several eco-friendly practices, but these can mean nothing if the items you sell aren't sustainable or utilise a lot of resources to build them.

Do some investigating on the suppliers you're using and how they source the materials to create the products you sell. You can even use websites like Ecocert, Ecolabel Index or search for certifications from the manufacturer around sustainability. If you can't find any details about how the product is constructed, then the odds are that it's not environmentally friendly.

Remove Single-Use Plastics

It's common knowledge that single-use plastics have a detrimental impact on the planet. Many organisations have replaced it with more sustainable options, whether it be straws or cutlery.

Conduct an audit of the single-use plastics your ecommerce business uses. While you might need to continue to use individual packaging for health and safety reasons, you should explore biodegradable options. There might even be some recyclable alternatives that are also acceptable.

Use Eco-Friendly Shipping Packaging

You also need to think about how you're packing your products. Packaging has come a long way and can be made from biodegradable and recycled materials. These are the ideal solutions as they decrease the amount of waste going to landfills.

Another option is to send products in packaging that your customers can repurpose. Don't forget to utilise sustainable tape and labels. There are many suppliers that provide these materials to help you reduce your carbon footprint as much as possible.

Implement Eco-Friendly Shipping Practices

Lastly, you have to evaluate the methods you use to ship products. Thankfully, there are many ways to implement eco-friendly parcel delivery practices that will demonstrate to your customers that you're an environmentally friendly ecommerce business.

One of the most significant changes you can make is partnering with courier companies that are carbon neutral. Businesses like UPS and StarTrack are just some organisations that have implemented eco-friendly programs. Others are using environmentally friendly vehicles to reduce their impact on climate change. It's worth researching the courier services you're using as it's likely your customer is aware of who is eco-friendly and who isn't.

Choosing the right courier company also goes beyond how they deliver your parcel. How do they interact with your business? For example, are they paperless, or do you receive a physical invoice in the mail every time you ship an item? Taking that extra step to choose a suitable carrier can make a more significant impact on the environment.

It's also best practice to send your items in bulk regardless of where they're travelling to. It's much more efficient and eco-friendlier if you send your parcel to a central processing facility simultaneously.

Send your parcel with Interparcel for the freedom to choose your preferred carrier that matches your shipping strategy and brand values.

Why It's Important to be an Eco-Friendly eCommerce Business

Customers have spoken, and they are choosing to do business with eco-friendly ecommerce companies. Multiple studies have shown that 62% of young consumers prefer buying sustainable materials. Meanwhile, 82% said they want their packaging to be recyclable.

It's not good enough to publish an ethos or pledge on your website. You need to demonstrate to your buyers how you're reducing your carbon footprint. It could be the products you stock or how you prepare them to be sent to customers. You should also investigate the carriers you use to deliver products.

Head over to this page to browse through all of the couriers that Interparcel partners with. You'll be able to learn more about their history, the services they offer and get a quote at the same time.