Mail Satchel Checklist
This Comprehensive Buying Guide will help you to decide which Mail Satchel aka Courier Bag to use for your online business.
1. Choose the Correct Satchel/Courier Bag Size
Firstly you need to know the Length, Width and Height of your product and then choose a Bag Size that is big enough to fit your product especially if your product is contained within a rigid box. Satchels are generally quoted with width x length + flap (the opening containing the self seal adhesive). Often business owners buy a bag that is too small as they often forget about the height of the product. The following examples illustrate this point:
Medium sized product with size 270x160x120mm fits perfectly in Mail satchel size 310x405mm (Australia Post 3KG Satchel Large Size). You may think this bag is too big as it is much wider and longer but given the height of the product is 120mm, the Australia Post 3KG Large satchel 310x405mm would be the most suitable choice.
Large sized product with size 320x240x160mm fits perfectly in Mail satchel size 430x545mm (Australia Post 5KG Satchel Extra Large Size). You may think this bag is too big as it is much wider and longer but given the height of the product is 160mm, the Australia Post 5KG Large satchel 430x545mm would be the most suitable choice.
If this is all too much to think about then take out the guess work and buy Awesome Pack’s Sample of all 9 sizes of courier bags to find the best fit for your product. This is the easiest and most reliable way to know for sure.
2. Choose the Right Colour Mail Satchel for your Brand
Selecting the right colour is vitally important in today’s Instagram consumed society where your product’s Visual Impact will make or break your product. Having said that there is no right or wrong answer with which colour to use but there is one thing for sure and that is to be consistent with your branding. If your product range involves lighter and brighter colours then get something similar to that and likewise if your brand is bold and revolves around darker colours. Have a look at the following options to see which Courier Bag Colour best suit your brand.
White Courier Bags: this is the stock standard colour for mail satchels, we estimate over 80% of all plain satchels (non-custom branded) are white and semi-gloss. Great entry level colour for a courier bag as it is plain and simple, nothing special but works. You can check out our range of white courier bags here.
Black Courier Bags: this is the next level colour for courier bags, we estimate only around 10% of non branded satchels use these. They give a pretty slick look and give off a more premium feeling for your brand but if your brand resolves around lighter and brighter colours then it doesn’t make sense to use them. Awesome Pack’s Matte Black Courier Bags could give your customer a great unboxing experience and give your brand a more premium feel. Check them out here.
3. Choose the Suitable Material for your Mailing Satchel
Plastic aka Polyethylene is unfortunately the most widely used material for courier bags, this is due to the strength of the material, waterproofing qualities and being extremely cost effective. Although plastic mailing satchels are recyclable but please note that they are only recyclable at a commercial recycling facility which is hard to find and making it virtually pointless. Given this they often end up in landfills and take around 1000 years to break down.
Home Compostable Satchels is the new breakthrough in the packaging industry as it has the similar strength of the a plastic satchel but also they can be thrown into your home compost after use and it will break down within 180 days making it one of the most environmentally friendly packaging options in Australia. They are made from Corn and other biodegradable materials which allow the satchel to break down naturally.
Wherever you buy these Home Compostable Satchels make sure they are Australian Certified with compliance code AS5810 which makes it able to be eaten by worms. Other European and US certifications do not include that so make sure you buy Home Compostable Satchel with Australian Certification. Awesome Pack’s Compostable Satchels are Australian Certified with AS5810 and made with quality to give it a premium feel. We have made it for large companies and hold our product to the highest standard. The Compostable Satchels comes in many sizes, to see them click here.
Summary of the differences between Plastic and Compostable Satchels:
Plastic Mailers: strong, waterproof and cost effective around 70% cheaper than compostable satchels. Great entry level mailer for your eCommerce business.
Compostable Satchels: relatively strong, waterproof and although around 3 times the price of a plastic satchel but the positive externalities that your brand can derive from it may bring real value for your brand. Many brands that use this environmentally friendly packaging often showcase it on their website and social media telling their audiences that they have made the switch. Some examples of this are businesses in organic skin care, food and coffee, pet supplies and even leading multinational corporations in the fashion industry are using them.
Overall choosing the right Mail Satchel for your online business is the basics of packaging your product for shipping to your customers and therefore shouldn’t take it lightly. We hope our Mail Satchel Checklist have provided you with the information you need to make an informed decision in your product packaging selection process.
Always bringing you value to your eCommerce journey,
Bill Li
Director
Awesome Pack