Topic hub
Packaging
9 lessons and 93 quick tips on packaging, pulled from Anaita’s most-watched videos. Each lesson comes with takeaways and a full transcript.
Lessons
How I vetted and chose my manufacturer on Alibaba
The two Australia Post practices hurting small business owners
Turning salt into a cult brand called Season
Why Australia Post's pricing system unfairly punishes small business
Why Australia Post's shipping pricing is unfair to small businesses
Designing a cult brand around sanitary products
How to order samples from Alibaba manufacturers step by step
We lost a $250k deposit to a ghosted packaging supplier
4 business expenses to cut that actually save money
Quick tips
Request samples from multiple manufacturers using identical specs before choosing one.
From: How I vetted and chose my manufacturer on Alibaba (1M views)
Compare suppliers on quality, delivery timeframes, communication and packaging.
From: How I vetted and chose my manufacturer on Alibaba (1M views)
Ask manufacturers directly if they supply your larger competitors and request proof.
From: How I vetted and chose my manufacturer on Alibaba (1M views)
If your product is similar to competitors, differentiate through customer service and delivery speed instead.
From: How I vetted and chose my manufacturer on Alibaba (1M views)
Factor lost-parcel risk into your shipping policy since the carrier won't take responsibility
From: The two Australia Post practices hurting small business owners (206K views)
Check if using your own packaging costs more with your carrier before switching for sustainability
From: The two Australia Post practices hurting small business owners (206K views)
Pick a brand name with a double meaning that's easy to remember and instantly differentiates you.
From: Turning salt into a cult brand called Season (137K views)
Package everyday products in portable, convenient formats to solve a real daily annoyance.
From: Turning salt into a cult brand called Season (137K views)
Launch with an experiential activation that lets people physically interact with the product.
From: Turning salt into a cult brand called Season (137K views)
Partner with a well-known food brand to co-create flavours and borrow their audience.
From: Turning salt into a cult brand called Season (137K views)
Test your carrier's pricing consistency by sending identical parcels with different packaging or postage to expose unfair charges.
From: Why Australia Post's pricing system unfairly punishes small business (127K views)
Know that using your own packaging instead of a carrier's prepaid satchel can double your shipping cost for the same product.
From: Why Australia Post's pricing system unfairly punishes small business (127K views)
Switch to a shipping aggregator to access better carrier rates and cut shipping costs significantly.
From: Why Australia Post's pricing system unfairly punishes small business (127K views)
Understand that carriers can shift blame and cost for lost parcels onto your brand unless you pay for extra insurance.
From: Why Australia Post's pricing system unfairly punishes small business (127K views)
Compare your shipping costs across carriers, using a prepaid satchel versus your own packaging can change your fee significantly
From: Why Australia Post's shipping pricing is unfair to small businesses (92K views)
Don't assume your main carrier is your cheapest option, a shipping aggregator can save you thousands per month
From: Why Australia Post's shipping pricing is unfair to small businesses (92K views)
Know that if a parcel is lost, some carriers will push liability and costs back onto you unless you paid for insurance
From: Why Australia Post's shipping pricing is unfair to small businesses (92K views)
Give a boring product category a name with a clever double meaning to make it memorable and shareable.
From: Designing a cult brand around sanitary products (88K views)
Build a full theme (visuals, packaging, event, partnerships) around your brand concept, not just a logo.
From: Designing a cult brand around sanitary products (88K views)
Partner with adjacent lifestyle brands to expand reach and reinforce your brand's world.
From: Designing a cult brand around sanitary products (88K views)
Turn a functional product into a cult brand by leaning into an unexpected creative concept.
From: Designing a cult brand around sanitary products (88K views)
Create a detailed product spec sheet with measurements, materials and Pantone colors before ordering samples
From: How to order samples from Alibaba manufacturers step by step (66K views)
Send your spec sheet to at least four manufacturers to compare
From: How to order samples from Alibaba manufacturers step by step (66K views)
Expect samples to cost more per unit than bulk orders, and air shipping to be pricier but five times faster than sea
From: How to order samples from Alibaba manufacturers step by step (66K views)
Start communication on the Alibaba platform before moving to WeChat or WhatsApp
From: How to order samples from Alibaba manufacturers step by step (66K views)
Track suppliers in a spreadsheet comparing quality, speed, communication and packaging
From: How to order samples from Alibaba manufacturers step by step (66K views)
Don't hand over large deposits to new suppliers until you've verified their business legitimacy beyond calls and samples.
From: We lost a $250k deposit to a ghosted packaging supplier (51K views)
Have a contract and payment protection in place before committing six-figure sums to an unproven vendor.
From: We lost a $250k deposit to a ghosted packaging supplier (51K views)
Be prepared for supplier scams even after extensive vetting, and have legal recourse ready if things go wrong.
From: We lost a $250k deposit to a ghosted packaging supplier (51K views)
Stop paying for small business award entries, they rarely improve conversion and mostly exist to make the award company money
From: 4 business expenses to cut that actually save money (41K views)
Negotiate your email platform's rate or switch providers to save hundreds or thousands a month, since most platforms offer similar deliverability and features
From: 4 business expenses to cut that actually save money (41K views)
Use a shipping aggregator so orders automatically go to the cheapest, fastest courier instead of defaulting to one carrier
From: 4 business expenses to cut that actually save money (41K views)
Don't put full-size products into event goodie bags, set up an activation instead since goodie bags waste money for little real exposure
From: 4 business expenses to cut that actually save money (41K views)
Add a free gift at checkout using an app like Gift Box instead of listing it on the site.
From: Use the Gift Box Shopify app to surprise customers at checkout (35K views)
Surprise and delight moments build brand sentiment more than advertised perks.
From: Use the Gift Box Shopify app to surprise customers at checkout (35K views)
Remember you're selling an experience, not just a product.
From: Use the Gift Box Shopify app to surprise customers at checkout (35K views)
Don't rely on a single courier, use a shipping aggregator to compare rates and speed automatically.
From: How a shipping aggregator saved over $10,000 on Australia Post costs (32K views)
Test couriers for your own business rather than trusting other people's experiences.
From: How a shipping aggregator saved over $10,000 on Australia Post costs (32K views)
Review your shipping costs regularly, especially during tough financial periods.
From: How a shipping aggregator saved over $10,000 on Australia Post costs (32K views)
Use Canva's 'crumpled' element to create a realistic paper texture for receipt-style branded graphics.
From: How to design a branded receipt graphic in Canva (31K views)
Pair a typewriter font like Lumios Typewriter with a barcode element to make branded assets feel authentic.
From: How to design a branded receipt graphic in Canva (31K views)
Small branded design touches like a custom receipt graphic can strengthen your website's overall brand feel.
From: How to design a branded receipt graphic in Canva (31K views)
Check whether your shipping carrier charges more for sustainable packaging even when size and weight match single-use plastic options.
From: Australia Post charges more for sustainable packaging shipments (27K views)
Don't assume a viral recommendation means everyone needs the product, unchecked hype creates unsustainable demand spikes.
From: Why dupe culture and overconsumption are reshaping beauty brand (26K views)
Younger consumers have low brand loyalty and chase whatever's trending on social media instead of sticking with one brand.
From: Why dupe culture and overconsumption are reshaping beauty brand (26K views)
Expect big retailers to launch their own dupes when a product trend takes off, so build differentiation beyond price.
From: Why dupe culture and overconsumption are reshaping beauty brand (26K views)
Overconsumption driven by social media is a real sustainability problem your business should factor into planning.
From: Why dupe culture and overconsumption are reshaping beauty brand (26K views)
Keep your homepage simple and straight to the point rather than overcomplicated.
From: 5 favorite high-converting websites and what makes them work (26K views)
Add trust badges like bestseller and top-rated tags to build credibility like Glossier does.
From: 5 favorite high-converting websites and what makes them work (26K views)
Put videos on product pages to help customers understand the product better before buying.
From: 5 favorite high-converting websites and what makes them work (26K views)
Offer bundles to increase average order value the way Flex Factory does.
From: 5 favorite high-converting websites and what makes them work (26K views)
Rising BYO shipping costs push customers toward single-use plastic prepaid satchels instead of sustainable packaging options.
From: How Australia Post's shipping monopoly is hurting small businesses (22K views)
Factor carrier pricing structures into your packaging strategy since ready-to-ship sustainable products can lose ground to cheaper prepaid alternatives.
From: How Australia Post's shipping monopoly is hurting small businesses (22K views)
Use surprise gifting collabs with other founders to generate organic brand posts instead of paid ads.
From: Using a surprise gifting collab to get founders talking about your (22K views)
Partner with complementary brands to multiply reach from a single gifting moment.
From: Using a surprise gifting collab to get founders talking about your (22K views)
Choose a brand name that's easy to remember, unconventionally spelled, and carries a double meaning.
From: How to turn boring salt into a cult brand (19K views)
Package commodity products in convenient, portable formats to solve a real everyday pain point.
From: How to turn boring salt into a cult brand (19K views)
Launch with an experiential activation that lets people physically interact with your product.
From: How to turn boring salt into a cult brand (19K views)
Partner with adjacent, aspirational brands to extend your product into new flavor or use occasions.
From: How to turn boring salt into a cult brand (19K views)
Look for 'boring' product categories with little branding innovation as your biggest opportunity.
From: How to turn boring salt into a cult brand (19K views)
Stop selling just a product, sell an experience customers want to show off
From: Sell an experience, not just a product (18K views)
Delight and surprise customers or they'll find that experience elsewhere
From: Sell an experience, not just a product (18K views)
Use packaging, personalized videos, and same-day shipping to create memorable moments
From: Sell an experience, not just a product (18K views)
Add weird and wacky touches that no other brand in your space is doing
From: Sell an experience, not just a product (18K views)
Give your brand name a double meaning and a tongue-in-cheek tone so it sticks.
From: How to build a cult brand out of a boring product like sanitary items (13K views)
Design packaging that looks nothing like existing competitors in your category.
From: How to build a cult brand out of a boring product like sanitary items (13K views)
Build your launch event and content around a theme that reinforces your brand's story.
From: How to build a cult brand out of a boring product like sanitary items (13K views)
Partner with brands outside your category to create buzzworthy collabs.
From: How to build a cult brand out of a boring product like sanitary items (13K views)
Add a community-first touchpoint, like free product access, to build goodwill and awareness.
From: How to build a cult brand out of a boring product like sanitary items (13K views)
On Alibaba, only trust verified suppliers with high diamond ratings based on order history.
From: How to source products for a new business, part 1 (12K views)
Attend sourcing expos in person to feel materials, test samples, and get direct WhatsApp contact with manufacturers.
From: How to source products for a new business, part 1 (12K views)
Always test 3-4 suppliers with identical specs before picking a winner on communication, speed, and quality.
From: How to source products for a new business, part 1 (12K views)
Never skip a new sample round after making even a small product change, no matter how minor it seems.
From: How to source products for a new business, part 1 (12K views)
Budget $50-200 per sample plus shipping as a non-negotiable cost of getting sourcing right.
From: How to source products for a new business, part 1 (12K views)
Say yes to customer jobs even when it costs you personal time, so you protect the business during future downturns.
From: Why I still say yes to every customer even on weekends (11K views)
Stay hands-on with your operations (machines, design, fulfillment) so you understand every part of your business.
From: Why I still say yes to every customer even on weekends (11K views)
Small business owners can't always outsource everything, so being willing to do the work yourself speeds up learning and improvement.
From: Why I still say yes to every customer even on weekends (11K views)
Doing the work yourself lets you spot ways to improve the business while still delivering fast for the customer.
From: Why I still say yes to every customer even on weekends (11K views)
Use a giveaway item at trade show booths to draw people in
From: Weekend warehouse day printing 1,000 bags for custom orders (11K views)
Bring family into the business when possible to make long work hours more enjoyable
From: Weekend warehouse day printing 1,000 bags for custom orders (11K views)
Stay hands-on in fulfillment during busy periods, even as the founder, to keep orders moving
From: Weekend warehouse day printing 1,000 bags for custom orders (11K views)
Skip small business award entries, they're rarely true credibility signals and mostly a money grab
From: 4 business expenses to cut that actually save real money (11K views)
Negotiate or switch your email platform rate, most platforms perform similarly if your content is good
From: 4 business expenses to cut that actually save real money (11K views)
Use a shipping aggregator to automatically pick the cheapest, fastest courier and cut freight costs
From: 4 business expenses to cut that actually save real money (11K views)
Never put full-size products in event goodie bags, it's a waste of product and money compared to running an activation
From: 4 business expenses to cut that actually save real money (11K views)
Test demand before you have inventory: build a simple landing page and drive traffic with a small daily ad budget.
From: How Anaita got 1,000 customers before Hero Packaging launched (6K views)
Target the broader search term your customer actually uses (e.g., 'sustainable packaging'), not just your specific product name.
From: How Anaita got 1,000 customers before Hero Packaging launched (6K views)
Offer a free sample in exchange for email, shipping address and name to build your first customer list before launch.
From: How Anaita got 1,000 customers before Hero Packaging launched (6K views)
Collect feedback from early samplers and use it to shape your first bulk order.
From: How Anaita got 1,000 customers before Hero Packaging launched (6K views)
Reuse this pre-launch playbook for every new product launch, not just your first one.
From: How Anaita got 1,000 customers before Hero Packaging launched (6K views)
Sign or personalize products when you can, it turns a simple purchase into a memorable moment
From: Packing and shipping signed books with personal touches (4K views)
Add a thank you card to every order to build goodwill with customers
From: Packing and shipping signed books with personal touches (4K views)
Use branded packaging (like your own Hero Pack) for every shipment to reinforce your brand at unboxing
From: Packing and shipping signed books with personal touches (4K views)