Sustainability is the new buzzword across many industries, from manufacturing and apparel to agriculture and beyond. But sustainability is also important for e-commerce businesses like yours. Even if your business is online, you can still do your part for the planet and minimize the waste generated by you and your customers.
But is adopting a sustainable approach really worth it? If so, how can you train yourself to have a sustainable ecommerce business? Below, we’ll detail several key reasons why you should start adopting green e-commerce strategies today.
Why is sustainability in e-commerce worth it?
Bringing sustainability and eco-friendliness to your e-commerce business is a good strategy for several reasons. On the one hand, millennials likely make up a large portion, if not most of your customer base, due to their age and spending habits.
Millennials, perhaps more than any other major demographic, are concerned about eco-responsibility in large scale. They can and do choose companies based on their green technology policies or shipping practices. Therefore, if you want to boost your brand recognition and appeal among millennials, you need to look into sustainability. Other reasons to prioritize sustainability include:
- 73% of consumers say they will change their consumption habits to reduce environmental impact
- Some surveys indicate that majority of respondents actively purchase eco-friendly products where they can
In other words, switching to sustainable e-commerce business practices isn’t just good for the planet: it could also be good for your company’s bottom line.
How to Practice Ecommerce Sustainability
What happens if you don’t know how to shift your ecommerce business toward more sustainable practices and goals? It turns out there are simple ways to move toward a green e-commerce business ASAP.
Switch to eco-friendly shipping
First, you can offer eco-friendly shipping practices. For example, you can stop offering free shipping to all your consumers and instead charge a small fee (usually no more than 5%) for a climate neutral shipping solution. Companies like DHL GoGreen, GLS Think Green and more offer climate-neutral shipping for e-commerce businesses like yours.
Are you worried that your customers will punish you financially for making this change? Think again. Many customers will accept having to pay shipping costs as long as the ordered products arrive at their doorstep on time. Therefore, shipping with eco-friendly shipping partners could still prove beneficial to your bottom line and help you walk the path of sustainability.
Reduce returns
Returns are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and waste a lot of time. Therefore, you should take steps to reduce returns on your online store as much as possible. You can do this by:
- Rerouting deliveries to a packing station if a customer is not home when an item is delivered
- Be as specific as possible when describing or taking photos of your products. This reduces the likelihood that a customer will return a product because it’s not what they expected.
- Does not offer free returns, although you should be sure to implement this change while also changing your shipping policy as detailed above.
By reducing returns, your ecommerce business will be responsible for fewer domestic or international shipments. Thus, fewer greenhouse gases will be emitted.
Implement a recycling program
Consider implementing a recycling program in your business. If your e-commerce business has a few employees, you and those employees should recycle all recyclable materials like aluminum cans, paper, and plastic products.
Implementing a recycling program is a small long-term step, but every little bit counts when it comes to helping the planet. Depending on how much you recycle, you may be able to receive a tax credit; be sure to record everything you recycle with accounting software that has features like tracking expenses and receipts tools.
Change your packaging
Chances are your packaging needs a bit of streamlining and repair: try to use recyclable and sustainable packaging materials wherever possible. For example, stop using plastic, which cannot be broken down by the environment, and switch to wax paper or regular paper packaging for your goods.
Not only are they better for the environment, but they give your brand a bit of unique character that can increase its profits in the long run. Likewise, try to avoid packaging waste altogether. For example, your boxes probably don’t need Styrofoam popcorn or other filler materials. Instead, stuff packages with more paper or use other durable shipping materials if necessary. By eliminating shipping and packaging waste, you’ll go a long way to doing your part for the planet.
Offer green products
Depending on your brand and industry, you may be able to offer green or eco-friendly products directly to your consumers. For example, if you sell clothing online, try to offer your customers clothing made from sustainable materials or eco-friendly brands.
Given the importance millennials place on being eco-friendly these days, these eco-friendly products could become best-sellers for your e-commerce business in no time.
Reduce energy consumption
As an e-commerce business, you will need to use a lot of energy out of necessity. But you can reduce your brand’s energy consumption by practicing strategies like:
- Offer multiple ways to pay. According to recent statistics, 42% of buyers prefer to use an online bank to manage their small business finances. Make sure customers can pay you quickly and easily to attract customers to your brand and improve environmental friendliness.
- Switch to an eco-friendly host. Some accommodation providers do everything they can to minimize electricity waste or donate part of their profits to green initiatives aimed at improving the planet.
- Streamlining your website. If you minimize the loading time of your website, it will consume fewer resources and at the same time consume fewer server resources, saving you money in the process.
In conclusion
Overall, sustainability is a major strength in the e-commerce market and is unlikely to disappear. It is much wiser to build on this trend than to move away from it, especially as you try to attract new consumers to your online store and secure your profits for long-term prosperity.
