Running a sustainable or eco-friendly business means that your business process doesn’t degrade the natural environment in any form, along with supporting the social processes. There were around $5.7 trillion US dollars [IZ1] worth of online purchases being made. That is estimated to increase in the next year or so.
To counter this, you need to adopt sustainable methods for your business. It improves the quality of life, protects the ecosystem, and preserves natural resources for our future children.
Many brands have already made such a move. An online shopping store called EarthHero encourages its visitors to be responsible buyers by offering sustainable products from different brands. Visitors can learn about the products, why it’s sustainable, and their sustainability features and specifications. This is a good initiative to let consumers learn about responsible buying and play their part in keeping the environment eco-friendly.
Take another example of Xfinity, which is one of the largest and most widely telecom service providers in the US. While paying your Xfinity bills, you won’t receive the invoice at home, rather you can access your bills from the Xfinity app. You can also opt for having paper bills delivered to your address but you’ll be charged a fee for it. Hence, by introducing paperless billing, Xfinity is playing its role in making this world a little bit more environment-friendly. The Xfinity customer service number can attest to that.Â
Moving on, let’s learn about how your business can make online shopping more sustainable, all the while still having the chance to make a profit:
Make Shipping Eco-Friendly
Did you know, that the transportation of items through trucks, planes, ships, and trains makes up to 8% of global greenhouse gas emission[IZ2]Â s? Sure, shipping is an avoidable part of online shopping, but you can try making it more environment-friendly.
Whenever possible, make the transfer of deliveries in bulk. So that the delivery transport doesn’t have to make multiple rounds just to deliver to the same address, same neighborhood, or same district.
Also, go for sustainable delivery options. For instance, FedEx has programs like FedEx Smart Ship or FedEx Green Ship for sustainable packaging. Such delivery companies are developing ways to use eco-friendly procurement with decreased fuel consumption, going for renewable energy, and using recycled materials for their product journey!
Don’t offer express delivery options to your customers all the time. While it is true that express delivery grows your reputation in the eyes of your customers, it’s still one of the drawbacks of online delivery. Offering your customers an extended shipping period makes way for efficient delivery purchases i.e. waiting for more orders and then delivering in bulk by using the same transport.
Use Eco-Friendly Packaging
53% of the Gen-Z[IZ3]Â Â population thinks that Amazon uses an excessive amount of material just for the packaging.
Hence, this is why most companies like Amazon have switched to recyclable paper and cardboard envelopes in their deliveries.
You need to reduce the use of biodegradable materials i.e. plastic or foam. Any running business would continue using it due to its low price, but we need to consider how biodegradable packaging will contribute to the sustainable supply and increase popularity among your customers.
We all agree that canoe-sized boxes for phone cases are way too much. Because such a large amount of packaging occupies extra space that could just be used for other deliveries. It’s really an unjustified consumption of resources.
Do market your eco-friendly packaging. If your customers aren’t aware that you are offering a sustainable method for delivering products, then all your efforts are in vain. It can be a great selling point for your business as well as help nature.
Manage Product Returns Effectively
Here is how you can minimize the effect of products returns on the environment:
Sure, it is the right of the customer to make returns of your products without any appeal. But your return policy needs to be constructed in such a way that it clearly communicated to customers the consequences of constant returns from their side.
If your customers listen and don’t use the return button, you need to reward them with a small discount on the current or next purchase. It’s like rewarding them for good behavior.
Another way to prevent product returns by customers is by providing customers with accurate information. Because such timely updates on product description guarantee customer satisfaction.
Final Thoughts
We hope that the ideas given above for creating an eco-friendlier business have helped you! It helps to look at all your business processes through the lens of sustainability and how you can reduce your carbon footprint. It doesn’t matter where you start, a small change from your end can make a world of a difference!
