How stickers spread a simple message around the world

![You are beautiful stickers](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/d82a465dded95af5ebcdbba49df83983a6b79a73)

Many people believe that they don’t know how to make a difference in this world, but in reality, everyone contributes to making the world a better place in their own unique way. 

The thing is, when we think about making a difference, we immediately think about doing something big, but the truth is that even a small contribution to someone's life can change their entire day or even month – even something as simple as paying them a compliment. 

## Making a difference with sticker art

Matthew Hoffman started the [You Are Beautiful](https://you-are-beautiful.com/) sticker project in 2002; he had no idea just how far his message would spread. The project was run out of a two-car garage until 2018.

In the beginning, he created a batch of just 100 stickers with a simple message: you are beautiful. 

This simple statement was intended as a small but positive affirmation for whoever might happen to spot one of Hoffman’s stickers; just a daily reminder that you are beautiful.

![You Are Beautiful stickers](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/68ea0db36ffae4b01fc395d0c817adb857565eca)

Without a doubt, this is a message that struck a lot of people and touched some hearts. Now, fifteen years later, the estimation is that they may have sold close to five million stickers. It goes to show just how much people really care.

Sticker art is an incredible way to say something to the world. They are small, they stick to things, you can hand them out and they never go out of style!

## How the You Are Beautiful sticker art project started

Where did it all start? How was the You Are Beautiful sticker project born? Well, when Matthew Hoffman moved to Chicago, it was his first time in the big city. Surrounded by a lot of visual noise and a lot of audible noise, the city excited him. There were so many different types of people and cultures, all in one place!  
Naturally, anyone new to the busy city life will also feel instantly overwhelmed. You could feel lost in the chaos. Matthew wanted to make something that was quiet and comforting. This project would be something that makes anyone part of the conversation. 

The You Are Beautiful sticker project was one of the very first viral messages, spreading out in the real world rather than online. These stickers instantly spread a simple message around the world. The project brought meaning to a lot of people's lives. 

Sticker art is real, it is a tangible product that won't go anywhere. So, when purchasing these stickers, you know that you are making a real difference; anyone can come across this message in their daily life. Hoffman tried to make stickers that blended with the environment, with bold and colorful letters so that the message could stand out. 

These days, most of us lead a busy lifestyle. We are all part of the rat race, without any of us slowing down. We are so used to chasing things, we forget to see the beauty in life. The purpose of the You Are Beautiful sticker project is to remind us to slow down sometimes and see the beauty in all of us.

![You Are Beautiful stickers](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/7d1e5c97df19c8decc5bb1c17db0f718bdf41faf)

## How the You Are Beautiful sticker art project changed over the years

Remember, this is a project that started before social media even existed. In those days, people were used to getting mail and using their PO Boxes. People would send Matthew photos with their You Are Beautiful stickers, and even letters; they’d use them to map out where each sticker was in the world.

These days, especially with Instagram and sticker hashtags, there are billions of photos. The world essentially got so much smaller when social media became a thing. 

As the project's success grew, they were soon shipping You Are Beautiful stickers around the globe, in one hundred languages. 

![You Are Beautiful stickers](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/7f7ab5096aae3ed6d47b91bd198039dfb2862b5b)

## The peoples' voice

‘The project has actively combatted negativity by distributing millions of You Are Beautiful stickers’ says Hoffman. 

‘Through the years, it has grown into various large-scale, wood installations and murals, as well as collaborations with many designers, students, and artists, worldwide. There have been a lot of people creating their own art from the project and putting their own spin on the movement.

One that stood out in particular: someone drew the words in sand with their footprints. They stayed in the photo for scale, and so you could see it was massive. 

It's just amazing to see what people do with absolutely no materials or budget. All it takes is just a little bit of time, which is great.’

## Get your own You Are Beautiful Stickers

The You Are Beautiful project is still ongoing. You can, as always,
[request free stickers](https://you-are-beautiful.com/pages/faq-free-stickers), or place an order for a larger number if you want to blanket your neighborhood with a simple, sweet and positive message.

This is a message that should be spread to loved ones and strangers alike. With a message like this, there should be no political or religious motive, just a positive affirmation of the fact that all of us are beautiful in our own way.

![You Are Beautiful stickers](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/c54bb4aa4d243d839e0449d3ee709b3e1d76a7a7)

## Start your own sticker art project

Interested in starting your own sticker project to make a difference in this world? You can easily create custom stickers online to let your artwork speak for itself. You, too, have the opportunity to spread a message using sticker art, and create something meaningful in this world.

Inspired to create your own sticker art, yet? Get $10 off your first Sticker Mule order when you sign up by clicking the button below.

<ButtonCta text="Get $10 credit" href="https://www.stickermule.com/unlock?ref_id=7980330701&ref=blog" />

When Matthew Hoffman started the You Are Beautiful project in 2002, he had no idea just how far his message would spread.

Sticker Mule for Teams 

We launched a new feature that makes it faster and easier to order custom products for any organization, large and small. Introducing [Sticker Mule for Teams](https://www.stickermule.com/teams).

<YouTubeVideo videoId="videoseries?list=PLoD6hr_Kcilvgxt3fQtdvYbHbS3VLsr2R&rel=0" />

Now, anyone can [create a team](https://www.stickermule.com/teams/create) and collaborate on orders, share and reuse artwork files, and ship to any team member. Ordering from your shared artwork catalog ensures you’ll never have to track down files and your orders will ship quickly without waiting to approve proofs - all while keeping your brand consistent and on point.

It only takes a few seconds to set up your team and start collaborating. You can invite unlimited members, and large teams can create multiple teams within their organization to support their structure.

Once your team is on board, members can share previously ordered items with the team account so that anyone can order them or use the designs for other products. Or, order a new design on the team account and it will be available for you or your team to reorder in the future. Ship to shared team addresses or add a new one, ensuring your products ship to the right place quickly.

Check out [Sticker Mule for Teams](https://www.stickermule.com/teams) and let us know what you think.


<ButtonCta text="Sticker Mule for Teams" href="https://www.stickermule.com/teams?ref=blog" />

We launched a new feature that makes it faster and easier to order custom products for any organization. Introducing Sticker Mule for Teams. 

How to design stickers (video tutorial) 

Designer, Hayden Aube, shows off his favorite techniques for creating a [custom sticker](https://www.stickermule.com/custom-stickers) in Adobe Illustrator.

<YouTubeVideo videoId="0Gh69t8mg8I?rel=0" />

You can also try [Studio](https://www.stickermule.com/studio) – our free online design tool. Choose from over 1000+ templates and quickly create your own design in minutes.

## Transcript:

Hello, my name is Hayden Aube, and I'm a graphic designer and illustrator. And today, I'm going to show you how to create your very own sticker inside of Adobe Illustrator and get it printed with Sticker Mule. In the end, you'll see what it looks like when it's printed and shipped. Let's jump in.

So we're going to be creating a sticker for an imaginary company called Journey Pizza. I'm going to start off by making a series of circles using the Ellipse Tool. So there's the first, and then I'm just going to duplicate a second one and put it behind the first. And then I'm going to make a third one behind that one. Next, I'm going to grab the red and yellow circles and use the Divide Tool in the Pathfinder window. This will split those two shapes into what you see here.

Now I'm going to create another circle a bit smaller than the last, and this is going to be the path that I type my text on. So I'm going to use the
Type on a Path Tool. And as I've mentioned, the company is called Journey Pizza. So I'm going to type that out, and then I'm going to use the Selection Tool to drag it exactly where I want it on the path. Then I'm going to shrink it down a little bit and make it white. And now that I have the text looking how I want it, I'm going to create outlines from it so it's easier for printing.

Next up, I'm going to use the Live Shape options with this Ellipse to drag out these widgets into the exact kind of pie shape that I would like.

Now I want to put a circle on either side of the larger circles. And I'm going to do that just by creating one where I like it right here and then using the Mirror Tool to reflect it to the exact other side.

The plan is to have a flagpole coming out of this inner circle, and so I'm going to start off by using the Pen Tool to create the pole of that flag. Once I've created the path that I like, I'm going to apply a stroke to it and then use the Stroke options to put it to the width that I'd like.

Because I'd like this pole to look like it's coming out of the circle, I'm going to use the Path Width Tool to make the top of the path larger and the bottom of it smaller. This will give it a sense of depth. And I'm just going to quickly change the position of it. And now I'm just going to duplicate one of these circles to create a little ball on top of the pole.

And now that this pole is looking how I'd like, I'm going to go to Object, Path, Outline Stroke. And this is going to turn it into a shape, which is going to make it easier to apply gradients to later on.

So now what I want to do is I want to create a flag shape that looks like a piece of pizza. So I'm going to draw it out with the Pen Tool, and then I'm going to go to Effect, Warp, and then Wave. And from here, I'm just going to play with these options until I get the nice curvy flag shape that I'm looking for.

Now, I'm going to move it behind the pole, and I'm just going to continue to move it around and adjust it until it looks exactly like I'd like. So I'll nudge it over a bit, I'll move the flag itself up, I'm going to change it to white. And now I'm just going to take these individual points and move them around. Because this is still a live shape, I can do this and the effect will adjust accordingly.

Once it's all looking how I like, I can go to Object, Expand Appearance. This will convert that live shape into actual paths, which once again is really helpful when it comes to printing.

Now as I said, I want this flag to look like a piece of pizza, so I'm going to create a bunch of little pepperonis. So I've created this symbol here, and I'm going to use the Symbol Sprayer Tool just to place them in different locations.

Now I'm going to use the Symbol Sizer Tool just to create variation among these pepperoni slices. So I'll make some smaller, some larger, and others I'll just keep the same. Next, just to change some of the position of these pepperonis, I'm going to use the Symbol Shifter just to nudge them in different directions.

And then lastly, I'm going to use the Symbol Spinner tool, and that's just going to let me to rotate these shapes so that they match the wave of the flag.

The last thing I want to do with this flag is just crop a little piece of that pole. And to do it, I'm going to create another circle shape, and then I'm just going to change it with the Direct Selection Tool to create a shape that I can now subtract from that pole. And then I'm going to just put that ball back on top, and there we have it.

Now, with all of the shapes made, now I wanted to apply some gradients to really refine this design.

So what I'm going to do is I'm going to create a gradient for this background red circle that goes from a red to an orange. So I'm going to set up the two different stops on the gradient window, and then I'm going to use a Gradient Tool to put it in the direction that I want-- so red on the bottom, orange on the top. Now for the yellow ring, I want to go from an orange to a yellow. So once again, in the Gradient window, I'm going to set up the gradient just as I'd like so that yellow to that light orange.

And then again, I'm going to use the Gradient Tool just to put it in the direction that I'd like. And then I can just reposition it here so it looks just how I'd like it. Next up, I'm going to do these two little balls, and I'm just going to eyedropper the background color and then apply the gradient in the direction to both of them at the same time. Now for the pole, I'll be using a dark blue and a lighter blue.

So I'm going to be creating it just as I normally have been. Oops, wrong color. There we go. And then again, I'm going to put it in the direction that I want with the Gradient Tool. For the ball on top of the pole, I'm going to eyedropper the pole's gradient, but I'm going to turn it into a radial gradient and then just switch the colors. This way, I can make it really look like it's a sphere. And I'm just going to make a quick adjustment to the pole.

And now I'm going to do this wedge shape here. So I'm going to copy that radial gradient, and now I'm just going to reposition it so it lines up exactly with that wedge. From here, I can continue to adjust the gradient itself to get it to line up just how I'd like it.

To add one final layer of depth, I'm going to create some drop shadows. So to do this, I'm going to create a shape that's a combination of both the flag and the pole-- so it looks just like this. And now I'm going to position it a bit lower than the flag and then put it behind. There we go.

Now from here, I want to crop it so it's only inside of that red circle. And to do that, I'm going to duplicate that circle, put it on top, and then I'm going to use Intersect in the Pathfinder window.

Now this new shape is where we're going to create our gradient for the drop shadow. So I'm going to put it back behind the flag, and now I'm going to create that gradient that is just this dark red on either ends of the gradient. But one of them is going to be a 100% opacity, while the other is zero. And then just as we have done with the other gradients, I'm going to drag it out with the Gradient Tool just to get it to look exactly how I'd like. Now I do think this is a bit strong, so now I'm actually going to go and reduce the opacity to about 25%. That looks good.

I'm just going to go back into it quickly and adjust that gradient to make it come down a bit more. Perfect.

Finally, I want to add a drop shadow inside this red circle so it looks like that yellow rim is coming forward. So I'm going to subtract one of those circles from another, just to get this thin shape here, like you can see. And then I'm just going to eyedropper that drop shadow I created before and drag it out how I'd like. Other way. There we go.

So now that we've designed our sticker, it's time to get it printed. And to do that, we're going to be using Sticker Mule's [custom samples](https://www.stickermule.com/products/sticker-samples) package. And that means we get 10 stickers for $9.00 and free shipping.

Once on the Sticker Mule website, we're going to go to Get Samples. Now on the sample page, you can choose from all sorts of different Sticker Mule products, including just a sample pack of a variety. But we're going to be using the custom sticker samples right here.

So from this page, we're just going to click on Order 10 stickers for $9.00. And then here, we're going to upload our artwork. If you have any specific instructions, you could put those in here. Otherwise, click Continue.

Now we just need to check out. And just as with any check out process, you'll need to enter your name, your email, as well as your credit card, and shipping information. Then press Place Your Order. And now we just need to wait for our proof.

So now that my proof has arrived, all I need to do is click here. And then at this point, you can see that they've added a nice white border to the design, and if there is any changes I want, I can just type those in here. But I think it looks good, so I'm just going to go and cancel, approve, and finally start production. And now my stickers are being made.

So let's see how they turned out. So I'll just open up the package, and let's see what's inside. There's the stickers, there's some Sticker Mule stickers as well. As well as a little card that tells me who printed it, which is kind of neat. But let's dig into this stack of 10 here and see how they look.

And, yeah, I can say that they're looking pretty good, looking like the design, which is really great. I'm particularly happy with how that white border looks too. And there you have it. There's the stickers after they've been printed.

So I hope that through this video, you've learned not just how to make a sticker that looks good on screen but looks just as good when you get it printed. Take care.



<ButtonCta text="Get sticker samples for $9" href="https://www.stickermule.com/samples?ref=blog" />

Designer, Hayden Aube, shows you how to design a custom sticker in Adobe Illustrator. Check out Hayden's favorite techniques in this video tutorial. 

Branded packing tape vs. regular packing tape 

<YouTubeVideo videoId="JGy4jwR-oqo?rel=0&showinfo=0" />

Custom packing tape is the best kept secret of the Internet’s smartest retailers. It gets your brand exposure while your shipments are in transit, improves deliverability by making your packages more noticeable when delivered and reinforces your brand so customers are more likely to reorder. This is why retailers that switch to using custom tape rarely change back.

Yet many businesses are still relying on clear unbranded tape.  Before we convince you to start using them, let’s take a closer look at custom shipping tapes. 

## What is a custom packing tape? 

Packing or mailing tape is an essential part of your [product packaging](https://www.stickermule.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-packaging-design). Custom printed packing tapes are also called logo tapes (because you can print your logo on the tape for branding purposes), personalized mailing tapes, and custom package tapes. 

You may think that customers just rip them out but your printed packing tape serves more than one purpose. Visually, the difference between a box using branded packing tape and and a box using unbranded tape is obvious. And you might expect to pay a hefty premium for switching to custom tape. But the cost difference is less than you’d expect.

## Why you should use custom packaging tape? 

Aside from the reasons mentioned above, we have prepared more reasons to convince you to use custom printed tapes.

### Cost per roll of packing tape is not that expensive

You can get a 300 foot roll of [custom packing tape](https://www.stickermule.com/products/packaging-tape) from Sticker Mule for $29.

While a roll of [standard clear packing tape](https://www.amazon.com/Scotch-Shipping-Packaging-Dispenser-142-6/dp/B000J07BRQ/) only costs around $2.25.

That’s a big difference. However, at 300 feet, a roll of Sticker Mule custom packing tape is 4.5 times longer than a standard 800 inch roll of clear packing tape.

That puts the price per foot at:

- Custom packing tape = $0.10
- Standard packing tape = $0.03

### Custom tapes save you from a lot of trouble when packing

When using custom packing tape from Sticker Mule, 1 pass of tape is all you need to securely seal your box. Our tape is water-activated which allows it to quickly create a strong bond to your package once applied.

When using standard clear packing tape, 2 or 3 passes are usually necessary to seal your box. And even with multiple strips of standard packing tape, [boxes are still more susceptible to theft.](https://www.stickermule.com/support/how-is-your-packaging-tape-different-from-other-tape)

For a box that is 12 inches long, you’d want to include an extra 3 inches on each side for both the top and bottom with each strip of tape. That puts the length of tape needed for a 12-inch box at roughly:

- Custom packing tape - 36 inches
- Standard packing tape - 108 inches

If we take our cost per foot numbers from above, we can calculate the cost of tape per package at:

- Custom packing tape = $0.30
- Standard packing tape = $0.27

This means __it only costs $0.03 extra per box__ to create branded packaging.

But there is still one more important factor to consider…

### Branded packing tapes cut down your packing time

Since Sticker Mule’s custom packaging tape is water activated, we include a sponge with every order. If you’re only shipping a few boxes at a time, there won’t be a noticeable difference in the time it takes to seal a box with either type of packaging tape.

But if you’re shipping larger quantities, [a water activated tape dispenser](https://www.stickermule.com/support/what-tape-machine-or-dispenser-do-you-recommend) can cut the time it takes to seal your boxes in half. This does require an upfront investment of around $400 - $1,300, but it quickly pays for itself the more you ship.

And when you are shipping larger quantities, you can order custom packaging tape from Sticker Mule for as little as $19.50 per roll when buying in bulk.

In fact, most companies shipping 100 or more packages per day could actually save money by using Sticker Mule’s custom packaging tape, compared to clear packing tape.

## Where to get branded packing tape?

Are you ready to grow your business with custom printed tapes? If you want to improve your brand exposure and your package deliverability, while saving time and money, try custom packing tape for your packaging.

Upload any image and we'll format it for you, or easily [design your own tape](https://www.stickermule.com/blog/how-to-design-packaging-tape).

![Custom packing tape applied to box](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/6a27e0973a183c8a09fcd68a0e314d02a3c5d5cf "Custom branded packing tape being applied to package")

See for yourself the difference custom packing tape can make for your business.

<ButtonCta text="Try custom tape for $4" size="large" variant="secondary"  align="center" href="https://www.stickermule.com/products/packaging-tape-sample?ref=blog" />

We compared the difference in cost and quality between custom packaging tape and regular unbranded packing tape. 

Branded packing tape vs. regular packing tape: Which should you choose?

A glimpse inside Sticker Mule 

<YouTubeVideo videoId="-mObM5qdtus?rel=0&showinfo=0" />

We created Sticker Mule to be the best place to work and shop. It was an opportunity to test our ideas about what makes an ideal customer and work experience. So far, we have not shared much about our inner workings, but since [we are hiring](https://www.stickermule.com/careers#current-openings-list) we think it’s good to provide a glimpse at what it’s like here.

In addition to our factories in the US & Italy, we work from 17 countries and rely on metrics to self manage. Our metrics focus allows us have a lot of fun by freeing us to not worry about the small stuff. BBQs, relaxed travel, good food and [Vinny’s wine](https://stickermule.wistia.com/medias/b0fc3ikmii) help make this a great place to work. 

Of course, the best fun tends to be spontaneous and, fortunately, our iPhones captured a few of these moments along the way. Our new video gives you a look at our people, culture and some amusing moments. Check it out and, if you’re interested in joining the fun, [apply to join us](https://www.stickermule.com/careers). 

Our team comes from diverse backgrounds and 17 countries, but we're all united by a shared set of values. 

Introducing Sticker Mule Europe 

![Sticker Mule Europe](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/af8e2a2538fa77071d35559241cab1509667c1d3)

Our European factory is open for business.  Along with it, we have many improvements for our European customers, including: 
 
__Faster turnaround__
It's only 2 days transit time for most European countries. 
 
__Cost-effective shipping__
Shipping includes all brokerage and customs duties.
 
__VAT support__
Eligible businesses automatically have the VAT removed during checkout. 
 
__Local currencies__ 
Order using GBP or Euro depending on your preference. 
 
__Multi-lingual content__
We translated the majority of our content to 5 languages. 
 
__Local customer service__ 
We hired our first European customer service agents and began offering [multi-lingual support](https://www.stickermule.com/support/what-languages-do-you-support). 
 
During checkout, we automatically determine if your order will be manufactured in Europe and offer applicable shipping options. Your order must only include [products that we make in Europe](https://www.stickermule.com/support/what-products-do-you-produce-in-europe) to ship from Europe.

Our European factory is open for business!  Along with it, we have many improvements for our customers in Europe. 

Introducing packaging tape 

Sticker Mule’s [custom packaging tape](https://www.stickermule.com/products/packaging-tape) is made with strong, durable paper that is reinforced with fiberglass strands. Popular, high volume retailers use this type of tape to improve their productivity and quickly and securely ship hundreds or even thousands of packages a day.

We use a water-activated adhesive, which allows our tape to quickly create a strong bond to your package once applied. A single strip creates a strong bond once applied to your box, helping you keep your package secure. It’s the best way to brand your boxes while improving productivity. 

<WistiaVideo videoId="r8k888ds0d" />

For just a few pennies a box, our [full color printed gummed packaging tape](https://www.stickermule.com/products/packaging-tape) helps you brand your boxes in a single pass. If you care about presentation and a branded shipping experience, Sticker Mule’s packaging tape is what you should be using.

Our packaging tape is sold in rolls. Each roll is 300 feet long x 3 inches wide  or 91m x 7,14cm.

We include a free sponge with every order to help you get started using your packaging tape. If you only ship a handful of packages per day a sponge is an effective, inexpensive way to apply your tape. 

[![Custom Branded Tape](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/61514a63a751d4314fd0c9d783d7ef7eb214d1c8)](https://www.stickermule.com/products/packaging-tape)

As your shipments grow or if you already ship at a high volume, you may want a faster option. Packaging tape dispensers make the process easy and extremely fast. [We reviewed four different packaging tape dispensers](https://www.stickermule.com/support/what-tape-machine-or-dispenser-do-you-recommend) to help you decide what type is best for you.

As with all of our orders, you’ll receive a proof in 4 hours and our [custom packaging tape](https://www.stickermule.com/products/packaging-tape) ships in 4 days or less and includes free 2-day shipping in the U.S. 

[Learn more about custom tape](https://www.stickermule.com/support/packaging-tape) or order a sample of custom tape today.

<ButtonCta text="Try packaging tape for $4" href="https://www.stickermule.com/products/packaging-tape-sample?ref=blog" />

Brand your shipments like top-notch retailers with custom packaging tape by Sticker Mule. Free shipping. Fast turnaround. 

What your customers want from their shopping experience 

Your customers are your business. Without them, even the most fantastic, life-changing product will get no sales.
 
And if you aren’t delivering what people want, you’re basically going out of business… be it quickly or slowly.
 
That’s why smart owners spend a lot of time pondering, testing, and asking what their customers want.
 
So what do *your* customers want? And how are you going to give it to them?
 
There’s a bunch of ways to answer this. One way is to focus on giving them the product they want. 
 
The other part is about their experience of getting (and using) that product. It’s the product discovery, the ordering, the shipping, and all the customer service interactions in between. It’s the second part – the customer experience part - that I’m going to focus on here.

## The customer experience

As many of you know, this “customer experience” aspect of your product is becoming more and more important. To some shoppers, it’s basically part of the product. Their customer experience part will determine whether they ever order again.
 
Recent [research from Marketing Sherpa](https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/chart/purchase-experience-customer-satisfaction) makes this clear:

![1- Marketing Sherpa Customer Experience](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/c219a4971d9d0e83242f16588216a54dd6e30bb7)

So how can you give your customers want they want in terms of customer experience? Well, there’s been some research done on that. We’ve rounded it up for you, and listed it here in order of importance. If you can apply even a few of these ten suggestions, you should see higher conversion rates, larger order sizes, and better customer loyalty.

## 1. Offer free shipping
 
What’s the most powerful word in the English language? Depending on who you ask, it could be “you” or “because”… or “free”. “Free” is especially powerful for ecommerce for obvious reasons. The trouble is where to use it.
 
Ends up, using it with shipping is crazy effective. That’s because almost all of us hate to pay for shipping. In a survey of over 2,000 U.S. consumers, “provide free shipping” came in at the top of the list for ways retailers can improve the customer experience. It beat out the runner-up by 21%.

![2 - Mrketing Sherpa research of shopping experience](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/81459baeee8ce6e9205610187f513fc09f55cc40)

So offering free shipping could get more sales. But… there’s a reason retailers charge for shipping. It’s expensive (duh). You can’t just eat that cost.
 
You could:
 
* Add the average cost of shipping to every item.
* Figure out a minimum order size that you’re willing to cover the shipping for.
 
Most retailers opt for the second choice. That’s probably the best one for you, too. 91% of [online shoppers say they’re willing to spend more just to qualify for a free shipping offer](http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/infographic-what-consumers-want-most-online-shopping-experience-174564).

## 2. Include customer reviews
 
Everyone hates purchase mistakes. You know – when you buy something you end up not liking very much. It’s called “buyer’s remorse” if you’re on the marketing side. If you’re on the customer side, it’s just a bummer.
 
One of the most trusted ways for customers to know they’re ordering something good is for them to read reviews. They may not even read all the reviews – just seeing that an item has over a dozen five-star reviews is usually enough to build trust.
 
The power of reviews has even been quantified. According to [research from Bazaar Voice](http://media2.bazaarvoice.com/documents/Bazaarvoice_Conversation_Index_Volume8.pdf), just one review is enough to increase sales by 10%. And the more, the merrier.

![3- More Reviews Means More Orders](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/a675d9797e1199ec90727846d9db1b90c8af25aa)
 
No wonder sites like Etsy make it so easy to leave a review… and keep asking shoppers to leave a review… and make each seller’s reviews so prominent on product pages.

![4- Etsy Reviews on product page](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/1e03f7ad8d4b5eacac91cc8ee32d21ee77d9873e)

## 3. Give them packaging that’s easy to open
 
It’s not just you. And it’s not because you’re getting old. Some packaging is just difficult to open. It's getting so bad that [77% of consumers reported to have been injured](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrap_rage) by product packaging in their lifetimes. They also said that difficult packaging is the most irritating and annoying thing about ecommerce packaging.

![5- Packaging frustration research](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/9e3214573546b5847064f19600a081e64c979db8)

## 4. Make sure your site loads fast
 
People like to get their orders shipped to them fast. They like placing their orders fast, too. In fact, they just generally like fast when it comes to being online.
 
So what’s “fast”? A page that loads in two seconds or less. Any more than that, and you’ll start losing customers and orders. The slower your site gets, the higher the page abandonment rate for your site will go, as this [data from Kissmetrics](https://neilpatel.com/blog/loading-time/) shows:
 
![6 - Page Load Time Chart from Kissmetrics](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/3ca42d62dd1dbca80759e2c3d74f0006d40af5d8)

Site speed can have huge effects on your earnings. [Just 4 seconds of pageload time](https://www.portent.com/blog/analytics/research-site-speed-hurting-everyones-revenue.htm#:~:text=The%20first%205%20seconds%20of,(between%20seconds%200%2D5)) can impact your revenue by 3X. That means if your pageload time is over 4 seconds, you could be losing out on a lot of revenue!
 
All you folks on ecommerce platform sites like Etsy and eBay and Amazon don’t have to worry about this, of course. It’s one of the best benefits of sticking with a platform.
 
## 5. Don’t hide your shipping costs or any other unexpected fees

Trust is a really big deal online. It can make or break an order. Adding a surprise shipping fee (even if it’s a legitimate shipping fee) damages any trust you might have built up. It raises a red flag with your buyer.

![7 - Chart of cart abandonment reasons](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/cf1b0f98524b8564e63471e0fa894a5d5ba13d08)

Here’s an example of an unexpected shipping fee. It’s a $9 extra charge for insurance, and it was enough to make me decide to buy from a different site.

![8 - Image of Surprise Fees at checkout](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/3913f0bc22eeb7854fb57a375da960eb988591ce)

## 6. Don’t force them to register when they check out
 
Let’s be honest: Online ordering can be a bit of a pain. There’s all these options (shipping, fast shipping, gift wrap, gift message?). And then all those form fields (Name, address, zip code, email… email again).
 
You finally get through the whole exercise… and then the retailer wants you to register, too?
 
Grrr!
 
I know I’m not alone on this. And here’s proof: The second [most common reason people bail on their shopping carts is because they’ve been forced to register](http://baymard.com/lists/cart-abandonment-rate).

![9 - Chart of cart abandonment reasons](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/55c3215a00c59237fd2471aa9766a210b886e9d6)

So be nice. Don’t make people register. Let them check out as a guest.
 
## 7. Give them custom packaging
 
We’ve written about how much packaging influences a [customer’s experience](https://www.stickermule.com/blog/how-to-make-memorable-shipping-experience "shipping experience for customer packages"). But it can increase their loyalty to your online shop, too.
 
30% of the consumers in a recent survey said they are more likely to order again if their package came in a custom-printed box. Big spenders are particularly influenced by this: The more someone spends on online shopping per month, the more likely they are to be influenced by the box.

![10 - Custom Packaging Increases Loyalty](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/ad00e2a4deb47fcd4e39a40ad0feb76e540a819b)

## 8. Let them get their orders shipped fast
 
Want proof of how impatient we’ve all become? Here: [90%](http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/infographic-what-consumers-want-most-online-shopping-experience-174564) of consumers will choose a delivery option that ensures their order arrives within seven days. Even if they have to pay for the upgrade.
 
Amazon’s Prime shipping has spoiled most of us. (Sticker Mule offers free 2-day shipping on orders in the U.S.)

## 9. Put their needs ahead of your own business goals
 
We mentioned trust earlier, and how it can make or break a sale (and over time, your business). This is another perspective on that. It highlights how critical it is to do more than just say you care about your customers. You have to demonstrate it.

![11 - Marketing Sherpa: Put Customers Needs First](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/f56016a6418aa42b6e02705ffc2c47b132b717ce)

There’s no one tactic that will cover you on this one. You’ll need to prove it at every step through the purchasing process and beyond.
 
## 10. Help them make the best decision (for them, not you)
 
This is similar to the last point, but it shows how customers expect help with their buying decisions. And not just any help. Useful help. Unbiased help. Help that puts their needs first.

![12 - Marketing Sherpa: Help Customer Make Decisions](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/026df2f4ab8614893aca789a579dc062d46beaf7)

If you’ve heard of content marketing (attracting an audience through useful content), you may have heard that for it to work, the content has to avoid selling. If the publisher (aka, the company) is too focused on their products, or too salesy in their approach, their content marketing fails. These last two points back that belief up well.

Same thing applies to shopping ads on Google. [KlientBoost](http://klientboost.com/) has come up with something called [The Gold Pan Technique](https://klientboost.com/ppc/gold-pan-technique/) that helps you narrow in on the products your potential customers are actually searching for.
 
So how can you help people make a decision? All the usual things. Lots of pictures, videos even. Good product descriptions with technical details. Reviews and other types of user generated content. And good customer support. But it all has to be in support of the customer – not your own sales goals.

## Conclusion
 
There’s a new buzzword in marketing that sums up everything we’ve been talking about: customer-first marketing. It is exactly what it sounds like – putting the customer’s needs above your own, at every stage of the customer lifecycle. In every decision you make.
 
Many of the most successful companies in the world have already embraced this idea. If you aren’t able (or willing) to make any of the changes mentioned here, consider just that one question: What more could you be doing to put the customer first?

There are countless ways to delight your customers using stickers and other custom printed products. Check out more ways Sticker Mule can help your business grow.

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We have to deliver what customers want. It’s the whole point of being in business. That's why figuring out what your customers want is so critical. 

Introducing die cut roll labels

We are pleased to announce [custom die cut labels](https://www.stickermule.com/products/die-cut-roll-labels) at Sticker Mule. 

Die cut roll labels can be cut into any shape or size. [Die cut stickers](https://www.stickermule.com/products/die-cut-stickers) have long been our most popular product so we’re excited to offer this option to customers who want their die cut designs on a roll.

When we first [introduced circle roll labels](https://www.stickermule.com/blog/introducing-circle-roll-labels) a year ago, we said our roll label quality exceeds anything on the market. That still holds true and we continue to use the latest generation of print technology that's currently unique to Sticker Mule. We only use the highest quality materials for our roll labels to make them durable and waterproof.

[![Die cut labels on bottles](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/3b32a1ddbeee8a3a9fbf6d0b1235778375162c34)](https://www.stickermule.com/products/die-cut-roll-labels)

In addition to custom shapes, in January [we announced custom sizes](https://www.stickermule.com/blog/introducing-custom-size-roll-labels). Customers can enter an exact size allowing them to order the precise dimensions needed to label their products, packaging and more. 

With [die cut labels](https://www.stickermule.com/products/die-cut-roll-labels), we now offer a total of 6 roll label types. Our labels are printed in full color with a matte finish on [BOPP material](https://www.stickermule.com/blog/what-is-bopp). Each label has a laminate that protects it from moisture making them ideal for beverage and food applications.

[![Custom shaped labels](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/159ab087cb30648c875c3a27a02c9eccba901469)](https://www.stickermule.com/products/die-cut-roll-labels)

As with all Sticker Mule custom products, we offer unlimited changes to proofs, fast production and free shipping in 4 days or less for die cut roll labels. 

<ButtonCta text="Try die cut labels" href="https://www.stickermule.com/products/die-cut-roll-labels?ref=blog" />

You can now order custom die cut roll labels from Sticker Mule in any shape or size. Fast turnaround. Free shipping. 

10 ways to save on shipping costs 

Did you notice what happened in January? USPS and FedEx raised their costs. So did CanadaPost. 

These weren’t massive price hikes – only about 3-5%. But it may have been enough to cause you to furrow your brow when you tallied up the month’s expenses.

Shipping costs are unavoidable, of course. But there’s every reason to keep them down. So here are 10 ways to save on shipping costs for your online shop, Shopify store, or your brick-and-mortar business.

Apply even a couple of these, and you’ll more than make up for the price increase from January. You might even trim your costs by 20% or more.

## 1. Join a professional organization that offers shipping discounts
There’s safety – and power – in numbers. It’s true in life, and ends up being true in shipping, too.

There are a bunch of professional associations that offer shipping discounts to their members. Here are just a few:

* [The Specialty Food Association](https://www.specialtyfood.com/specialty-food-association/membership/member-services-benefits/shipping-supplies-savings-programs/) gives its members
 * Up to 29%† on select FedEx Express®
 * Up to 20% on select FedEx Ground®
 * Up to 10% on select FedEx Home Delivery®

It costs $300 and up to join.

* [The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors](https://www.naw.org/busservices/shipping.php) offers
 * Up to 36% on UPS Air letters including UPS Next Day Air®†
 * Up to 32% on UPS Air packages (1 lb.+)†
 * Up to 34% on UPS International imports and exports
 * Up to 24% on UPS Ground shipments

† Many local Chambers of Commerce also offering shipping discounts.

## 2. Get a good scale
If you’ve been guessing about the weights of your packages, please stop. And if you’ve been trying to make do with a bathroom scale for the larger packages, it’s time to upgrade. You need to get a precise weight for every package, or you could be overspending.

Which scale you get should depend on what you’re shipping. If your orders tend to be really light (like less than 4 lbs) a regular light-duty postal scale might be fine. But most scales like that will become useless for packages over 4 lbs.

Look at it this way: A good-quality scale for packages of 4 lbs or less will cost you maybe $30. If it saves you even 50 cents a day, it’ll have paid for itself in two months.

## 3. Save time, too – get your packages picked up
Unless you’re a post office nerd, you probably don’t relish running to the post office every day to drop your packages off. So don’t: The US Postal service will pick up First-Class, Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, International, or Return Service packages for you. It can kind of be a lifesaver.

[Schedule your USPS package pickups here](https://tools.usps.com/schedule-pickup-steps.htm).

If the pickup area is secure, you don’t even have to be there when the packages get picked up. Just tell USPS where to find the packages when you fill out that form.

Voilà: One less thing to do.

## 4. Print your labels online
Have you been buying your shipping labels at the post office counter, or at one of those self-self kiosks? If so, you’re overspending. It’s cheaper to buy those online, and then just print the labels at home. You’ll save up to 22% on First-Class packages and up to 54% on Priority Mail Express.

## 5. Consider the weight of your shipping materials
Know why so many companies use peanuts to fill boxes? Because they’re really light. Same goes for those air pillows you’ve probably seen in some packages.

But what if you can’t afford those air pillows, or you don’t have a spare closet empty to store shipping peanuts in?

Just scrunch it. Some paper, I mean. Scrunch up newspaper, or any light paper. It’ll fill the packages nicely, is super light, and doesn’t cost so much. It’s a great way to keep kids busy, too (though you may need some fun paper to keep them interested).

Almost any paper will do. Ideally, you want it to be just strong enough to hold its shape, but light enough not to nudge your scale.

Word to the wise: Don’t try to shave grams off your shipping weight by using flimsy shipping boxes. Exterior boxes need to be sturdy enough to make it through an occasionally rough journey through the post office.

One way to conserve costs? The [poly mailer](https://www.stickermule.com/products/poly-mailers). If you’re shipping items that aren’t likely to be damaged by a bump (like clothes), a simple poly mailer could shave a couple of ounces off each package. And you could dress it up (ahem) with some custom printing.

![Yukon Built Custom Poly Mailers for Online Shops](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/cf319a3005f8345277811eb9eb3ba3e06bf8067f)

## 6. Use boxes that fit the item
It may mean you have to buy a couple of different box sizes, but you’ll probably save money in the end anyway. And you won’t be one of those [companies that ships a tiny item in a huge box](https://twitter.com/USAbox/status/575329675754532864).

![Huge box with a tiny item](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/dfb97617391245c1b88be5fc471b2540073cd224)

## 7. Consider skipping shipping insurance
Any package shipped via priority mail is automatically insured for $50. So if your orders aren’t usually worth more than $50, you probably don’t need insurance at all.

For the packages that are worth more than $50, you may want to do some math. (No really – this is math you’ll want to do).

Let’s say your package is worth $100. If it gets lost, you’re out $50. The cost of insuring it for that extra $50 is $2.65.

Not bad, but if you bought insurance for 100 of these orders, it would cost you $265. If you skipped the insurance, you could lose up to five $100 orders and still break even. That’s because you’d be covered for the first $50 of those five $100 orders. And the remaining $50 for the five orders comes to $250.

But are you really going to lose five out of every 100 packages? One out of every 20 packages? Probably not. So maybe you could skip the insurance for $100 packages.

The math would change (of course) for more expensive packages. So maybe you’ll only want to insure packages that are worth $150 or more. It depends how much risk you want to take, how often packages go missing, and how valuable each package is.

## 8. Use a rewards card
We’re not sure if this is cheating, or just a creative way to cut your shipping costs. But there are plenty of “rewards card” credit cards that give cash back with every purchase.

Usually it’s only 1%. But some cards give much more (up to 6%) in certain categories. If you pick the right card and if you’ve got the credit rating to qualify for the card, you could finagle a way to get 6% back on your shipping costs.

Just don’t carry a balance, or the interest rates will rapidly eat up anything you’ve saved.

## 9. Use Stamps.com, Endicia or Etsy’s shipping option.
Some shipping services and sales platforms give generous discounts if you use their shipping features.

For instance, [Stamps.com](http://www.stamps.com/shipping/) gives its users:

* 26% off first-class package service
* Up to 53% off priority mail
* 10% off priority mail express.

Their site also says you can save up to 40% on package insurance “compared to USPS rates”.

Other sellers have gone with [Endicia](http://www.endicia.com/), which is more sophisticated than Stamps.com (and better designed to support larger operations). They also offer serious discounts.

And then there’s Etsy. According to some sources, Etsy’s “create a shipping label” will let you save almost half the cost of what the USPS would charge.

## 10. Shop and negotiate for prices
There’s a thread running through all the tricks we’ve mentioned here: It pays to shop around.

So here’s how to act on that: Open accounts with all the big shippers. Then plug in some numbers and check their prices for the package types and sizes you’re most likely to ship. Usually there are significant differences in price points across the different carriers.

The best choice depends on your business and your packages. And maybe, based on which other deals you can get through the tactics mentioned above. Who knows - maybe all your packages below 2 lbs should go by USPS, while most of the ones over 2 lbs should go UPS… and the international orders should go via FedEx.

Until you do some homework, you’ll never know.

## Extra credit 
Want to really surprise and delight your customers? See if you can ship their package for less than your checkout cart quoted, then refund them the balance. So if they paid $10 to ship their order, but you can get it to them for $7, refund the $3.

Then send an email notifying them of the refund.

Something like this will cost you a bit to set up. And it’ll take some time and skill to manage. But who would ever forget getting a refund for something like that?

Maybe this isn’t something you can do for every order. Maybe only your very best customers will get this kind of treatment, or you’ll only be able to do it for orders over a certain size. But this kind of white-glove treatment will not go unnoticed. It’s this kind of above-and-beyond care that makes customers stick around.

## Conclusion 
As you can see, there’s plenty of ways to cut shipping costs. But don’t get totally focused on the money. Service – for your customers and for you – matters, too. 

At Sticker Mule, we help you wow your customers with custom printed products. Why not try our [poly mailers](https://www.stickermule.com/products/poly-mailers) or [address labels](https://www.stickermule.com/uses/address-labels) today? Get $10 off your first order when you sign up by clicking the button below.

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Shipping costs are unavoidable, but that’s every reason to keep them low. Here are 10 ways save on shipping costs for your business. 

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