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Creating anÌýeco-friendly online store helps attract customers, even though being sustainable isÌýnot necessary… Yet. AsÌýcustomers become more eco-conscious, stress onÌýcompanies will continue toÌýbuild through regulations andÌýsocial pressure until incorporating sustainability into your business isÌýmandatory. Ecommerce will not andÌýshould not beÌýleft out.

InÌýthis article, weÌýexplain what sustainability isÌýandÌýwhy online stores need toÌýincorporate itÌýinto their business models. The eco-conscious trend isÌýlikely toÌýbecome theÌýnorm, soÌýitÌýisÌýbetter toÌýadjust toÌýitÌýearly.

What IsÌýSustainability?

Sustainability focuses onÌýcreating social andÌýeconomic systems that benefit all life, including those currently living andÌýfuture generations. Sustainable practices aim toÌýsupport ecological, human, andÌýeconomic vitality.

Here are some sustainability principles businesses should follow:

• Control andÌýreduce carbon dioxide emissions, water consumption, andÌýwaste production;
• Create reasonable working conditions forÌýemployees andÌýpay adequate wages onÌýtime;
• Strive toÌýcreate new jobs.

InÌýthis article, weÌýwill focus onÌýtheÌýfirst principle, theÌýone most focused onÌýenvironmental protection. Let’s find out how you can make your own online store environmentally friendly andÌýcompliant with sustainable practices.

Why Some Online Stores Aren’t Eco-Friendly

Shopping online isÌýfast andÌýconvenient. Unfortunately, this convenience often comes atÌýtheÌýexpense ofÌýtheÌýenvironment. For example, Amazon emits into theÌýatmosphere per year while transporting orders. That’s more emissions than from theÌýcountries ofÌýSweden orÌýNew Zealand! InÌýfact, more than half ofÌýtheÌýworld’s solid waste comes from packaging.

The main ways ecommerce affects theÌýenvironment are:

• Shipping andÌýreturn ofÌýproducts. Shipping leads toÌýaÌýhuge amount ofÌýcarbon dioxide emissions.
• Excessive packaging. When small items are delivered ¾±²ÔÌýhuge boxes, orÌýaÌýsingle order isÌýdelivered ¾±²ÔÌýmultiple packages, that leads toÌýunnecessary waste.

How toÌýMake Your Online Store More Eco-Friendly

The sustainability issue ¾±²ÔÌýecommerce isÌýclosely related toÌýbrand values. AÌýcompany’s commitment toÌýenvironmental preservation attracts loyal customers who share those values. The main challenge isÌýtoÌýcombine sustainability with profitability.

SoÌýhow can aÌýbusiness owner make online shopping ¾±²ÔÌýtheir store more sustainable, while making aÌýprofit? Here are aÌýfew ways toÌýstart:

Offer More Eco-Friendly Delivery Options

Some carriers are increasingly focused onÌýeco-friendly ways ofÌýtransportation. Examples are delivering via hybrid andÌýelectric cars, electric scooters, bicycles, andÌýdrones. IsÌýthere aÌýway forÌýyou toÌýprovide carbon-neutral delivery toÌýcustomers?

Give UpÌýPlastic Packaging Whenever Possible

For example, Zara has completely abandoned plastic ¾±²ÔÌýfavor ofÌýpaper. ItÌýhas also launched aÌýcosmetics collection ¾±²ÔÌýrecyclable andÌýbudget-friendly packaging made ofÌýrecycled cardboard. There’s even now packing material !

Use Refillable Packaging

Here’s how itÌýworks: aÌýcustomer buys aÌýproduct ¾±²ÔÌýrefillable packaging, say aÌýbottle orÌýaÌýjar. When they run out ofÌýtheÌýproduct, they buy aÌýrefill (usually atÌýaÌýdiscounted price) andÌýreplenish theÌýbottle orÌýjar with that refill. This reduces waste andÌýpromotes reusing goods, theÌýoften ignored sides ofÌýtheÌýsustainability triangle. Online stores like have implemented aÌýprogram that reuses packing andÌýultimately reduces waste.

Keep Returned Items

Products returned toÌýtheÌýseller are often sent toÌýaÌýlandfill. InÌýtheÌýbest-case scenario, returns are repackaged andÌýresold, atÌýleast atÌýaÌýdiscounted price. Companies like REI andÌýPatagonia have programs that not only resell returned items but take gently used items andÌýsell them. IfÌýthat doesn’t work forÌýyour company, you can also give returned products toÌýaÌýcharity, orÌýrecycle them.

Give UpÌýFree Returns

Online stores often offer free returns. Shoppers take advantage ofÌýthat andÌýorder more than they planned. IfÌýthere isÌýnoÌý“free returns” option, customers will beÌýmore thoughtful andÌýresponsible when shopping online.

Don’t Use Large Packaging forÌýSmall Products

Online stores often buy standard-sized boxes ¾±²ÔÌýbatches andÌýfill theÌýempty space with packing materials when shipping products. That increases theÌýamount ofÌýsolid waste. Even ifÌýyou are using sustainable materials, itÌýisÌýalways better toÌýuse less.

Write Detailed Product Descriptions

Detailed descriptions andÌýhigh-quality photos help businesses reduce theÌýnumber ofÌýreturns. The more accurate theÌýdescription, theÌýhigher theÌýchance that aÌýcustomer will beÌýsatisfied with their purchase.

More: How toÌýWrite Product Descriptions That Sell

Ship Orders ¾±²ÔÌýBundles

Eco-conscious shoppers might beÌýready toÌýwait forÌýtheir order aÌýbit longer ifÌýitÌýhelps toÌýreduce their carbon footprint. Instead ofÌýshipping orders separately, ship several orders ¾±²ÔÌýbundles.

Deliver Orders onÌýtheÌýFirst Try

Deliver orders when aÌýcustomer isÌýguaranteed toÌýbeÌýhome, orÌýarrange aÌýpickup option. You can also ask customers toÌýenter aÌý“backup” address ¾±²ÔÌýcase they are not atÌýhome when their package arrives (for example, anÌýaddress ofÌýtheir neighbor who’s always atÌýhome). This helps reduce theÌýcarbon output from having toÌýdrive toÌýtheÌýhouse over andÌýover again toÌýdeliver theÌýcustomer’s package.

Sell Eco-Friendly Products

Some examples are: recycled products, items made from natural andÌýrenewable materials (such asÌýnatural fibers, cork, clay, orÌýflowers), previously owned clothes, orÌýcosmetics made ofÌýnatural products. All ofÌýthese are popular with eco-conscious shoppers, andÌýwill reduce theÌýimpact ofÌýyour business onÌýtheÌýplanet.

More: 15Ìý±á´Ç³Ù Eco-Friendly Product Ideas toÌýSell Online

Avoid Greenwashing

isÌýwhen aÌýbusiness uses marketing toÌýdeceive customers into believing that aÌýbrand’s products andÌýpolicies are eco-friendly when they are not. Instead, beÌýtransparent andÌýshare your sustainability plans with your consumers.

Here’s anÌýexample ofÌýgreenwashing: ¾±²ÔÌýtheÌý1980s, theÌýoil company with theÌýmessage that itÌýwas committed toÌýleaving nature untouched. AtÌýtheÌýsame time, theÌýcompany was illegally dumping waste ¾±²ÔÌýwildlife habitats.

Let customers know how shopping ¾±²ÔÌýyour store affects theÌýenvironment. Consumers are more well-versed ¾±²ÔÌýeco-friendly practices than ever. IfÌýthey find out that your claims about “natural” andÌý“eco” products orÌýpractices aren’t true, they will choose theÌýmore eco-friendly option. And your reputation will beÌýdamaged.

ItÌýcan beÌýhard toÌýswitch toÌýbeing eco-friendly. But there’s noÌýdoubt that online businesses need toÌýbecome more sustainable. The changes won’t happen overnight, but implementing aÌýsustainability strategy should beÌýaÌýpriority. Consumers will ultimately beÌýimpressed that you have aÌýplan toÌýbecome environmentally friendly, even ifÌýyour business isn’t perfectly carbon-neutral.

Companies that become more sustainable are also more likely toÌýmake aÌýprofit. More andÌýmore shoppers care about theÌýenvironment, andÌýtheÌýtrend ofÌýchoosing eco-friendly online stores will only increase. Now, it’s time toÌýmake aÌýsustainability plan forÌýyour online store! OrÌýmaybe you already have one?

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