“Our goal is to help small and growing companies that sell consumer products make environmentally friendly choices for both the planet and their customers. This is especially important as the packaging industry is changing quickly. To make this happen, we needed to create an easy online shopping experience. CloudLab has assisted us in achieving this, while also giving us the necessary tools to make the process even simpler for customers who are searching for packaging products that can be composted.”
WildKind Packaging is a company with a mission to create flexible packaging solutions that are environmentally friendly and fully compostable, including zippers and degassing valves. They are dedicated to making custom-printed, sustainable packaging accessible to businesses across various industries. The company is a separate business unit and new build operating within QuantumDigital, Inc., with approximately 15 employees actively working on WildKind.
The company has experienced positive growth, generating around $20,000 per month with a permanent upward trend. WildKind has garnered significant interest from various consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies, such as coffee roasters, cannabis product manufacturers, baked goods producers, pet snack companies, and even apparel businesses.
WildKind‘s primary objective for its online store was to create an ecommerce checkout experience that allowed customers to easily upload or customize their packaging designs. They aimed to establish a modular setup for their products, enabling them to have better control over product variables and options for their Magento 2 implementation.
For WildKind, an eCommerce offering was considered a “must-have” solution. The traditional quote-to-order process in the packaging industry was not aligned with their core mission to make sustainable packaging more accessible. The e-commerce experience allowed them to simplify the buying process and cater to smaller or newer CPG businesses, aligning with their vision of promoting sustainable packaging within the packaging industry.
WildKind was specifically looking for an online partner that offered excellent customer service and technical support. As they were venturing into e-commerce with limited experience, they needed a partner that could provide the necessary technical capabilities and training to ensure a smooth onboarding process. Additionally, the company sought a solution with modular controls to adapt to market needs as they evolved. Stability was another essential factor.
The main obstacle was the speed and timeline for implementation, as the company had to weigh the trade-offs between different options. Ultimately, the adaptability and modularity offered by CloudLabs solution won them over. WildKind also identified that customer service requests were largely design-related, with designers often preferring to upload their designs instead of working with blank templates. Together with CloudLab they are working on improving the customers experience to make the buying experience even easier.
Based on their experience, WildKind recommends budgeting more time for setting up the store than initially anticipated. They advise companies to allocate at least double the projected time to ensure a smoother implementation. Simplifying the customer experience is crucial, and companies should aim to reduce unnecessary steps and decisions for their customers. Selecting a platform with a strong developer community and detailed documentation can also be beneficial.
To establish an eCommerce platform successfully, companies need a strong technical lead who is proficient with the chosen platform, a capable project manager to oversee the implementation process (which CloudLabs provided for WildKind), and a product lead to ensure a streamlined and user-friendly experience for customers.
WildKind‘s online store took approximately 7 months from conception to launch.
This case study highlights how WildKind Packaging, a company dedicated to creating sustainable and compostable packaging, utilized an eCommerce platform to revolutionize the packaging industry. Despite encountering challenges during implementation, they successfully launched their online store, enabling customers to access custom-printed, eco-friendly packaging solutions. The case study provides valuable insights and recommendations for other companies considering embarking on similar eCommerce projects.
