Packaging Company Ecommerce Reimagined: Flexible Solutions for a Digital-First Market

In a market where bulk orders, complex specifications, and sustainability demands are all colliding, the world of packaging company ecommerce is transforming fast. Today’s buyers, from global distributors to niche specialty retailers, don’t have time for endless back-and-forth quotes, incomplete product data, or delayed order fulfillment. They expect digital solutions designed for how packaging procurement actually works — across mixed-size orders, volume discounts, custom printing, and real-time inventory shifts​.

Leading brands like Berlin Packaging and Snell Packaging & Safety are already investing in digital infrastructure to meet growing demand, and they're choosing BigCommerce to help power their growth.

The global ecommerce packaging market, valued at approximately $91.2 billion in 2024, is forecasted to grow at a rapid 17.2% compound annual growth rate through 2030. In an industry seeing double-digit expansion, success isn’t just about selling more boxes, it’s about solving for complexity. That means enabling product and pricing customization, automating high-volume reordering, managing freight logistics for oversized shipments, and offering sustainability certifications without friction​.

BigCommerce helps packaging brands meet those demands head-on, equipping them to operate faster, sell smarter, and scale stronger in an increasingly digital-first B2B economy.

Understanding the packaging B2B buyer

The B2B packaging market serves a dynamic network of professional buyers, each with specialized requirements and increasingly high expectations for how they purchase and manage packaging supplies. As the demand for speed, sustainability, and customization intensifies, these buyers are turning to ecommerce for a more streamlined, reliable, and tailored procurement experience.

Manufacturers and distributors.

Manufacturers and distributors sourcing packaging for production lines, fulfillment centers, or resale operations often place large, complex orders that span a variety of SKUs — from standard corrugated boxes to custom die-cut mailers​. They need ecommerce platforms that support buyer-specific catalogs, volume-based pricing, and real-time inventory visibility. For these buyers, the ability to negotiate tiered discounts, manage reorders efficiently, and access technical product specifications like material strength and compliance certifications is critical.

Procurement teams at enterprises.

Procurement teams tasked with sourcing packaging for large organizations require far more than just a product list. They need transparent, real-time updates on inventory and pricing to navigate supply chain disruptions​, downloadable certifications (such as FSC or food-safe compliance), and approval workflows that meet internal audit standards. Integrations with ERPs and PIMs ensure they can manage high-volume, multi-location needs while staying compliant with corporate procurement processes.

Specialty packaging buyers.

Buyers in niche sectors like luxury goods, food and beverage, or hazardous materials often require highly specialized packaging that meets strict regulatory, aesthetic, or performance standards​. These buyers seek ecommerce experiences that make it easy to find packaging with precise certifications (e.g., BRCGS for food safety and recyclable material claims for sustainability) and configure products for specific needs, such as temperature-sensitive shipping or tamper-evident closures. Rich product content and guided selling tools are essential to simplify complex purchasing decisions.

Resellers and packaging brokers.

Resellers and brokers act as critical intermediaries, buying packaging products in bulk and servicing smaller businesses or niche markets. They depend on flexible account management features like custom pricing, multi-tier customer groups, and freight pricing options to protect margins​. They also value seamless integration with their own backend systems to ensure real-time order management, fulfillment tracking, and customer service support.

As the B2B packaging buyer evolves, brands need ecommerce solutions that go beyond basic transactions — offering the flexibility, transparency, and customization needed to match the complexity of modern packaging supply chains.

Common challenges packaging businesses face

As the B2B packaging company ecommerce space accelerates, brands face a unique set of challenges across both product management and the sales process. Complex orders, sustainability pressures, and the growing need for tailored support can create friction for buyers and internal teams alike, especially without the right ecommerce infrastructure in place.

Juggling complex catalogs, pricing, and freight.

Packaging ecommerce buyers expect accurate specs, sustainability certifications, and full configuration options​. Small gaps in product data, like missing material strength ratings or unclear eco-claims, can create costly friction at checkout. Bulk orders often mix printed, non-printed, and multi-size SKUs​, requiring flexible catalog and pricing management.

Shipping adds another layer of complexity. Many packaging orders involve oversized, palletized, or custom freight, which means real-time freight quotes and detailed delivery options are critical​. Meanwhile, growing niche markets like food-safe, luxury, and hazardous-material packaging demand even deeper product information​, further stretching traditional ecommerce capabilities.

Selling smarter in a volatile supply chain.

Packaging ecommerce buyers depend on speed, transparency, and tailored support, and the sales cycle needs to keep up. Buyers expect negotiated discounts, tiered pricing, and volume deals to apply automatically at checkout​, without slow back-and-forth communication.

Sales reps still play a critical role when technical support is needed, such as helping buyers select packaging templates, ensuring regulatory compliance, or sourcing alternative solutions​. Without the ability to integrate real-time assistance and support tools into ecommerce flows, delivering this guidance becomes inefficient.

Finally, today's supply chain realities, from paper shortages to raw material price swings, mean packaging storefronts must provide live updates on inventory, lead times, and pricing​. If buyers can't get clear, up-to-date information, they’ll quickly look elsewhere.

To stay competitive, packaging brands need ecommerce solutions that automate complexity, empower buyers with flexibility, and bridge digital transactions with human expertise.

How BigCommerce tackles these obstacles

Overcoming the challenges of B2B packaging ecommerce requires more than a basic online store. BigCommerce delivers built-in B2B functionality designed to support the complexity of the packaging industry — from flexible catalogs and real-time pricing updates to custom freight integrations and technical support tools. With a scalable, open platform, packaging brands can streamline operations, serve buyers more efficiently, and drive sustained digital growth.

Buyer-specific catalogs, products, and pricing.

Packaging buyers expect precision and flexibility, and BigCommerce makes it simple to deliver both. With customer groups and price lists, brands can create buyer-specific catalogs that reflect unique business terms, contract agreements, and specialized product selections.

Whether buyers need mixed-size cartons, printed and non-printed SKUs, or specialty materials, sellers can customize catalogs, automate volume-based discounts, and surface the right promotions without manual work. Support for complex product options — like packaging templates, die-cut formats, and branded custom printing — empowers buyers to configure packaging to fit their exact specifications, from material choice to dimensions to sustainability attributes.

This level of product customization isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s become a competitive advantage. Buyers want to see, select, and personalize the right packaging for their products online, and BigCommerce makes that experience seamless and scalable.

By offering tailored catalogs and pricing, packaging brands can build stronger relationships, simplify bulk reordering, and reduce friction across high-volume transactions.

Real-time updates and integrations for supply chain agility.

Packaging buyers need up-to-date information and BigCommerce ensures they get it. Through pre-built integrations with leading ERP and PIM systems, brands can sync real-time inventory levels, pricing updates, and product information across their storefronts​.

This is critical for manufacturers and distributors navigating raw material fluctuations, paper shortages, and fast-changing supply chains​. Whether it’s surfacing backorder alerts, updating lead times automatically, or managing specialized promotions, BigCommerce helps packaging brands stay agile and transparent — keeping buyer trust high even in a volatile market.

Freight flexibility and post-purchase support integrations.

Bulk and custom packaging orders bring shipping challenges, from oversized pallets to fragile specialty materials. BigCommerce’s open architecture gives packaging brands full freedom to integrate third-party shipping, freight, and logistics tools — whether using an off-the-shelf app or building custom workflows​.

This flexibility makes it easy to offer accurate freight quotes, manage LTL shipments, support job-site deliveries, and adapt to complex fulfillment needs without outgrowing the platform.

Beyond shipping, BigCommerce enables packaging companies to integrate sales support and service tools, helping reps assist buyers with technical specifications, sustainability certifications, and regulatory compliance needs​. This ensures that complex B2B relationships, which often extend well beyond checkout, are supported seamlessly, building stronger buyer confidence and loyalty.

Packaging brands that have seen success with BigCommerce

Berlin Packaging.

Berlin Packaging, a family-owned business since 1938, has grown into a global supplier of glass, plastic, and metal containers across nearly every industry. As operations expanded to over 200 partner vendor locations, Berlin needed an ecommerce platform that could support complex fulfillment, deep ERP integrations, and a commitment to customer service.

After an extensive evaluation of platforms like WebSphere and Magento, Berlin Packaging chose BigCommerce for its flexibility, open APIs, and ability to support deep system integrations. Partnering with Americaneagle.com, they customized their storefront to handle specialized item attributes, custom shipping options, and real-time data exchanges with their proprietary ERP system. Since switching to BigCommerce, Berlin Packaging has seen a 27% lift in conversions.

“The open API and the use of custom fields makes BigCommerce extremely flexible and the platform can do virtually anything you want it to do,” remarked Chris Hiller, General Manager at Berlin Packaging.

The final word

From evolving buyer expectations to the growing complexity of supply chains, the packaging company ecommerce landscape is undergoing a major transformation. What was once handled through traditional sales reps, spreadsheets, and slow procurement cycles now demands fast, flexible, and digitally connected experiences. For brands ready to meet that shift head-on, the opportunity for growth has never been greater.

BigCommerce gives packaging brands the flexibility, scalability, and openness they need to succeed in a digital-first market. Whether you're building buyer-specific catalogs, managing bulk and custom orders, integrating freight logistics, or supporting sustainability initiatives, BigCommerce provides the infrastructure to grow without limitations.

Ready to transform your ecommerce strategy? Explore BigCommerce B2B Edition and see what’s possible — book a demo today.