TCM 036: How to automate your packaging process with one simple app

Every now and then you stumble upon an app that solves such a simple problem – you can't quite believe you've been managing without it. Especially when it's something you've been enduring and just putting up with for years because that's just 'how it is'.

The founder (Tom McGee) of the app I'm about to talk about has no idea I'm posting this.

This is most definitely not a paid promotion; I just think the app is absurdly brilliant and deserves some well-earned attention.

Without further ado, let me present to you:

Pack, Inserts, Samples.

Let me break this down in 2 different ways that might apply:

1) You ship in house

• Want to add a free gift to every order but can't get the frontend code to work and you figured you'd just do it manually whenever you pack an order?
  • How many times have you forgotten?
  • The app automatically edits the order and adds the free gift as a line item after it's placed. Seriously. No more complicated than that.
• Want to use a custom box for specific products? Or custom packaging for orders that come through from an influencer?
  • Don't let it slip your mind – you and I both know you've repacked orders in the past once you realized who was receiving it. They're kind of a big deal, but repacking is wasteful and expensive.
  • Add the custom box as a line item to the order via set rules every single time. Memory solved.
• Got items that need kitting when a specific SKU is ordered?
  • Yup, you can set those rules too.

2) You ship via a 3PL

Much like the above, all of those use cases work by editing the order within your own set of rules every single time a new order is placed.

• Need your 3PL to add a specific handwritten note to orders containing XYZ products?
  • Done.
• Need the packers to use a specific box for this customer/order/product?
  • Done.
• Need to add a seasonal marketing campaign flyer or specific info sheet depending on some SKUs?
  • Done.
• No more back and forth with your 3PL, just add what you need to your orders automatically after purchase and cut out the game of email/Slack ping-pong.
  • Time = back.

This thing is so darn beautifully simple. I'm kind of kicking myself that we didn't build this ourselves.

Tom McGee – thank you, sir. I know how hard you've worked to build this and the level of support you've been giving merchants already.

I'm not going to name names of brands using this already but go check out the reviews to see for yourself.

Check out PLS: Pack, Inserts, Samples on the Shopify App Store.

Once again, this is not a paid promotion. I've watched Tom diligently build this app over the last few months and it deserves to be highlighted.

Cheers one & all to a profitable, semi-automated week ahead!

Tom Brown

P.S. As ever, I truly welcome your feedback – it's often hard to know which of these emails hits, what adds value, and if these are helpful to you at all. Regardless, thanks for reading! I really do appreciate you being here.

P.P.S. There are too many of us Tom's in this corner of the world.