What Is Discreet Packaging? Can You Always Request It?

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These days you can buy anything online, from personal items to furniture, food, and other high-value items. Unfortunately, some of these products are prone to theft or can be embarrassing to the buyer. That is why many people prefer receiving their items in discreet packaging. But what is discreet packaging, exactly?

Discreet packaging hides the contents of a consumer’s product meaning nobody can tell what is inside the box. In most cases, discreet packaging will not include information about the seller or the store where the product is from.

Can you always request discreet packaging?

You can always request discreet shipping, and many eCommerce websites are willing to offer this service at no extra cost. In some companies, discreet packaging is the standard method of shipping products to buyers to protect their privacy. However, this method of packaging does not work for all products. For example, it is impossible to package large pieces of furniture discreetly.

Discreet packaging is the perfect solution when you need to ship something and need to ensure nobody ever finds it. This method of sending products is designed to be highly secretive and comes in various shapes and sizes. With so many styles and sizes available, it’s easy to find a perfect option for your needs. Let’s unwrap discreet packaging…

How Does Discreet Packaging Work?

When buying a product from an eCommerce platform, you have to know whether they offer discreet shipping services. If they do, you will have to request this service at the checkout page. Most online retail stores will offer this service for free, so do not worry about spending extra money.

Different companies have different methods of discreet packaging, but some of the most common ones include:

• Plain brown cardboard boxes
• Single-color paper
• Unmarked postal service boxes
• 3PLs

Remember, the goal is to conceal the contents so the boxes will not have labels or information that might reveal what is inside. Unmarked postal service boxes and 3PLs are considered the most innovative methods in the discreet packaging world.

You can get expedited options quickly when you use unmarked postal service options meaning your consumers will get their products faster. On the other hand, a seller can brand the box as a 3PL with a physical address where the customer can return the item should there be an issue.

As an eCommerce platform, you might still want your customer to experience “unboxing”. Therefore, avoid removing the original packaging of the product. This way, your business can still provide the joy of unboxing to consumers, encouraging them to stay and continue to choose your brand in the future.

Additionally, you do not want to make it evident that you are trying to hide something. Therefore, using materials such as plain brown boxes will make you fit right in with other standard packages. For example, Amazon boxes are pretty simple to duplicate without the logo, of course, before you adopt another method of discreet packaging for your business.

Now that you have a general view of how discreet shipping works, let’s explore how you can get this service from the primary courier services:

How to Request Discreet Packaging From USPS

To get discreet packaging services from USPS, you must order through your local USPS Discreet Mail Service office.

There are three shipping services you can use for discreet packaging. They are:

• USPS Priority Mail Express
• USPS Retail Ground
• USPS Priority Mail

How to Request Discreet Packaging From UPS

With UPS’s discreet packaging, expect your product to arrive in a plain box without any product labels. UPS also does not deliver to PO Boxes.

UPS only offers discreet packaging if you choose the following shipping services:

• UPS Ground
• UPS 2nd Day Air

How to Request Discreet Packaging From FedEx

Like UPS, FedEx also does not deliver to PO Boxes, and they provide discreet packages in plain boxes. The only difference is that the boxes will have the company’s name.

You can get discreet packaging services from FedEx using the following shipping options:

• FedEx Ground
• FedEx First Overnight
• FedEx 2Day

How to Request Discreet Shipping from Amazon

Amazon prioritizes the privacy of its customers, and that is why discreet packaging is the standard method of shipping products to its consumers.

Regardless of size, all items bought from Amazon are packed in plain unmarked boxes with only their brand name.

For more information about discreet packaging using any of the methods above, visit the company’s official website.

When Should You Use Discreet Packaging?

You can request discreet packaging for all products you buy online. However, as discussed below, some people prefer to use this service for specific items. 

When You Buy Adult Products

Did you know that adult products are what introduced the discreet packaging concept to the eCommerce market?

It can be embarrassing for a delivery guy or buyer to deliver or receive a dildo or sex toy that is not concealed. That is why all online retailers selling adult products offer discreet packaging.

When You Buy High-Value Items

In 2021, 64% of Americans were victims of package theft, also known as porch theft or porch piracy.

When your packages are left on the porch, and any passerby can see inside, they can easily walk away with them. But, when people cannot see what is inside the box, they do not bother to look twice at your stuff.

Examples of high-value items include expensive electronics and gadgets, medicine and other pharmaceutical items, food, etc.

Is Discreet Packaging Available Internationally?

The best thing about selling goods online is that you cater to a global market. And this means that you can sell your products to anyone in the world.

But can you ship your products discreetly internationally?

Remember, discreet packaging hides the actual product, and there is minimal information on the outside packaging.

Sometimes, a buyer can ask you to label a product as a gift as a form of discreet packaging to avoid paying customs and other taxes. This can be seen as falsifying information under custom laws, which is illegal.

When shipping a product internationally, you have to provide information about it, including identifying the product and declaring its total value.

In this case, you must explain to your client that it is impossible to ship a product internationally without people knowing what it is, specifically the authorities. However, regarding packaging, products can be shipped discreetly. To ensure you are on the safe side, familiarize yourself with international shipping laws to know whether discreet shipping is an option or not.