If you’ve been out shopping anywhere in the past few years, you’ve probably seen reusable bags show up more frequently at many stores. No longer are they relegated to vitamin and natural grocery stores. They’re now more widely available across multiple companies. Sustainability and protection of the environment are important at any time, but the cultural conversation has generally shifted lately to put more of a focus on reusable bags at most companies. There are plenty of good reasons to offer them at your business. Here are five of them.
Eco-friendly
Our world can be an amazing place, but it’s the only one we have. With much of the world focusing on being more eco-friendly, it makes sense to do what you can to reduce your carbon footprint and prevent excessive waste that could be harsh on the environment. Offering reusable bags in lieu of plastic can help. Plastic bags, while convenient at times, are not great for the environment. They don’t biodegrade quickly, they take up space in landfills, and can cause damage to the ecosystem in general. Offering something that’s made with sustainable materials—and most importantly, can return to the earth when you’re finished using it—is good for both the environment and your customers.
Improve Public Image
Being eco-friendly is only part of the benefits of offering reusable bags. They also offer a great way to improve your public image. To begin with, customers will love getting a free reusable bag with your logo on it, and they’ll be sure to use it often. Better yet, they improve your image by making it easier for customers to carry more items. That has the added bonus of customers purchasing more (which is never a bad thing, right?). When customers see that you’re dedicated to protecting the environment and give him a good deal at the same time, it’ll go a long way toward improving your public image as an organization and double as means of connecting with your audience in a broad sense.
Give Customers More Options
The traditional choice of paper or plastic shouldn’t be the only option available for your customers. Giving them more options builds rapport and goodwill for a company. Reusable bags are a great way to reduce the amount of waste you produce, but it’s important to choose the right one. In this regard, customers should have as many options as possible to suit their needs. Some shoppers prefer insulated bags for keeping food cold or hot, so you might want to offer them at your business as an option. Other customers might prefer vibrantly colored bags or something featuring pockets or zippers. It’s largely a matter of taste and customer preference. Ultimately, there should be an option for just about any use case, from grocery shopping to carrying larger items.
Passively Market Your Brand
The concept of passive market is interesting. In essence, you’re setting up or laying out different paths/outlets to encourage customers to come to you. Instead of writing a print ad, doing a video, or actively trying to generate leads, passive marketing takes a subtler approach. The best kinds of passive marketing involve building a web presence and having a business account on social media (that should be engaging with clients). Another way to passively market your brand is to prominently place your logo—along with pertinent business information and contact numbers—on various items that you either give away or sell for a low price. These could be as simple as pens, water bottles, and (you guessed it) reusable bags. Reusable bags can take your branding to another level by giving you some visibility outside of your business. You can also give customers a discount for reusing bags at your business, making them a great option for your promotional needs.
Decrease Your Budget
Running a business properly requires a keen understanding of budgeting and fixed costs. So if you’re looking for a surefire way to decrease your fixed expenses, make the switch to canvas or other sustainable tote bags. Plastic bags (and other carrying vessels) can cost quite a bit of money that eats into your bottom line. That’s no good for fledgling or established businesses. Switching over to a different type of bag can save money while also helping the environment. Since tote bags are abundant these days, switching to them as an alternative to plastic is a pretty good way to save some money. Obviously, they aren’t going to solve all of your budgetary concerns, but they can definitely help. By making them available to your customers, you can also take advantage of having repeat guests and additional advertising that will help drive business to your company in the long term. That makes switching to tote bags worthwhile and helpful for any organization.
