“Poly mailer vs box, which one should I use?” Does this question come to your mind when you want to ship something? Whether you are running an online shop on Shopee or just want to send items for your loved ones, you might be wondering about this topic.🤔
Don’t worry! This blog will bring you through the pros and cons for both poly mailer and box and the best time you can use them. Let’s dive in!☺️
Contents
What Are Poly Mailers?

Source: Pinterest
Poly mailers are lightweight and plastic envelopes you often see clothes and soft items packed in. They’re waterproof, tear-resistant and usually come with a self-sealing strip. It is super easy and super convenient to use.✨
When to Use Poly Mailers:
✅ Shipping soft and non-breakable items like clothes, fabric or plush toys.
✅ Saving shipping costs as they are lightweight and you will not be charged for higher parcel weight.
✅ Need speedy packing as no taping required but not suitable for heavy, bulk or breakable items.
What Are Boxes?

Source: Pinterest
Boxes are the sturdy cardboard containers that come in all shapes and sizes. They’re great for protecting your goods and can be stacked up neatly during transit.📦
When to Use Boxes:
✅ Shipping fragile or bulky items like electronics, books, mugs or cosmetics.
✅ Extra protection needed or protect multiple items by adding a divider to stop them from knocking into each other.
✅ Your shipping items need internal cushioning to avoid damages from impact
Poly Mailer vs Box: Pros & Cons
Feature | Poly Mailer💌 | Box📦 |
Pros | Lightweight (saves on shipping cost) | Strong and sturdy protection |
Easy and fast to pack | Recyclable and often eco-friendly | |
Waterproof/resistant to weather | Can be stacked easily for storage or transport | |
Takes up less space in storage | Ideal for fragile or heavy items | |
Great for soft/non-breakable items | Sufficient space for bigger items | |
Cons | Not suitable for fragile or bulky items | Heavier which may increase shipping cost |
Limited protection | Takes more time and tape to pack | |
Not always recyclable | Bulky and takes up more storage space |
How Can EasyParcel Help You?
💡You can purchase your packaging materials including the poly mailers and boxes in our EasyParcel Shop which help you to save time to search for them one by one.
💡We offer a complete and effective packaging guidelines including prohibited items list, packaging method, sealing or taping method and even labelling. To understand more you can refer here.
💡Volumetric calculator is prepared for you to weigh your parcels’ volumetric weights after you packed them with the poly mailers or boxes.
💡After you have finished packing your parcel, you can also straight use EasyParcel to help you to ship your parcel. You can choose from more than 60 courier companies on our platform.
In short, EasyParcel will assist you in your whole shipping journey from packaging until parcel shipping and tracking.😎
Now you know the pros and cons of poly mailers and boxes and when to use them. So next time when you are packing an order, don’t just grab whatever’s nearby. You need to choose the packaging that fits your product and your customer’s expectations 🛍️
If you want to settle all your shipment procedures from packaging to shipping in just one place, EasyParcel is your best choice. Let’s try EasyParcel by signing up your FREE EasyParcel account and try your first shipment with us using your FREE RM10 coupon.🚚
Welcome to join our big family and happy shipping!🥰
FAQs
1. When do I use a poly mailer or box?
You are suggested to use poly mailer when you want to ship soft and non breakable items while box is ideal when you want to ship fragile, heavier and bulkier items.
2. Any insurance coverage that I can add on when using EasyParcel to ship?
Yes. You can try our EasyCover to cover your parcel that valued up to RM10,000 from shipment lost just in case.
3. Can I ship food through EasyParcel?
Yes. You can ship food using our courier partner like Lalamove, GrabExpress and Celsius Express.
4. What can I do if I have too many parcel orders to book and track?
Our Bulk Upload feature allows you to upload your excel file to bulk order with just a few clicks and you can also use our EasyTrack to track up to 15 parcels in one time.