Ecommerce/Diecut Boxes

Ecommerce has been around a lot longer than you think! The world’s first mail order business was set up by Sir Pryce Pryce-Jones in 1861 in Newtown in Wales, UK. He sold woollen and fabric products worldwide using the latest technology of the day – the postal system and the railway!

Online shopping was invented in 1979 by Michael Aldrich in the UK. He hooked up a modified TV to a transaction-processing computer via a (landline!) telephone line. This “teleputer” technology made it possible to transmit payment data securely and became the foundation for modern ecommerce.

Cardboard was first invented in China in the 15^th Century, but the paperboard we recognise these days as cardboard was invented in 1817 by an English company called M. Treverton & Son. But it wasn’t until 1879 that Robert Gair discovered how to mass produce cardboard boxes that they became a popular method of packaging.

In 2023, a total of 140.73 million parcels were delivered in Ireland. 30% came from foreign businesses to Irish addresses while 63% were from Irish businesses to Irish addresses. While some of these parcels may be padded envelopes or mailing bags, a lot of them are likely to be cardboard boxes!

At Box Depot, our pre-loved cardboard boxes are a fantastic eco-friendly choice! Our range of ecommerce boxes can make shipping your products, especially with An Post, very easy!