Product packaging is so much more than a container. It protects the product, it communicates the brand and enhance customer experience. If you’re selling food, cosmetics, electronics, clothing or any kind of retail product the packaging is going to have a massive influence on how your customer sees your business.
Today the product has to be safe and attractive. It also has to be cost-effective and environmentally sound. Packaging is also increasingly important in the e-commerce environment. Because parcels go through a number of handling stages before they get to the consumer. The right packaging is therefore absolutely critical to product quality and to business growth.
In this piece of content we look at 7 significant reasons why packaging is important and how the right packaging approach can help build customer trust. Moreover, improve the product’s presentation and allow you to compete.
Product Packaging Protects Goods from Damage
Protection is one of the key functions of packaging. During storage, handling, dispatch and delivery the product can be subject to pressure, moisture, dust and impact. The right packaging helps mitigate these risks and keep the product in better condition.
Corrugated boxes offer strength for shipping and custom inserts can be used to hold delicate items in place. Food packaging can also provide a barrier to moisture, air and other external factors which may affect the freshness of the product.
The best packaging is going to be dictated by the size, weight, fragility and storage of the product. You need to select appropriate materials and box types to ensure the product arrives in perfect condition, to minimize the risk of damage and to reduce number of returns.
Attractive Packaging Builds a Strong Brand Identity
Packaging gives the customer an instant impression of your brand. The colors, typeface, logo, graphics and the material itself can all speak volumes about your brand before they’ve even seen the product.
Consistent packaging also helps people to identify your products across the retail shelf, online and in the delivery. A simple clean design can be a signal of simplicity, a more premium finish can be a signal of a more sophisticated product.
Custom packaging enables you to maintain a consistent look across all your product ranges. If your packaging is in line with your brand’s ethos, it’s much easier for customers to remember your business and differentiate your products from competition.
Quality Packaging Improves the Customer Experience
A good customer experience starts before the product is even used. The packaging has a huge influence on how the customer receives, opens, handles and stores the product. A good package can make all those interactions far easier and more pleasant.
A box that opens easily, protects the contents and presents the goods nicely is the sort of thing that can make the whole purchase feel more considered. The opposite is true of over-wrapping, a difficult closure or damaged packaging.
Unboxing experience is absolutely key as the packaging is the only physical link between the brand and the customer. The right packaging can go a long way to creating a great unboxing experience and that in turn can lead to repeat business.
Packaging Communicates Essential Product Information
Customers need the right information to understand a product and to be able to make a purchase decision. Packaging is the ideal place to put the product name, ingredients, instructions, specifications, warnings, storage advice and all the other relevant information.
Clear labelling is important for food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and other regulated products. In some cases depending on the product and the market you’re selling in you’ll also be required to have batch numbers, expiry dates, barcodes, recycling instructions and/or legally mandated warnings.
Readable type and a sensible information layout makes the details much easier to locate. Businesses should check the relevant labelling requirements prior to printing their packaging as failure to do so could result in misleading claims, missing information and a complete redesign.
Effective Packaging Supports Marketing and Sales
Packaging is a quiet form of marketing. It is there to communicate the benefits of the product, to grab attention and to tell the customer what the product is and what it’s different from.
Clear messaging and good graphics can go a long way to getting your product noticed on a crowded shelf. For an e-commerce brand the use of branded packaging is a great way to reinforce brand identity when the customer receives their order.
Packaging can also be used to support seasonal promotions, product launches and limited edition ranges. Packaging should be attractive but also practical. The goal is to produce packaging that reflects the brand, clearly communicates the product, and protects the product without going to excessive lengths.
Right Packaging Can Reduce Business Costs
Packaging decisions have an impact which goes well beyond the cost of the materials themselves. They can have an effect on the cost of shipping, the cost of warehousing, the risk of product damage, the amount of labor required and the number of customer returns.
Oversized boxes may well require extra void fill and will therefore increase your shipping costs. On the flip side packaging that is too small or too weak may not offer adequate protection for the product and can also lead to avoidable costs.
Businesses can improve their efficiency by selecting the right box sizes, using less material than is absolutely necessary and by selecting boxes which are easy to put together and easy to store. Standardized sizes can also help with stock control.
Testing the packaging prior to large scale production is a sensible way of spotting any weaknesses. A good packaging solution will protect the product and at the same time help the business to manage its costs right through the supply chain.
Sustainable Packaging Helps Businesses Meet Changing Expectations
Environmental responsibility is now a major consideration in packaging. There’s a real move towards recyclable materials, recyclable paperboard, reusable formats and designs that use less material without any loss in product protection.
Sustainable packaging is all about careful material selection. The package has to be appropriate for the product. It should also be appropriate for the recycling systems that are available. Any claims of recyclability, compostability or biodegradability must be accurate and backed up by appropriate evidence.
Recent consumer research also indicates that sustainability is important. However, practical considerations such as food safety, shelf life and durability usually taking precedence. That means you shouldn’t just go in and cut the packaging down in the hope of being more sustainable.
Instead go for a well-balanced design that minimizes waste, protects the contents, and gives clear disposal instructions. That approach enables responsible packaging without compromising customer or operational requirements.
Choose Packaging That Works for Your Business
The right packaging will protect your product, reinforce your brand and support your business objectives. The packaging you select has a direct impact on the perceived quality of your product and the overall customer experience. PackagingXpert can help you to explore packaging solutions that offer protection, a professional finish and the ability to truly bring your brand to life.
It is all about choosing the right package to reflect your brand, meet the needs of your product and deliver a better experience to your customer with every order.
