With the commerce largely moving to the Internet, the competition for any type of product is incredibly strong. However, there’s one thing that can help you stand out from the rest: packaging. In the age of e-commerce, the packaging is the only direct contact between your brand and your client, save for the product.
You know what they say, first impressions are everything!
That said, companies that offer custom packaging solutions like The Box Co-op make it easier to come up with a perfect package for your product. However, there are several things brands overlook when choosing the best package for their product. In this article, we are going to give you the five essential elements of packaging.
The Package Has to Withstand the Trip
Apart from being eye-catching, the package has to fulfill its purpose, which is to protect the product. The package has to withstand the trip from your storage to the buyer and keep the product in one piece. If you are selling bulky or large products like electronics you have to choose durable materials. However, if your product is going to adorn the shelves of the local supermarket, you can focus on appeal instead of durability. In that case, consider a captivating UV finish. You can learn more about them here: https://www.boxcoop.com/packaging-university/uv-finishes/
Mind the Material
Think of the package as the home for your product. You want your product’s home to be able to withstand any humidity, heat or other outside factor and keep the product fresh no matter what. When choosing the thickness of the packaging material, consider the product you are selling. For example, for food, cosmetics or pharmaceuticals you can choose lightweight paperboard. For heavy, fragile items like electronics, something like corrugated fiberboard which offers an extra layer of protection thanks to the fluted middle layer of paper.
Size Matters
At least when it comes to packaging. If you sell products in various sizes, you should provide a separate, appropriate package for each. Or better yet, design a package that can house all. It only takes a bit of creativity to design inserts that can adjust the size of the box and adapt it according to the item you’re shipping.
Know Who You’re Selling To
One of the most important factors when choosing the best product packaging solution is knowing your audience. After all, they are the ones that keep you going. It’s a fairly obvious element, but one you might overlook when pressed with choosing the right size, material or design. And if you want to be successful you have to put your clients first. Know what appeals to your audience. Do a market research to get closer to what your audience loves and need.
Package has to be Ergonomic
Ergonomics is just a big word for how your customers interact with the box. It’s very important to make the experience enjoyable, not frustrating. That is why in 2008 Amazon invested an enormous amount of money to design a package that is easy to open. Other companies like the toy titan Matchbox soon followed their example and invested in easy to open boxes that catered to their target audience: children. To sum up, you want your customers to have fun while opening the box, not get them frustrated.
