Your Guide to Perfect Product Packaging

 Why is Product Packaging Important? 

Your product’s exterior presentation says a lot about what’s inside. But the right product packaging is about more than just making a good first impression. After all, by the time an Ecommerce customer gets your packaged product, they already have an idea of what they’re ordering and are committed to the sale. 

In the world of Ecommerce, your product’s packaging is often both the first and final impression of your business. It can build initial excitement about your brand and leave your customer with a memorable and lasting impression. Your product packaging can make sure that your item arrives safely and give your customers a sense of relief in knowing they ordered from a legitimate company that cares about its outward presentation.

It can also leave a lasting impression on your buyers that may encourage them to become repeat customers again in the future. 

This is why before you ship a single item out, you need to have a plan on how to design the perfect product package for your items.

How Do You Come Up With The Perfect Product Packaging Design? 

Your product packaging design covers everything from the choices of exterior materials to colors, fonts, graphics, wrappings, and containers. While packaging does need to be relatively practical in some ways—it can also help represent your brand’s unique identity. 

Before you sit down and start thinking about colors and fonts—you need to be able to answer the “who,” “what” and “how” of your product in order to come up with the perfect packaging. Let’s take a closer look.

Who Is Buying This Product?

The first question to ask when designing your product packaging is “who” is planning on buying the product? Men? Women? Both? Is your product for children? Or is it for adults? What does your average consumer look like?

These questions are important because they will help you determine what type of packaging will appeal to your consumers. If you have older customers, it may mean a font that is easy to read. If your product is for kids, it may include bright colors and fun designs. If you cater to eco-friendly consumers, it may mean that you need packaging made of recycled materials.

Knowing the “who” involved with buying your product is essential for creating packaging that will work. 

What is the Product?

Yes, this is an easy question to answer, but an answer that you should write out in detail. Make sure this covers what you are selling, the size, the materials, and whether it needs additional packaging because of potential breaking.

The more details you have about the “what” of your product, the better. This is going to help you determine if there are any additional logistical considerations you need to make for the packaging, such as extra cushioning or flexible packaging that adhere to odd product dimensions.

How Are People Buying the Product?

The final big consideration you will need to make when determining packaging has to do with how people are purchasing the product you are selling. As an Ecommerce brand that sells items online, it’s important to have packaging that will fit the item you are shipping—but you don’t have to focus as much on your packaging standing out on a shelf and more on how it is going to arrive in the mail.

From there, the fun part starts as you can start creating packaging that reflects who your brand is.  

What Content Needs to Go On Your Packaging? 

So, you have all of the fun stuff narrowed down, but now it’s time to make certain you have all of your bases covered with the content that needs to go on your packaging.

Depending on what your products are, what industry you are in and what else is inside your packaging—you may not need all of these things. However, here are some important pieces of content that may be food for thought.

• Images- Do you want a logo on the exterior of your packaging? Or an image of the product inside. Make sure you have clear versions of all of the images you need to put on your packaging as you start designing.
• Copy- Does your packaging need written copy? This can be detailed information on what is inside, or it can be as simple as including your brand’s tagline on the exterior.
• Required Information- Some products in certain markets require different marks and information such as nutritional details, association mars, or barcodes—so if these are requirements in your industry, they need to be worked into the design.
• Branded Colors- Make sure that the color, design, and style of your packaging reflect the same branding you used on your Ecommerce site.

Remember, every product and every brand is different, and the key is to make sure that your design works for what you are trying to accomplish.

What About Personalized Product Packaging? 

Personalization is a big trend in the Ecommerce world, particularly when it comes to product packaging—and for good reason. A personalized product packaging design can go a long way in setting your company apart and helping to create a betting unboxing experience for your clients. 

If you're looking for 1 to 1 personalization, that is undoubtedly the most effective way to generate ROI through unboxing experiences but you may find it difficult to scale without the use of a platform like this.

If you're open to the less effective 1 to many approach, here are some of the things that you can do in order to personalize your product’s packaging solutions: 

• Tissue Paper- This is a simple addition to your interior packaging that brings a sense of anticipation to the unwrapping experience. It helps the product feel higher-end and more special. You can also make custom-printed tissue paper or close your tissue paper with a custom-branded sticker to give it that personal touch.
• Business Cards- Even in today’s digital world, business cards aren’t dead. Your business cards are still a great way to encourage customers to spread the word about your brand and are an easy and cost-effective addition to your product packaging. 
• Filler- It’s always a smart idea to include filler in your packaging to make sure that the product is safe and well-protected. It also gives the packaging a higher-end feel and makes it seem as though your company put extra thought into packaging.
• Educational Materials- Sometimes your Ecommerce product requires some additional insights or instructions. This is where educational materials come in. They can include instructions, information on your brand, insights on new products, or instructions on how to make recurring orders. It is up to you.
• Stickers- While stickers can have a practical use, such as closing tissue paper—they can also be a low-cost promotional item as well. Throw a few branded stickers in your packaging and your customers can use them as they see fit to create better brand recognition.
  
  

Conclusion

Chances are, you’ve spent a lot of time building your Ecommerce brand. You’ve designed an eye-catching website, developed the perfect product line and nailed your marketing efforts to start bringing customers in. However, as you get ready for one of the last steps in your sales process, make sure you aren’t overlooking your packaging.

This is a simple, yet effective way to help set your brand apart and make sure that you’re giving off the right first impression for the individuals who are buying your product.