Ouai earned a meager 3.5 out of 10 under UnDigital’s Unboxing Guidelines. Although the packaging the brand provided was crisp and clean, it featured almost zero personalization whatsoever, which translated to an ultimately forgettable unboxing experience.
If Ouai wants to engage with its audience and nurture feelings of brand loyalty, it has to rethink its unboxing marketing strategy going forward.
Like any other brand we review, Ouai was scored using UnDigital’s Unboxing Experience Guidelines for Brands, a ten-point, unweighted rubric designed around research conducted across millions of due-to-consumer DTC packages. The system includes two categories — Personalization and Presentation — which themselves are split into five subcategories each.
The Personalization category contains the aspects of customer name, product information, relevance, call-to-action (CTA), and story. Brands like Ouai can earn either 0 or 1 point in each of these subcategories. The Presentation category consists of branding, cleanliness, space utilization, returns, and delight, and brands can earn either 0, 0.5, or 1 point in each.
Here’s how Ouai performed:
Brands should always incorporate the customer’s name in at least one other location within the package, not counting the receipt or return shipping label. Using the customer’s name on a personalized marketing asset like a thank you note or package insert is a great way of making them feel valued and appreciated.
Ouai, however, failed to use my name anywhere but the shipping label, representing the first of many personalization faux pas. Working my name into the collateral or the product packaging would have gone a long way in developing a sense of loyalty and trust.
Giving customers clear use instructions and product information helps decrease their time to value, as they can start using the item right away, and to that end, Ouai provided product information directly on the product label. Though their approach does meet our product information requirement, the print on the label was quite small.
Brands that are aiming to create a more frictionless experience should highly consider adding a package insert that includes the product information in large print. Including a QR code link that directs users to a how-to or instructional video is also a wise idea.
Every unboxing experience needs to be relevant to the recipient, and brands can achieve that by including samples, discount codes, or personalized communications within the package. Ouai, unfortunately, didn’t include relevant marketing assets or samples — anything, really — to make the unboxing experience feel personalized.
Without exception, every unboxing experience needs to include at least one CTA. The moment a customer receives and opens their long-awaited package is a great time to capitalize on their excitement. Follow up with them and encourage them to take some other action, be it following the brand on social media or checking out a new product line, as it will increase the chances of them re-engaging with your brand.
Ouai’s unboxing experience did not include any sort of CTA, meaning the brand will miss out on the opportunity to boost its revenue and strengthen customer relationships. Your brand should be including relevant CTA in every touchpoint, including the unboxing experience. For example, check out the CTA below. We know you're here learning about unboxing marketing, so we included a link to our free eguide and an explicit button telling you the best next step to take on your journey.
Ouai didn’t incorporate its brand story into the unboxing experience. I would have liked to learn more about the brand, its values, and its origin. Even something as small as providing a QR code that linked to their About page or a card with their social media handles would have made it that much easier to learn more about them.
When designing an unforgettable unboxing marketing strategy, brands must ensure that their story makes it into the experience. A comprehensive rundown of their history and origins isn’t necessary, of course; a few short lines of text are plenty to engage customers and get them more interested in your brand.
Ouai used a standard brown cardboard box, which is unassuming and frankly, a bit underwhelming. Still, they managed to salvage half a point here by including a few lines of text and their logo on the interior side of the lid. They let us know that the box was made from recycled materials so that we “can recycle it too.”
Nevertheless, Ouai should have included a bit more in the way of branding here. Some unique tape, a distinct box, or even a simple insert could have elevated the experience and earned them the other half-point.
Ouai’s package was free from blemishes or visible damage. It was clean and in good condition, as was the product itself.
Ouai chose an appropriate-sized box for the product I ordered, and they made sure to fill the dead space with crinkle-cut recycled paper filler, a design that makes the paper a bit springier for extra protection and also cuts down on the mess, seeing as the strips cling together.
If your brand has to use filler and doesn't want to work with injection moulds, going with recycled paper that creates minimal mess is the way to go. It’s a far better choice than crumpled-up packaging paper or, worse, plastic.
Ouai didn’t do anything to make the return process easy. They didn’t include their return page URL or a QR code link, nor did they provide me with a pre-printed return label.
While brands don’t necessarily have to go the extra mile to print a return label, they should, at a minimum, include the URL to their returns page in the packaging. Providing a QR code link makes initiating returns even more convenient and can help salvage an otherwise unpleasant customer experience.
Ouai’s unboxing experience certainly did not delight, but the good news is that the brand’s shortcomings are clear and fixable. With a few adjustments, Ouai can certainly deliver a personalized, engaging, and memorable unboxing journey.
At UnDigital, we strive to help brands optimize their unboxing experiences, making them more informative, relevant, and engaging. Brands like Ouai can capitalize on its missed opportunities by integrating personalized marketing assets into its unboxing strategy.
To learn more about how to optimize your own unboxing marketing strategy and make the most of every unboxing experience, check out our unboxing guidelines today.
