Although Revlon is one of the most well-known names in the beauty space, it fails to deliver the sort of engaging, personalized unboxing experience that modern consumers expect. Its packaging is bland, and it does not provide any level of personalization. It also offers virtually no protection for its items, raising concerns about product safety during transit.
For these reasons—as well as more below—Revlon has earned a meager 2.5 out of 10 on UnDigital’s Unboxing Guidelines.
Today, roughly one-fifth of all retail purchases occur online, and the unboxing experience has become a staple of the modern consumer journey.
To that end, UnDigital created its Unboxing Experience Guidelines for Brands to help them better understand how theirs compare to industry standards as well as the expectations of today’s shoppers.
Our unweighted scoring system — based on research carried out across millions of direct-to-consumer (DTC) packages — allows brands to earn up to ten points, split amongst five Personalization categories and five Presentation categories.
Below is a detailed breakdown of how Revlon performed:
Revlon only included the customer’s name on the package itself, and the box didn’t include any personalized communication with the customer’s name, such as a letter or postcard. As such, the brand did not earn a point here.
Everyone in Ecommerce is using a shipping label with a name. If you want to stand out, you need to truly do something unique to personalize an unboxing experience. It works similarly to emails, when you add a customer's name to a marketing insert, they are infinitely more likely to engage with the message attached.
The package contained the branded product box with some basic product information, a blank slip of paper, and a pair of plastic pillows. To improve on this, they could have added a QR link to some styling tutorials on their site to increase customer engagement.
As buyers unbox their packages, they should be provided something relevant, such as a discount code for a related product or even free samples.
Revlon’s package included little more than the product itself, which means the brand needs to reevaluate its approach and include something that enhances the customer experience. Even a single sample, some personalized marketing, or a simple thank you note goes a long way in driving consumer loyalty.
The unboxing experience is a great time to deliver an effective call-to-action (CTA), as satisfied customers will be excited to interact with the brand again. Any box shipped without a CTA is a missed-revenue-opportunity.
Revlon, however, didn’t include any CTA, and as such, missed out on an opportunity to generate extra revenue and fully nurture the customer’s excitement. For example, here is a (shameless) CTA that I've inserted into this article. It is geared toward people learning about unboxing marketing, and it has an explicit call-to-action on an obvious button.
As we’ve mentioned, Revlon is a renowned brand with an inspiring and engaging history. Still, as it stands, the average customer would never know that, especially if they only order online, given that the brand failed to provide any sort of information about its story in the package or on the box.
There are an infinite number of ways to brand an unboxing experience. Using branded packaging or even branded tape can turn an otherwise routine unboxing experience into something memorable and engaging. Still, Revlon made a conscious decision to present their product in an empty brown box.
The package was covered with a pair of plastic pillows, and that’s it. There was a blank label backing underneath the box, presumably affixed to the external packaging label at some point.
The only real win for Revlon in our scoring model is that its box was clean and the product was free of any damage. When we opened the box, the product packaging seemed to be in good shape, too, even though they only used two plastic pillows on one side of the box.
While avoiding waste is a good idea, under-packaging a product can lead to damage and increase the likelihood of returns, so going forward, Revlon needs to strike a balance between efficiency and product protection.
The product fit inside the shipping box well—almost too well. Three sides of the product package were crammed against the cardboard box, leaving just a small space on one side. There was also a small gap on the top, which Revlon filled with two plastic pillows.
Revlon didn’t include any return information in the box. If the order had been damaged due to Revlon’s lackluster packaging, customers would have to go online to initiate the return process. This isn't great because, if it is easier for a customer to file a dispute with their bank than initiate a return with you, they will file a dispute more often than not.
Many brands simplify things by including a return label inside the box or at least providing a QR code that takes customers straight to the returns page of their website. Revlon provided neither.
Revlon’s unboxing experience certainly will not delight consumers—not by a long shot. Even the most loyal Revlon customers would be disappointed, much less a first-time buyer.
At its core, Unboxing Marketing is about recognizing the potential that packages have as a touchpoint. They can be a brand's physical storefront presence, experienced by a customer, in the comfort of their own home, and it doesn't take much to deliver something that adds immense value to your revenue and loyalty metrics. Revlon has yet to recognize this.
At Undigital, we’re committed to helping brands evaluate and optimize their unboxing experiences. If you're still using generic or sloppy DTC packaging, you’re likely leaving an additional 5-25% in revenue unrealized (Source: Client PDF).
Revlon is a reputable brand known for its quality products and a broad selection of beauty care goods, but it is largely resting on its laurels rather than using the unboxing experience as a chance to solidify its leading position. By correcting the shortcomings outlined above, Revlon can drive better engagement and loyalty, thereby increasing revenue.
To learn more about the unboxing experience and its role in revenue, loyalty, and engagement, explore our unboxing guidelines or connect with our team.
