Packaging has a greater influence than you may think. When customers are shopping online or in-store, the product’s packaging is often the first thing that catches their attention. In fact, consumers form an opinion about a brand in as little as seven seconds. In eCommerce, this means that people have already figured you out long before they've even held your product in their hands. It's the first thing new customers see, forming their first impression of you and ensuring you stand out from the crowd. It can also persuade customers to buy your product, even if it is slightly more expensive than others on the market.
Choosing your packaging entails much more than just the exterior design. Numerous packaging options are available, from mailer boxes and pouches to packaging sleeves and hanging displays. Here, we'll go over some of the cool packaging ideas available to eCommerce businesses and how to get started.
5 Reasons Why Packaging Is Necessary
There are numerous reasons why good product packaging is critical to your business. Having well-packaged items will ensure that customers are drawn to purchase them over others, whether you're launching a new brand or trying to differentiate your products from the competition. Here's what the value of good product packaging ideas means for your company.
1. Protection
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The primary function of packaging is to protect its contents from damage during transportation, handling, and storage. Packaging protects the product throughout its entire logistics chain, from manufacturer to end-user. It shields the product from moisture, light, heat, and other environmental factors. As a result, it is not uncommon to end up with far more packaging than the actual product. Especially when purchasing items from online retailers. The amount of packaging waste that a product generates can be mind-boggling. Overall, the purpose of packaging ideas is to protect, but there is a distinction between intelligent and well-designed packaging and packaging that is not fit-for-purpose.
2. Safety
Above all, the packaging is critical in keeping its contents and customers safe. Packaging should include critical information about the product and its safety. For food products, the packing date, best before date, and ingredient list must be clearly visible on the packaging. No harmful chemical, odor, or taste should be transferred from packaging materials to food, whether made of virgin or recycled material. Furthermore, it must be made clear on the packaging if it contains toxic substances. This data all contributes to the product's consumer safety. It is always preferable to have too much information than not enough information.
3. Appealingness
Product branding and marketing rely heavily on packaging. Unique packaging ideas can boost a product's appeal and, as a result, influence people's willingness to purchase it. Just as important as the product is the packaging. The main goal of the packaging idea is to make the product stand out on the shelf or on the website, resulting in increased sales, relevant product information, and increased interest. Packaging influences the purchasing decisions of two-thirds of people. According to two-thirds of people, packaging has an impact on their purchasing decisions. A product's packaging can also tell a complete story about the company that created it and the product's environmental, social, and economic impacts. It serves as a means of communicating the company's values and the numerous benefits that the product offers to the consumer.
4. Usability
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Packaging that is appropriate for the product is what customers want. They expect highly functional, "life-saving", creative packaging ideas that are also extremely user-friendly. Consumers are the only ones who judge the usability of the packaging. Some consumers will be satisfied if the packaging is easy to open and close, easy to fold and sort after use, and reusable or recyclable Furthermore, a good design improves usability. Today's packaging usability trend is shifting away from single-use culture and toward buying products in bulk, in reusable packaging, and in their own containers, as before in the 1960s. Consumers who care about the environment already bring their own empty jars, bags, and containers to the grocery store. As a result, one major challenge remains in packaging usability. How often can the packaging be recycled, and is it as simple as the consumer expects?
5. Durability
Before making a purchasing decision, an increasing number of consumers consider the carbon footprint, reusability, and recyclability of packaging materials. In fact, the more positive the perception of sustainable and creative packaging ideas, the greater the impact on sales figures. The packaging design is critical in determining how easy it is to separate the materials from one another, and thus how easy it is to reuse and recycle the packaging. Making more with less not only saves resources but also leaves less material for the consumer to properly handle. Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of how their actions affect the environment. Before purchasing a product, they consider the carbon footprint of the packaging. The labeling on the packaging that provides clear information on the environmental impacts and recyclability of the product and packaging will undoubtedly catch the consumer's attention.
Advice on Best Packaging Ideas
To stand out among the hundreds of other competing products on the market today, it pays to be unique. Examine what your competitors are doing and make sure you have a unique and innovative look. Packaging innovation will get your product noticed, will help build your brand, and will give your product personality. Whether you like it or not, your product will be judged based on its packaging.
So, how do you come up with unique packaging? You can hire a packaging design firm to come up with some ideas for you, or you can create the ideas yourself. Here are the ten best packaging ideas that should inspire some packaging innovations for your own products.
∙ Design a Reusable Package
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Because the boutique beverage market is mature and extremely competitive, you might think there aren't many truly innovative packaging ideas. You would be incorrect. POM Tea has come up with something truly unique. To begin with, the product is unique in that it is tea infused with pomegranate juice. But it's the packaging that stands out; the drink comes in a standard tall drinking glass with a lid and a clear shrink wrap label. Remove the label, keep the glass, it says on the label. It costs $2.79, which isn't bad for bottled tea, and you get a free glass with it. There's no need to worry about recycling because the packaging can be reused.
∙ Add a Little Something Extra to Your Packaging
You can have very standard packaging and still stand out from the crowd by simply adding a little twist to it. Amy's Kitchen has done exactly that with its pasta sauce line. It's a standard-sized jar with a standard-color label that blends in with the rest of the pasta sauce options. The paper and gold bow on the jar's lid distinguishes them. It looks like it was packaged by your grandmother, and you can't walk down the aisle of pasta sauces without noticing it.
∙ Make Your Packaging's Design the Focal Point
Most people consider the product first and the packaging second, but Method Products reversed that logic. They focused on unique packaging ideas from the start because they wanted to create beautiful packaging that you didn't have to hide in the cupboard. They developed a premium line of cleaning products with packaging displayed as a home accessory in the kitchen or bathroom. Simply walking down the aisles of any Costco or Target will show you how Method Products' focus on design sets them apart.
∙ Design Amusing Packaging
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Adults enjoy having fun as well, so fun packaging isn't just for kids. The bright colors and unusual shapes that dominate children's products can work in adult products, but a more subtle approach is usually preferable. The wine industry has begun to embrace a little more fun in its packaging. Take a look at the fun animals on wine labels these days at your local liquor store. On wine labels, we've seen penguins, kangaroos, frogs, horses, swans, and a variety of other animals. We may not be ready for a wine bottle shaped like a penguin, but a colorful penguin label can add an element of fun and stand out from more conservative wine labels.
∙ Let Your True Colors Shine Through
Candle-Lite is the candle industry's colossus, with over 160 years of continuous candle manufacturing operations. They had unique packaging ideas, and they wanted to keep it simple and colorful, consisting of a candle in a clear jar, but the colors they use are eye-catching. They use vibrant colors, frequently with multi-layered candles, and let the colors shine through with simple, clear jars. A simple label on a white background complements the jar's colors. Their candles stood out from the dozens of other brands on the shelf at my local supermarket.
∙ Use Sandwich Printing to Extend Your Labels
If you sell a clear liquid in a clear bottle, you have an option that can provide you with more packaging space for a minimal extra cost. We’re referring to printing on the back of your labels. You cannot include regulatory information on the back of your labels. Still, you can hold contests, tell a story about your company, or provide tips on using your product properly. It is a simple way to give more information to your customers while not detracting from the presentation of your package.
∙ Experiment with the Metallic Look
Most labels are printed on white or clear material, but many other options exist. Consider using metallic foil on your labels or packaging for a unique look. Compared to the same white design, the metallic look can be very striking with a good design and isn't that much more expensive.
∙ Concentrate Your Packaging on a Specific Market
Unilever's Axe product line is aimed at a specific demographic: young men aged 18 to 35. As a result, they designed their packaging to appeal to that demographic. The Axe Shower Gel packaging appears to be made of motor oil rather than shower gel. It is a thick, molded black plastic container with a rugged appearance that directly appeals to this demographic. Here's an example of a product with tailored contents and packaging to its specific target market.
∙ Combine Two Packaging Ideas
Another highly competitive industry is the beer industry, with major players constantly looking for a competitive advantage. Anheuser Busch launched a completely new packaging concept last year, which went on to win several packaging awards. The concept was so simple that it's surprising no one had thought of it before. We're all aware that beer is sold in glass bottles and aluminum cans. Anheuser Busch decided to simply combine these two concepts, and thus the aluminum bottle was born. It was unique, stylish, and eye-catching, and it was 100 percent recyclable.
∙ Seek Inspiration from Nature
Nature provides some incredible examples of "innovative packaging." Consider the banana, the pea pod, the kangaroo pouch, and the pine cone as examples of nature's efficient packaging. Nature's packaging is typically elegant, beautiful, and functional. Nature's example can inspire shapes, colors, and even packaging concepts. So, the next time you go for a walk in the woods, take a look around you and marvel at nature's innovative packaging ideas.
Introducing Strikingly
One thing that everyone agrees on is that eCommerce packaging takes time and effort. When it comes to top sustainable packaging, Strikingly offers options that help with business management in general, such as features integrated with websites, multiple product options, taxes, shipping options, and so on. Taking care of these details saves time and money that could otherwise be spent on perfecting sustainable product packaging ideas. How you present the product you intend to sell is one of the best sustainable packaging ideas. It will be beneficial to your customers, for example, if you can display a high-quality product image alongside its description and price. If you make your customers aware of all the critical details surrounding the product you want to sell, your Strikingly website will develop a strong reputation. This will allow people to buy more items and get more bang for their buck.
Finally, Some Thoughts
Packaging has evolved into an essential component of the product.
Never underestimate the power of packaging design. Custom packaging is a tool in today's competitive market for shaping how customers think, see and talk about your product. It will also benefit your brand in the long run. It's not challenging to come up with average packaging ideas, but coming up with ideas that your brand can put into action is a little more complicated. Use our cost-effective custom design tips for uniquely packaging your products and leaving lasting brand impressions.
