Why Product Packaging Plays the Vital Role in eCommerce?

Packaging serves many purposes. It protects the product from any physical damage that might occur during transportation, storage, handling, and transit. It also safeguards the contents from external factors like heat, light, humidity, and moisture.

 

But, there’s more to packaging than just functionality. There’s a direct correlation between the quality of packaging and better sales, brand recognition, customer satisfaction, and ROI.

According to a study 50% of customers are likely to repeat the purchase solely based on premium packaging.  

 

Role of Product Packaging in eCommerce

 

First Impressions are Everything

Humans are visual creatures. If something looks good, we are inclined to think it’s good value and quality-wise as well. A package that is easy to unbox and open says a lot about the business.

 

It says that the business puts a lot of thought and consideration into taking care of little things.

 

Those first impressions can go a long way in making sure that the customer comes back to you. We’re more like buying a book solely based on the cover regardless of the content inside.

 

Packaging is the first point of interaction between the customer and the actual physical product. It’s your first chance at grabbing their attention and leaving a great impression. Other than focusing on the graphic design, you should also look into the ease of removing and unboxing the product. A flexible packaging ensures that.

 

Improves your ROI

Perhaps the number one reason brands should take their packaging seriously is the direct impact it has on the business bottom line. It starts right from the moment a customer eyed the product first on a website.

 

And, because there are perhaps already hundreds of other businesses selling the same product, it’s often the packaging that appeals to the senses of a potential customer. As already mentioned, we often like to judge a book by its cover.

 

Right from initiating and finalizing a sale, to get a repeat customer, packaging continues to play a huge role.

 

Other than how the actual product looks physically, you should also look into how it arrives at your customer’s doorsteps and the overall experience of opening it which is a lot like opening a gift.

 

Gives Your Competitive Edge

eCommerce is a highly competitive landscape. There are literally hundreds of sellers claiming to sell quality products for any given niche.

 

In such a cut-throat scenario, a nice-looking product and even nicer packaging can often come to your rescue.

 

It gives people a reason to choose you over other brands. Wrapping your product in a bow or placing a little card can go a long way in securing you a competitive edge in the long term.

 

It’s a Powerful Motivator for Social Sharing

This is 2021! It’s the age of social media where people want to share everything online. They want to share where they went, which movie they saw, and WHAT THEY BOUGHT. They even like to tag their favorite brands in the posts.

 

But, if the packaging is sloppy they would never want to share that on social media. They need something eye-catching, chic, and premium-looking to show off.

 

That’s where packaging comes in. Premium packaging speaks of luxury and anything luxe is worth sharing on social media.

 

The more social media shares you can get, the more free publicity will come your way. It’s one of the biggest free marketing tools in your arsenal.

 

Better Brand Recognition/Branding

The way you package your product is a reflection of your brand philosophy. It also becomes a part of your branding.

 

Take Apple for example. If you have ever bought any of their products, you would know that opening their product is like a world-class experience. It’s highly intuitive, aesthetically pleasing, tactile, and sturdy. It’s not at all clumsy or frustrating. Check out iJustine’s Macbook Pro unboxing video to see what we mean.

 

This is something that over the years people have started associating with Apple as a brand. You too can achieve the same level of recognition with a little bit of thought and creativity.

 

Encourages Repeat Purchases

There's a reason most of us like going to the same restaurant, ordering the same food, and even watching our favorite movie over and over.

 

That’s because there’s an assurance of quality. It’s the same with physical products. If the packaging is appealing enough, your customers can spot them easily in a supermarket aisle.

 

This is even better in the eCommerce landscape where customer retention is a huge challenge. Packing is a powerful arsenal to break the resistance and keep customers hooked on buying a product they can rely on.

 

Innovative Packaging Adds Value

Think of packaging as an opportunity to add value in real-time. You are not just using fancy words here. This is concrete. Anything you can do to induce that ‘it’s much more than what I expect’ is a great thing to get them to keep coming back.

 

You can achieve that reaction in a lot of ways. For example, you can put discount coupons, free stickers, a handy booklet, or a free product like tiny tea sachets. You can even personalize it with thank-you notes and branded tissues. This is the perfect way to establish a sense of loyalty in your customer's mind.

 

They will associate a positive experience with your product. It also gives them something to look forward to during their next order.

 

Bottom Line

Quality packaging can be a game-changer for your business. If you do things right, you can even bag a higher price for the same quality merchandise. People are often ready to pay a higher price for a product just because it looks fancy. That’s the power of visual appeal.

Comments

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
CAPTCHA
This question is for preventing automated spam submissions.