The role custom packaging design plays in your e-commerce business
Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash
The COVID-19 pandemic has left the world in a crisis. In addition to the toll it has taken on people’s health, millions have lost their jobs. Businesses big and small have had to scale back or seize operations.
Still, there’s a silver lining. The lockdown restrictions enforced by numerous countries have resulted in unforeseen and unprecedented e-commerce growth. As more consumers shift to online shopping, product packaging is poised to play an even bigger role in the online business boom.
E-commerce turning point
COVID-19 may have slowed down economic activity, but it has also led to a surge in e-commerce and accelerated digital transformation.
In March 2021, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), in cooperation with eTrade, released the COVID-19 and E-Commerce: A Global Review. The report looks back on the powerful global and regional industry transformations recorded throughout 2020.
One significant finding showed that businesses and consumers went increasingly digital. More goods and services were provided and purchased online. This trend raised e-commerce’s share of the global retail trade from 14 percent in 2019 to about 17 percent in 2020.
The report demonstrates a strong uptake of e-commerce across regions. The trend will likely be sustained even through the recovery stage in this pandemic. But while smaller players may have gained a deeper foothold, their market presence is still dwarfed by the digital giants.
If you run a small e-commerce shop, the right custom packaging design will help your business attract new customers and retain old ones.
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Why custom packaging matters in e-commerce
When it comes to online shopping, the packaging is more than just a cardboard box.
Since so many people buy stuff off the internet, it’s not uncommon to hear stories of small items placed in comically large boxes. Or an Amazon box showing up at one’s front door looking so damaged that it could only have gone through hell and high water to reach its intended recipient.
These stories are amusing and annoying in equal measure. However, parcels and boxes often arrive without a hitch, on time and intact. That’s the expectation, of course.
But what if you could provide more? What if you could make those parcels so delightful that customers will be looking forward to things shipped from your store? What if they love the whole thing so much that they’ll want to keep the box as well as the item they bought from you?
Well-thought-out e-commerce packaging can have a massive impact on your business’s success. It can do the following:
- Help minimize the volume (and cost) of returns
- Contribute to fostering customer loyalty
- Get your branding in front of more people
Who knows? Your packaging could be so good that it ends up in an unboxing video of a top YouTuber with millions of subscribers.
Other benefits
Good packaging improves your customer return rate
Nowhere is the importance of packaging more clearly demonstrated than in its potential effect on your bottom line. In a retail setting, your well-designed packaging has (hopefully) already done the job of catching the right attention and ensuring a sale.
When your packaging creates a positive first impression, it increases the likelihood of repeat business. Food products, cosmetics, electronic merchandise—this is true regardless of what you sell.
A sale is completed first for online purchases, and several days pass before your packaging is revealed to the consumer. As such, you must consider how the product gets to the customer and how the unboxing experience occurs.
Whether you are selling food products or electronics, you must not neglect to consider the impression that your packaging has on the end user if you want repeat business.
Photo by Robert Katzki on Unsplash
Good packaging protects the actual product
Custom box sizes and packaging leads to increased safety for shipped products. As a result, there are fewer worries when packages are already in transit. If your company and brand can ship out orders in pristine condition, you can build a good relationship with customers. They will see that you care and that you are reliable. So they won’t hesitate to purchase your products a second, third, or even a fourth time.
It’s a wrap
The slightest nuance can either make a loyal customer or send them buying from another business. This is true regardless of what you sell; however, it is particularly crucial if you’re selling products off the internet.
Customers don’t have the luxury of actually seeing, feeling, touching, or tasting the product. Thus, it becomes even more important to sell something that’s not only made well but packaged beautifully too!
Custom packaging that’s carefully designed and made from quality materials is a must-have. Your custom packaging can be that little piece of added value that will attract more customers and keep them coming back for more.
It is vital to consider all aspects of the customer’s experience with your product when deciding how to package it, from setting expectations using your brand image to the unboxing experience.
Follow the latest updates in packaging trends in your niche. Be open to feedback and gauge consumer satisfaction with your design. Finally, be patient with any changes you implement. And when all of that is said and done, you’ll see a positive effect on your brand and sales.
