Countless companies across the globe are focused on making their products the best they can possibly be, but in the modern world, more than ever before, it’s also important to think about the packaging of your products too. Packaging design is critical in today’s world, and a well-designed box, bag, or packet can make or break a product, with the best packaging design able to turn customer’s heads and encourage them to switch brands and try something new.
How Product Packaging Affects Buying Decisions
In the modern world, consumers are much more discerning about the products they buy. They don’t simply get the first thing they see, nor do they always stick to the same old brands. A lot of factors can go into their buying decisions, and packaging design is most certainly one of them. When walking into a store, a lot of different items can vie for a customer’s attention. Let’s look at shampoos as an example. A customer might walk into a store, take a stroll down the shampoo aisle, and be bamboozled by countless colors, patterns, styles, and more.
Different people will respond to this in different ways, but it’s quite common for people’s eyes to be drawn by packaging that stands out from the crowd. In our example, a customer might be instantly attracted to shampoos with bright colors and bold designs, overlooking bland white bottles with dull aesthetics. This shows how packaging can play a part in buying decisions. People are much more likely to pick up products and look more closely at them when they have attractive designs. What’s more, people can feel more of a connection to brands that put in the effort with their packaging and are more likely to see these brands as professional and trustworthy too.
Why Product Packaging Is Important
There are many different reasons why you have to focus on product packaging as a big part of your business strategy. Here are just a few:
- Brand Image – Like your logo, website, and social media accounts, your product packaging plays a huge part in building the image of your brand. When we think of the most famous brands on Earth, we can literally picture their packaging in our minds. If you want the same levels of recognition, you have to make packaging that stands out.
- Competition – Product packaging can also help you compete with other companies. In every industry and niche, there are always going to be other companies offering similar products to you and trying to attract the same customers. The right packaging can help you stand out from the crowd.
- Cost – Believe it or not, product packaging has a massive effect on costs too and can hugely influence your budget. The materials you use, designs you opt for, and types of packaging you select for your products can all have a part to play in how much you spend and how much you need to charge for your goods as well.
Expectations vs. Reality in Product Packaging
While packaging design is critical for your company, it’s important to be realistic about what it can and can’t do. There are a lot of myths, misrepresentations, and misunderstandings in regard to packaging, so let’s take a look at some quick comparisons of expectations vs. reality.
- Success – Some business owners put an incredible amount of effort into the packaging because they believe and expect that it can actually make their business successful on its own. This simply isn’t true. Good packaging can help you grow and develop your brand, and will play a part in your success, but it’s not the only factor. You still need good products, quality service, effective marketing, and more.
- Depth – Some people expect that handling packaging design should be quite easy. They believe that it’s little more than coming up with a simple logo design and some basic branding. In reality, branding and packaging design go way deeper than that. Colors, shapes, layouts, forms, phrases, slogans, and more can all play a part in solid packaging design.
- Simplicity – Don’t expect packaging design to be easy. Some people make the mistake of thinking that creating boxes and bags is relatively simple and can be taken care of without any specialist experience or expertise. In reality, if you want perfect packaging, you need to turn to the pros.
How Consumer Expectations Impact Modern Product Packaging
In the modern world, many customers have higher demands and stricter standards than they did in the past, and we’re seeing businesses across the world respond to this in their packaging design. For example, as people increasingly worry about the health of the planet and try to lead greener, more eco-friendly lives, they will tend to favor brands who focus on minimal packaging with reduced waste, rather than those who put lots of excess plastic or card into their designs. More people are shopping online too, so brands have to respond with packaging that can travel long distances and keep items safe during the delivery process, and we’re also seeing brands opting for more minimalistic labeling on their packaging too in order to meet modern expectations. These are just some ways in which consumer expectations are changing the face of packaging design as we know it, and it’s up to every business owner to make the right choices and ensure that their packaging keeps up with the times.
She has spent the last 11+ years helping aspiring entrepreneurs start new businesses, raise capital and get connected to the resources they need to grow and thrive. She also spent this time helping B2B and B2C companies generate more leads and sales for their businesses via web development and the implementation of various digital marketing and advertising strategies.
She's worked with micro-enterprises with less than 50 employees, small businesses with less than 500 employees (such as Campbell Ewald) and mid-sized to large companies such as (Accenture and CDK Global). She specializes in providing marketing services to startups and micro-enterprises (with less than 50 employees) and companies in the finance and insurance industries. In addition, she has served on boards (as a Commissioner) for local municipalities including the Inkster Downtown Development Authority and Economic Development Corporation.
She enjoys writing about her experiences as an entrepreneur and using data and information from reliable sources to back up what she writes about. Through her writing she aims to educate other entrepreneurs on how to launch successful businesses and build wealth through entrepreneurship.
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