Can Good Packaging Increase Sales?

There’s a lot to be said for eye-catching packaging. According to a recent study conducted by the Paper and Packaging board, 72% of consumers said the product’s packaging design influenced their purchase decisions. 

Aesthetic packaging can help you stand out from the crowd as a brand and drive sales for your products. If you’re in the retail business, you’ll know shops pay for shelf space, so it’s in their best interest to promote products and packaging that will sell. 

Of course, there are other important factors in increasing revenue alongside compelling packaging — these include:

1. Price Sensitivity — are your products priced competitively for your market?
2. Product Range — do you have a suitable range of products to suit your audience?
3. Production Materials — are you paying too much for packaging and production materials?
4. Marketplace Reach — who’s buying your products? Are you doing enough to advertise to them? 

There’s a lot to think about, but the first place to start is an all-important first impression. The idea is to utilise customer preconceptions and target your appeal by producing packaging that entices consumers to try out your product.

Packaging in Marketing 

Packaging is a marketing tool that informs your customer about your product. Using unique elements like fonts, colours and images is essential to creating an eye-catching display. 

It’s a good idea to consider these elements before you embark on your packaging design:

• Think about your logo and brand name. Does it sum up your product well? Is the font readable? 
• Create a catchy slogan or a tagline to add buyer incentive.
• Use adjectives that outline the benefits of your product and the problem it solves. 
• Provide vouchers, discounts and samples to entice customers back for more.
• Include contact information so you are an easily accessible and memorable company to buy from in the future!

These are some basic tips to inspire you on your packaging design journey, but you might still wonder why packaging is so important. After all, it’s the product your customer is after. Right?

Wrong!

Let’s dive into ways to increase your business sales, and explore why it’s so important to invest in high-quality, appealing packaging. 

How Packaging Works with Branding

Product unboxing is not only a practicality but is now an experience within itself. 

Good packaging allows your product to speak to the consumer before they’ve even opened it. Unboxing videos are their own genre on YouTube, as content creators rate packaging in the same league as the product. 

If your company sells subscription boxes, the look of the packaging is especially important for a repeat purchase. Themed and seasonal packaging designs can encourage repeat purchases, offering something new each month. From the colours and fonts used to the size and weight of the packaging, it all contributes to the consumer experience. A positive unboxing experience can boost sales from new customers and prompt them to buy again, consolidating your consumer base. 

Think about the story you want to tell with your packaging without words. Try answering some of the questions we asked earlier to guide you. 

Stuck for Design Ideas? 

Customise your packaging for your business and make it on your own. Custom packaging is a cost-effective way to get your brand noticed. Packaging Supplies can design custom-printed boxes and bags to your exacting standards. 

Our imaginative design experts are also on hand to help you create unique packaging designs for your product — perfectly representing your brand. Impress customers with bespoke, personalised packaging, which speaks volumes about your business. 

Case Study: Bueno Gelato’s Branded Boxes

Bueno Gelato came to us with a strong design for their pizza-style boxes. We made it happen for less than they anticipated using some clever printing techniques. 

Not only did we save our client money, but we also preserved valuable printing resources, further protecting the environment. 

We did this by printing their chosen four-colour artwork onto packaging that had a white outer lining. This meant we were able to use the white base material itself for the white elements of the design.

Because we saved materials, we were able to cost the job as a three-colour flexo print, reducing both the unit price and printing plate cost. Plus, printing onto white paper always reproduces a truer colour match to the client’s chosen Pantone or CMYK reference, compared to printing on Kraft paper. 

This helped us achieve a vibrant design that the client was extremely happy with.

Creating Original and Inventive Packaging 

Packaging for your products shouldn’t be an afterthought. Most consumers make decisions in seconds. Microsoft recently conducted a study that found our attention span online is around nine seconds — the average attention span of a goldfish. 

When it comes to cheaper products, consumers can make even hastier purchasing decisions. This is why it’s crucial to make your packaging striking to increase sales. 

You can achieve this in several ways. First and foremost, we’ve established that it’s got to look the part. Secondly, it might be worth thinking about “intelligent packaging”. In the industry, this is the name given to packaging that solves a problem in an innovative way. 

Eco-Friendly Packaging

Examples include sustainable and biodegradable packaging — like mycelium, bioengineered from fungi, moulded sugarcane pulp and recycled cardboard. 

With 74% of consumers willing to pay more for sustainable packaging, eco-consciousness amongst consumers is rising. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to appeal to a green-minded audience by making your packaging sustainable. 

Related: 5 Surprising Benefits of Biodegradable Packaging

There are many options available, like postal boxes made from recycled paper, which are 100% home-compostable and biodegradable. Even your tape and void fill can be eco-friendly. Invest in biodegradable and compostable EcoNutz as a polystyrene pellet alternative or paper tape to secure your products. 

As most consumers become more environmentally conscious, they’re likely to factor in your packaging as a reason to purchase. Even if your product is groundbreaking, make it a winning combination with sustainable packaging to increase sales.

Adding Value to Increase Sales

Encompassing branding within your packaging design enhances the unboxing experience and makes your products memorable. A well-thought-out design can influence sales and consolidate existing consumer relationships with your brand. 

But appealing packaging in marketing isn’t just about creating short-term impact. It can add value to your brand’s product. With crafty use of colours, materials and designs, you can make your offering more appealing.

Case Study: Cara Capsules Eco-Friendly Shipping Boxes

Cara Capsules needed four print variations to ship their reusable coffee capsules. Each design contained some white print on a natural background. White print on Kraft paper is incredibly popular, but it can be difficult to execute.

By recommending digital printing onto white paper for the inside of the boxes, we were able to produce a clear, crisp white print with easy-to-read information. The outside of the box was kept natural, giving a more rustic look and feel. We were able to deliver consistent quality across a range of packaging that would’ve been expensive using different techniques.

Flexo printing would’ve required four separate printing plates to produce similar results, all at a cost to Cara Capsules, but we saved them money by opting to go digital.

The Benefits of Digital Printing

Inevitably, different product lines sell at different rates, with some lines needing replenishing more than others. Using digital-printing methods, we kept the overall print-run quantity and cost the same to our client, but they benefited from some added flexibility.

Cara Capsules could choose the individual print quantities for each design according to their needs. Plus, alterations to print design could be made at any time free of charge, which wouldn’t have been possible with other print techniques. This made updating existing designs on-the-fly easy to manage and without added expense.

Crafting a Positive Experience with Your Brand

It isn’t just how your product is packaged that increases sales. You should be providing a premium service at the same time. This can come down to customer service, product quality and delivery. 

Ensure your website is up to date with all the relevant information. Consumers are far more likely to purchase based on trusting your site and expertise. Great packaging is the finishing touch and the reason why they’ll come back for more. 

Free samples of your product are a clever way to entice your customers to purchase from you and feel confident in making the right decision. Buying online has its risks, and consumers want to feel reassured they’re selecting the best possible product. There’s no better way to do this than to give them a chance to try it out and, ultimately, want more!

You’re a step ahead of your competition if you can reassure consumers with fast, tracked and affordable delivery. Minimising logistical stress is a brilliant way to drive sales for your business. 

Even better, choose a courier, like DPD, committed to sustainability — so your entire circular supply chain is green. Another selling point for your customers! 

Why Packaging Will Always Be Important

Well-designed packaging persuades customers to purchase your product. The right packaging will also protect your product from damage in transit, resulting in fewer customer returns. 

Plus, if the packaging is too hard to open, consumers won’t make repeat purchases. That’s why it’s crucial to get your packaging right at a fundamental level. With over forty years of experience in the packaging industry, we know a thing or two about creating simple, effective packaging.

The perfect packaging enables you to establish trust with your customers and win repeat business, giving them a positive experience they’ll want to tell the world about.

Take the hassle out of creating branded packaging. Get a free, custom design quote within 48 hours and let us help you produce stylish and sustainable packaging that helps your business thrive.