Black Friday Packaging Ideas for Businesses 2023

Provide your customers with a great unboxing experience this Black Friday.

Black Friday is one of the biggest days for sales in the calendar. In 2022, the UK spent £4.8 billion on Black Friday retail. Black Friday falls on the last weekend in November, so this year is Friday, 23rd November, with Cyber Monday on the 27th. 

The eCommerce space is now ferociously competitive, and when you factor in events like Cyber Monday and last-minute Christmas shopping — plus a few Boxing Day deals to boot — there’s no better time to invest in packaging that will protect your products and give your customers a fantastic experience with your brand.

Additionally, more consumers are becoming increasingly eco-conscious in their purchasing decisions. Nowadays, people seek more than a fantastic product with aesthetically pleasing eCommerce packaging. Sustainability matters, too. 

Many consumers defer their purchases to nab one-off deals in November, but how can the perfect eCommerce packaging help you capitalise on Black Friday this time around?

How to Prepare Your eCommerce Packaging for Black Friday

Competition is high, but generating sales relies on more than offering good deals. Your marketing strategy needs to effectively promote your business, and your eCommerce packaging for Black Friday needs to protect your products effectively. It also needs to be a good representation of your brand. Subsequently, much of your success on Black Friday and other important dates is about your planning and preparation.

What Does Good eCommerce Packaging Look Like?

In the world of Black Friday retail, you need to stand out. Here are some surefire Black Friday packaging ideas to get you on track to drive sales in November and beyond.

Damage Prevention

Take the appropriate steps to prevent fragile products from becoming damaged in transit. Damaged products will inevitably result in customer disappointment, returns and nightmare reviews. Make sure your products fit snugly into their eCommerce packaging. Book Wrap Mailers and Twist Lock Book Boxes have multi-depth features, allowing you to pack a range of products in different sizes. This ultimately saves money spent on varying box sizes in small quantities. 

Another tip is to use eco-friendly void fill to occupy the space between your products and your packaging, shielding them from the elements during shipping.

Damage prevention will also help your business avoid receiving large volumes of returns after Black Friday. Damaged items can be costly for a business, but ensuring your packaging for Black Friday is very secure will reduce the risk of damaged items. Black Friday can generate large volumes of sales, so the last thing you want is large volumes of returns, too. 

Related: How to Pack Fragile Items for Shipping

Maximum Fulfilment Efficiency 

Fulfilment is vital to your business, especially in the hectic lead-up to Black Friday and Christmas. Your packaging should be easy to pack and seal to make your packaging operation smooth and streamlined. Opt for self-seal postal boxes or compostable mailing bags to keep everything ticking along and reduce the need for additional tape. 

Encouraging Repeat Purchases

Including a discount code in your packages will encourage customers to make repeat purchases. You can take this a step further by including a referral code that customers can pass on to their friends and loved ones, promoting your business as a result.

Packaging Presentation

Eye-catching packaging is a must. It plays a key role in influencing a customer’s purchasing decision. Unboxing is now a whole experience in itself. 

Consider your brand’s message and how certain colours have different psychological associations. You need your logo and messaging to be clear but also well-designed. Consider going custom with us and consulting our in-house designers to help you refine your brand aesthetics.

Custom-made packaging solutions can be created to offer greater protection for your products. Custom inserts can hold your products in place while mitigating the need for void fill. This is especially useful for premium, high-value products. Check out our custom rigid boxes. Branding options increase exposure — our branded eCommerce boxes make the perfect selection for small to medium-sized products if you’re looking for a branded solution on a budget.

Related: Can Good Packaging Increase Sales?

Boost Your Online Presence 

Encourage customers to share their experiences with your brand via social media to promote your business. Include a unique hashtag that consumers can use to help you track online engagements and reshare user-generated content. 

If you’re understaffed or likely to feel the pinch over the coming months, we offer a flexible and scalable fulfilment service to help you at peak periods. No matter the size of your operation, we can help with a standard pick, pack and despatch service or something more specialised.

Eco-Friendly eCommerce Packaging

Replacing non-recyclable packaging is a great way to protect your parcels and the planet, too. We’re the UK’s first plastic-free packaging supplier, offering versatile packaging in bulk. Our stock packaging can be dispatched with next-day delivery, so you’re always stocked up and ready to fulfil your customers’ orders.

According to research, 74% of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable packaging. Eco-consciousness is on the rise, and you can appeal to a green-minded audience by making your eCommerce packaging sustainable. Our brown and white postal boxes are made from at least 80% recycled paper and are 100% recyclable, home-compostable and biodegradable — helping you beat the 2022 Plastic Packaging Tax. 

In-Store Black Friday Packaging

Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals aren’t limited to online sales. If you have a bricks and mortar shop, you should also use this as an opportunity to maximise sales in-store. 

Prepare for an influx of high footfall throughout the weekend, from Black Friday to Cyber Monday. In 2022, shopping centres saw an increase of 16.8% footfall, while the number of visits to high streets rose by 11.3%. Preparation is key to ensuring that you can make the most of these high volumes of customers. 

Black Friday discounts can lead to an increase in the number of items a customer will purchase. Twisted handle paper bags are a great option for shops, and their robust handle will hold a significant weight even when loaded with multiple items! 

Black Packaging for Black Friday

If you really want to embrace the theme, black packaging is a striking look that is easy to achieve. You can simply switch out your usual packaging for a black version. 

Switch to black compostable mailing bags for weekend orders so your customers get extra excited when they receive the post! They’ll know it’s their bargain purchase from Black Friday or Cyber Monday.

If you don’t plan to switch up your packaging completely, you can easily update one element for Black Friday or Cyber Monday packaging. Opt for printed sleeve boxes that allow you to experiment with different custom sleeve designs. That way, your packaging for Black Friday remains consistent with your usual packaging, but you can make changes to the labelling to mark the sale. 

If you have a retail shop, you could use black carrier bags for the weekend, helping to create a buzz in store. As people carry your black paper bags around, other potential customers will spot that your shop is having a Black Friday sale and may be convinced to come and visit you. 

You may want to offer gift wrap for the weekend, wrapping purchases in tissue paper to add an extra special touch at the checkout. You could even opt for dark tissue paper to really lean into Black Friday! 

Ordering eCommerce Packaging for Black Friday

Make sure you’re not caught short when Black Friday rolls around. Our eCommerce packaging is cost-efficient, convenient, and can be delivered quickly. It’ll also help you slash your company’s carbon footprint since all our eco-friendly packaging is recyclable, biodegradable and compostable. 

Plus, did you know we’re an officially carbon neutral company? So, simply buying from us is an environmentally friendly act. If you’re looking for a custom packaging solution, we offer various digital printing options to get branded packaging in time for Black Friday and beyond.

Visit our online shop for eco-friendly packaging available with next-day delivery, or get in touch for a free custom design quote.