The moment your shipment reaches your customer’s hands, you have established a connection — and an opportunity to make a lasting impression. When you’re thoughtful about shipping, packaging and presentation of your products, your customers may remember the “unboxing” experience as much as the product itself.
Take advantage of this unique touch point by understanding how branded packaging can set you and your store apart from the competition.
- Tip 1: Understand what branded packaging is. Branded packaging is your opportunity to make your shop memorable as your customer opens your shipment. It’s a chance to communicate to buyers how much you value what you sell and who you sell it to. Whether you spring for custom-branded or other specialty boxes, colorful filler and note cards, or simply include a heartfelt, personalized note, shoppers view branded packaging as something special and exclusive. In fact, research shows that more than half of consumers are likely to make repeat purchases when their e-commerce purchases come to them via branded packaging — and nearly 4 in 10 are apt to share news and photos of “unboxing” via social media.
- Tip 2: Assemble the elements you’ll need for branded packaging. When it comes to branded packaging, you can go premium all the way, or use your creativity to develop a less costly unboxing experience that still makes an impact. Boxes, filler, tissue paper, stickers/decals and promotional material are all elements you may want to consider. Also, think about what you sell and how you can pique shoppers’ interest in their future purchases. For example, if you sell handmade soaps, consider making sample sizes and including one with each order. Spend some time assembling prototype shipments so you have a good idea of how your products fit along with your branded packaging items. For inspiration, pay attention to shipments that you receive personally: What impresses you? What seems extraneous?
- Tip 3: Examine the costs of branded packaging. In terms of cost, boxes generally tend to be a pricey component, with custom boxes ranging from $5 to $25 a piece. As an alternative, colorful, pre-designed boxes can wow your customers at a fraction of the cost. Either way, remember that if you’re committed to branded packaging and have the storage space available, bulk orders can bring the cost of boxing and other packaging components down. Track feedback from your customers, social media activity, repeat orders and referrals to gauge how successful your branded packaging is.
The Bottom Line
Creating branded packaging is increasingly popular with e-commerce sellers, and you may find that it plays a significant role in getting customers to make repeat purchases at your e-commerce store.
