How To Improve Retail Packaging
When creating a marketing strategy for retail stores, what comes to mind? Big posters of your products? An amazing no-brainer offer?
All these things are important, but another factor should be your top priority. It is retail packaging. It may seem like a small task, but it has the power to push customers to purchase the product.
Retail Packaging = Customer’s First Impression Of Product
Would you buy a product wrapped in an old, worn-out newspaper? Most likely, NO.
Likewise, your customer will decide after looking at the product packaging. It should include all the necessary information and elements that educate and motivate customers to buy.
In this guide, we'll dive deeper and discuss how to level up your retail packaging. So keep reading.
Quick Reading: Retail packaging is unique and compels customers to pick up your product and purchase it. You can elevate it by focusing on your target audience and brand identity. Don't ignore packaging integrity testing, and spice up packaging with seasonal colors.
What Is Custom Retail Packaging?
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Custom retail packaging refers to specially designed packaging for products that reflect brand identity, protect the product, and improve the customer experience. It's not generic packaging; it's unique to the product and brand.
Retail packaging varies greatly depending on the customer.
- Is the customer purchasing the product in-store?
- Are they shopping online?
In-store retail packaging safeguards the product during transit and conveys crucial information to customers. As a result, the product gets the user's attention, thus pushing them to buy it. Sometimes, it also includes bags, which customers use to carry the items.
Meanwhile, online packaging uses branded envelopes and boxes. The purpose is to show more about your brand and provide a memorable unboxing experience for customers.
The size and measurements may vary according to the packaging. Successful retail packaging defines and promotes the brand. Initially, customers interact with the brand through product packaging.
Ways To Level Up Your Retail Product Packaging
Retail product packaging involves a lot of work. From design to color selection, font to material, all factors play a major role in elevating packaging.
Focusing on functionality isn't enough; your retail packaging should make the product stand out from the crowd. Here are some tips for creating successful retail packaging for your business.
Focus On Your Brand Identity
Before thinking about design, font, and color, immerse yourself in the brand you're working with and be clear about its important aspects.
- Style
- Mission
- Purpose
- Target audience
- Value they provide
After clarifying these aspects, you should choose a color palette that resonates with your brand. Then, focus on the typography and font of the product packaging. To get a better idea of the brand, visit its website, social media presence, and marketing materials, which include brochures and mailers.
Ensure that your retail packaging seamlessly fits in it. The purpose is to reinforce brand recognition while keeping packaging fresh.
Utilize Tools To Streamline Workflow
With technological advancement, utilizing the right tools is more important than ever. You might have used design tools such as CorelDraw, Adobe Dimension, and ArtiosCAD to design packaging.
But you no longer need to rely on doing all of this manually. So what should you do then?
Embrace the power of artificial intelligence to level up your packaging. Many people think that AI-assisted label creation involves typing a prompt in Mid Journey. It's more than that. However, you can use it as a starting point to make your retail packaging successful.
Check out more about how Artificial Intelligence impacts the packaging industry in this in-depth guide.
Prioritize Package Integrity Testing
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Packaging integrity testing is often ignored but can lead to serious consequences. In this testing, you check every nitty-gritty of the product. It's a great way to test how well packaging holds up in adverse conditions. This includes rough handling during shipping, rain, changing extreme temperatures, etc.
While doing package integrity testing, make sure to test for leaks. This will give you a clear idea of the package's withstand ability when dropped. Assess the overall strength of the packaging to check if it's good to go.
Analyze Your Target Market
Your customers are your business's biggest asset. That's why packaging should be made with them in mind. It doesn't mean learning about where they live or their favorite color—not at all.
It's about conducting thorough market research and gathering insights into your target audience:
- Demographics: Age, gender, income level, education.
- Psychographics: Lifestyle, values, interests, purchasing behavior.
- Preferences: Packaging colors, styles, and materials they are drawn to.
If you create retail packaging while considering these things, it'll resonate with the audience and nudge them to buy the product. After all, if your product is for teenagers, you don't want to ruin it by making the packaging for boomers. So, ensure your packaging aligns with the target audience.
Spice Up During Seasonal Changes
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Have you noticed that all the products are tinted orange during Halloween? The color changes with every holiday. Is it just a random thing?
Not at all.
It's a unique marketing strategy that is extremely effective. People love purchasing products that align with the season. They serve as a cozy reminder that the festivity season is at its peak.
One of the best examples of this strategy is Oreo.
During Halloween, Oreos don't come in their usual black-and-white packaging. Instead, they have orange-colored filling, and even the packaging is spooky. It's a quick reminder that the Halloween vibe is on.
They switch to red or green fillings and festive packaging with holiday motifs for Christmas. These changes make Oreos feel special and timely, boosting sales during these seasons. You can adjust this strategy for your brand accordingly.
Memorable Packaging Experience
When you visit a retail shop, do you talk with the company's direct employee? Or do you just look at the shelf, read the packaging, and decide to purchase or skip the product?
You'll most likely choose the second option.
Because consumers are in a hurry, they have little time. You need to convince them to buy your product in this short time. The packaging design should be straightforward and inform the customer about the product. Avoid adding any irrelevant information.
Wrong Information On Packaging = Legal Issues
It also makes your brand suspicious, and customers may never buy from you again. You don't want that to happen. Right?
So, make sure your packaging tells the story of the product through text and graphics. Clear labeling is an industry trend that will never be outdated.
Visuals should be related to the products. That's why you'll often see fruits on juice packaging. It makes customers crave the product, and they eventually end up buying it. With die-cut windows, customers can get a sneak peek of what's inside the product.
Don't Ignore Sustainability
There's one thing that the world needs to get rid of as soon as possible. Because it does a lot of harm to the environment, what is it?
It's Plastic.
According to statistics, more than 140 million tonnes of plastic packaging are produced worldwide every year. Due to its adverse effects, customers are more inclined towards sustainable packaging. They don't want to contribute to the toxicity of the environment, so they opt for brands and products that use recyclable packaging. But is this a new trend that will die over time?
No.
Companies are noticing this, and that's why they are implementing sustainable packaging approaches. LEGO is a famous company that already uses cardboard for outer packaging. However, single LEGO pieces are wrapped in single-use plastic bags.
But that didn't happen for long.
Because LEGO is making efforts to phase out single-use plastics by 2025, according to the latest information, they'll do it in favor of recyclable kraft paper packaging.
To Sum Up
If you want to improve your retail packaging, follow the methods mentioned in this article. Want to go one step ahead?
Then, analyze your competitors. Look at their strategies and see if you can implement them in your product packaging. This will help you get your customers' undivided attention.
Want to explore how to increase sales of your product in retail through packaging?
Reach out to our team of experts today. At Altro Labels, we provide businesses with high-quality labels and packaging, contributing to their exponential growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are The Examples Of Retail Packaging?
Several examples of retail product packaging exist. Some of the most common examples include paperboard, rigid, and corrugated boxes. Each packaging type is unique and has different benefits. You should choose the packaging according to your budget, type of product, and sustainability goals.
How Important Is Packaging In Retail?
In retail, First Impressions Count. They are extremely important because they are the first point of contact between customers and products. Apple has successfully mastered this strategy. They create unique and well-designed packaging that attracts the customer's attention and evokes emotion.
How Can I Increase My Retail Sales?
If you want to increase retail sales, it's important to incorporate technology in the packaging. Use smart labels and barcodes to tell customers more about your product. Furthermore, focus on social media advertising, content marketing, and at-the-point-of-sale.