4 Reasons You Should Invest in Well-Designed Custom Boxes

In today’s competitive e-commerce market, your business must stand out. Both food brands displayed along grocery aisles and e-commerce companies delivering packages need to make a strong impression. According to NielsenIQ, the average U.S. grocery stock has more than 39,000 items that can easily overwhelm consumers. Big Commerce reports that by 2023, eCommerce will comprise 22% of global retail sales.

Online and offline businesses alike face increasing competition that demands a serious step up in marketing, which includes getting creative and strategic with custom boxes.

Delivery packages are the only tactile experience a customer has of an e-commerce company. Every other interaction is done online, which removes the personalized experience they can have of your brand. The custom box you send out will provide the tactile interaction that will help you convince customers to do more business with you. For brick-and-mortar stores, the packaging is what draws consumers to your item against the competition. In either case, having a blank or subpar box design gives the wrong impression and can remove you from the customer’s initial choices.

Apart from distinction, there are many benefits of custom boxes. Find out how your business will thrive upon investing time and money in this crucial detail.

What are the benefits of custom packaging?

Products are protected throughout transit.

Before anything else, the product delivered or displayed should stay intact inside the custom package. Having a custom package that is sturdy and extra durable shows you are a reliable and trustworthy business. Choose a container that will protect the item(s) and keep them looking good as new. Product boxes are the go-to for individual items, while mailer boxes are recommended for a gift set or several items of different sizes.

You can include packaging accessories to cushion the items inside the box. Wrap an item in tissue paper or add custom inserts inside the mailer box to retain the product’s shape. You can also seal perishable food inside pouches to extend its shelf life.

Take charge of the image customers have of your brand.

Customizing the box design and curating the unboxing experience establishes the image customers make about your business. Every sensory detail—from the colors, patterns, embellishments, fonts, material, to copy—work together to build your brand’s reputation.

Approach the color choice and combination with intent. What do you want the customers to feel upon seeing the colors on the package? You might want to study color psychology and see which effects align with your visual brand guidelines. If you incorporate patterns into the design, what purpose do they serve and do these patterns suit the colors you used? Look at how the overall package works to bring the impression you want on customers.

Create a shareable experience customers will advertise on their social media.

Free advertising is always a big help for small businesses. By creating an unforgettable unboxing experience, your customers will want to share through photos or videos of your custom box on social media. With enough consumers showing off how well their swag is packaged, customers generate organic interest with each post. You’ll gain more visitors to your site or social media pages, which can lead to more first-time sales. Here are a few tips that can help distinguish your custom package’s unboxing reveal:

• Add a personalized note. Include a postcard with the customer’s name or print a greeting on the mailer box. They’ll be more inclined to show off the special treatment with this special touch.
• Build anticipation with added layers before revealing the purchased items. The items bought shouldn’t be visible upon opening the box—especially for delivered items. Adding tissue or wrapping paper, bubble wrap, and other protective layers show you invest in the packaging for your customers. It also creates more excitement as they remove each layer.
• Present the items in an organized manner. When you’re shipping multiple items, they should be delivered with an appealing arrangement to showcase and distinguish each one. You can order a sample box to see how the items will fit and be placed for optimum presentation.

Custom boxes are an affordable investment with high returns.

Unlike digital ads or large posters displayed in public areas, custom boxes come at an affordable price. The larger your order quantity, the less you spend per piece. But if you need to be careful about the supplier, sample orders can be created and delivered based on the submitted design.

You have complete control of how much is spent, and the returns show the worth of your investment. NielsenIQ reports that “optimized package redesigns have been shown to generate a 5.5% lift in forecast revenue when compared to current, in-market designs.” Investing in an upgrade in your packaging can drive higher sales and bring greater attention to your brand.

Final Thoughts

Packaging may seem like a big and costly step for your business, but the time and money spent comes back twice or thrice the expectation. The benefits will help your product stand out and help you build more robust relationships with your customers. With more loyal customers promoting your products and your beautifully branded packaging, more folks will become aware of your brand—and the sales will follow.