Unboxing an Experience

For most of us, unboxing is opening a package and just that. We don’t think about the subconscious effects the product packaging has on us. 

As an entrepreneur, and especially one in e-commerce, packaging design is a crucial part of the buyer’s experience. It’s not just opening a package. It is an experience. They’re unboxing your brand’s identity and why they’re going to want to shop with you again. Here we’ll touch on a few unboxing secrets, how to give the best user experience once the package reaches the customer’s hands, and give a few examples of companies that are doing it right.

1. Tell a story

Think of your packaging as the home run, the last hoorah, and your final attempt to make a good impression. You want to leverage this phase of the buying process with your packaging design to ensure your customers know who you are and why they should shop with you again. A simple poly mailer or cardboard box isn’t going to cut it anymore. Here’s an example of a brand that tells a great brand story with each package:

Wild

Photo Credits to Wild
Photo Credits to Della Driscoll

Wild is a deodorant brand that prides itself in being sustainable, aluminum, and cruelty-free. Their message is clear from their packaging design: good for your skin and good for the environment. How is Wild doing this? 

  • Simple statement of brand mission: “single-use plastic, aluminum, and cruelty-free” 
  • Brief and clear directions
  • Includes social media handle and hashtag to encourage sharing
  • Functional yet sustainable product packaging that uses brand colors

2. Be responsible

It’s not enough to just put it in a pretty box; your product packaging must be sustainable. There’s no question; your consumer values sustainibilty and people will criticize brands that fail to be responsible for their environmental impacts. Here’s an example of a brand that gets its message across and uses sustainable packaging:

Pods and Parcel

Photo Credits to Pods and Parcel

This e-commerce company based in Australia sells high-quality Nespresso compatible coffee pods that pride themselves on being sustainable. Their brand story is as simple and effective as their packaging. Most importantly, it is sustainable, as noted on their box and inner packaging for each pod container; it is biodegradable and compostable.

3. The Importance of Integrity

It should go without saying that your product should show up to the customer’s house in one piece. No flaws, incorrect products in order, damaged packaging, etc. This is because 83% of people simply won’t go through the trouble of returning a product, especially if your returns process is complex. You’re then left with an unhappy customer who won’t repurchase and might even share their experience with friends and or social media. So how can you avoid this? Investing in a good customer and fulfillment service can be a game-changer in improving the quality of your shopping experience in terms of ensuring the careful and correct packaging of orders. In addition, investing in packaging for not only the shipping process but the product itself is important. An example of a company that does a great job of this is:

Seed

Seed is a premium probiotic company that sells its pills in a glass jar container and, not to mention, the shipping packaging is completely biodegradable. The icing on the cake? Their refills come in biodegradable packaging that the customer then uses to restock their glass jars. Clearly, we give an A+ to Seed. Their product packaging has integrity, provides an exciting unboxing experience, and aligns with their branding message.

Are you ready to take your product packaging to the next level? Contact us here at James Ross Advertising, and we’ll make sure your packaging design and messaging keep your customers coming back for more.

Read more about sustainable packaging alternatives here.