In our last blog, we discussed how packaging should be important to your brand strategy and that packaging should be seen as an extension of your brand.
Creating a memorable unboxing experience is an excellent marketing tool that helps you bond with your customer, boost recommendations, and capture repeat sales. Think about packaging as bridging the gap between your digital and physical customer journeys.
But these days, unboxing is part of the fabric of internet shopping. Expectations are getting higher, so your packaging needs to deliver the wow-factor to ensure customers remember your brand and recommend your shopping experience.
So, to stand out how do you create a memorable experience when customers unpack your product?
-
Create anticipation and make sure your parcels are easy to open
Having a parcel delivered can be exciting. It’s reminiscent of birthdays and Christmas – who doesn’t enjoy opening new things? Printing your outer packaging materials like boxes and tape can add to the delivery experience and help reinforce the link between your brand and a positive situation.
Making sure your parcels are easy to open is critical too, as you don’t want to frustrate people when they’re opening your packaging. Consider adding tear strips to boxes or perforations to bags for quick and easy access.
-
Pay attention to detail with in-box presentation (AND don’t forget protection)
In-box presentation and protection are crucial in creating a memorable unboxing experience.
No one wants to open their parcel and find the contents damaged. Using the right protective packaging like paper cushioning or air cushions help make sure goods are delivered safely. You need to find a balance between protection and not overpacking as XX% people say excess packaging is one of their bugbears. Click for our guide to preventing damages in transit.
Once you’ve got protection sorted, how else can you stand out? It’s all about attention to detail. Compliment any outer pack branding with finishing touches like:
- In box printing
- Branded tissue paper
- Stickers
- Ribbon
- Free samples (e.g., sweets, chocolates, testers of other products)
-
Consider personalisation where possible
Extending your attention to detail with personalisation of packaging is another step you can take. Personal touches go a long way to creating a memorable unboxing experience and making customers feel appreciated.
Stickers and labels can easily be printed with personalisation at the packing bench. Alternatively, you could opt for handwritten notes on branded cards to for a truly special touch.
-
Make your packaging returnable and easy to recycle
So, it makes sense that any packaging you’re using should be suitable for returns and returns information should form part of your unboxing experience.
Another factor to consider is sustainability. 25% of consumers believe the packaging they received was not environmentally friendly and almost three-quarters of people are willing to pay more for sustainably packed products. Therefore, it’s ideal to use packaging that’s made from recycled materials and recyclable. With 9 out of 10 households trying to consciously recycle, clear labelling about how to dispose of packaging is a must as well.
For more information, click to read our guide about how you can make sure your packaging support consumer recycling.
-
Go the extra mile with Connected Packaging…
If you’re already doing all the above, you’re probably thinking of extra ways to differentiate your unboxing experience. Have you ever considered investing in connected packaging?
Connected packaging is printed with QR codes, barcodes or image recognition that are scanned with a browser-based app by consumers to connect them to relevant content and experiences. It allows you to further integrate your digital and physical touchpoints, elevating the customer experience.
The experience you create when a customer scans your packaging can be as simple as opening a web page to relevant content or an elaborate augmented reality event. Click here to learn more.
Support creating a memorable unboxing experience
Our team can help you create packaging that delivers an amazing customer experience. Simply email contact@networkpack.co.uk or complete our contact form to get in touch.
