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Unboxing: the new golden marketing opportunity

Since the introduction of GDPR, you might have noticed that email marketing has become increasingly difficult. Many retailers used to rely on this form of marketing to lock down customers with a second purchase with special offers and discounts.

But, the golden age of email marketing is dying.  Many consumers have cut back on the number of emails they choose to receive as a result of GDPR. So, how can you continue to build deeper customer relationships with this barrier in the way?

Take advantage of the unboxing experience

Once upon a time, the unboxing moment was saved for special occasions. Now, as we’ve shifted our shopping habits to buy online, the unboxing experience is an everyday experience. In fact, Google estimated that there were over 20m searches for “unboxing” on YouTube in 2014 alone (1). Five years later, and the trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down.

A neuroscience studies show that receiving a parcel activates the pleasure centres in the brain and connects this positive outcome with placing an online order (2, 3). No wonder we all enjoy some e-retail therapy!

Based on all of this, it makes sense to capitalise upon the physical channel of unboxing to engage with your customers and make the most of this golden marketing opportunity.

Packaging that “wows” the customer

Creating that special unboxing moment with stand-out packaging can really leave an impression on your customers and encourage retention. That’s why we have services like our Innovation Lab to help you develop the wow-factor.

You might be interested to know that almost 50% of businesses want to improve their packaging but cite budget and resource as a road-bock. We’re sure you know the feeling – internet retailers and 3PL firms are often pressured to have effective supply chains at minimal cost.

However, don’t let initial budget concerns put you off pursuing your ideal unboxing experience! It might be that you can eliminate significant costs elsewhere in your packaging operation to free up funds. Click here to find out where your packaging costs could be hiding.

On-pack and in-pack marketing

As well as packaging materials that create an impression you can use on-pack marketing messages to communicate with customers. For example, augmented reality technology could lead customers to bespoke offers and interactive content.

Another cost-effective option is in-pack marketing. You’ll often see printed inserts inside parcels. Why not use these to develop your customer relationship? Integrating marketing with your warehouse systems mean you can print personalised marketing messages on delivery slips. eDelivery cite 8 key things you could market using parcel inserts (4). They include social media, referring friends, product promotions mobile aps and even your returns process – which can be an integral factor in the purchasing process.

Learn more about unboxing and why it matters

Our group runs an annual Unboxing Survey to see what consumers have to say. You can see the latest research by clicking here.

If you want to learn more about how we can help you create a memorable unboxing experience, call 01902 496 666 or email contact@networkpack.co.uk.

Sources 

(1) http://bit.ly/2JQzWWx

(2) http://bit.ly/2wbpIIy

(3) http://bit.ly/2JPWKWx

(4) http://bit.ly/2WSk5uk