Seal the Deal: Importance of Packaging in eCommerce

With the changes in the business landscape caused by the internet, focusing on eCommerce and providing the best services to customers are no longer the major factors. Instead, it is the attention to detail about the packaging that is more important. Today, packaging is perhaps one of the most important factors to compete effectively, encourage the buying behavior of customers and prevent the brand erosion in doubt.

Most of the time, packaging serves as the introductory member of a brand to the customers. This means the quality of the packaging should be up to the standards, values and as well as the pride the company has on its products. One easy method for making packing solutions efficient is to order masking tape in bulk at Opal. Providing you with strong and great quality materials can help reduce the risk of shipping damages and enhance customer experience as it promotes reliability.

Why Packaging Matters in eCommerce

Packaging in eCommerce should not be viewed simply as a box or an envelope; it is a critical element of the customer journey and has the potential of being memorable. Below are some of the reasons as to why packaging is considered to be of such importance:

1. First Impressions Are Everything

Upon receiving a parcel, the first element that customers tend to assess is the custom packaging design. An appropriate custom designed package that is clean, well arranged and securely held sends a high quality impression for your firm. Whether it is the basic but tough packaging or the elegant and classy packaging, the packaging represents the corporation that you are and the customer’s satisfaction.

2. Brand Identity and Consistency

In today’s world of e-commerce, where a vast number of brands are out there, it is crucial to come up with a very distinct brand and maintain it throughout. Thinking about how people will perceive the product when they see its packaging, whether it be about sustainability, luxury or even simplicity has been on the rise. All-encompassing branding, including for example, packaging helps gain confidence and recognition from customers.

So for example, if the brand is that of a green environment, use of the materials that can be recycled or that can decompose helps entrench this idea, which shows that the brand walks the talk and does all that it can to live healthy.

3. Customer Retention

It’s easier to retain customers than acquire new ones, and packaging plays an underestimated role in that. The impressiveness of the packaging after opening will invoke positive feelings and potentially affect the customers’ issuing out of the orders again and probably to even refer more. By small personalized notes, a well packed product or even a small sample product helps in making the customers feel appreciated thus increasing the chances of them seeking for more products from the business.

4. Protection and Functionality

While beauty is of great concern, usefulness is more important. Essentially, the primary purpose of packaging is to offer safety to the packaged item when it is on transport. For example, due to insufficient protection of the items during transportation, the consumers will be irked and they will go back causing a financial loss as well. Suffice it to say that the quality of the artificial corrugated paper, protective wrap, or even masking tape used painstakingly to package items for transport influences the level of damage caused and therefore ultimately the level of customer satisfaction achieved.

5. Eco-Friendly Appeal

As the new generation of consumers continues to slowly emerge, eco-friendly packaging has now become an important factor for eCommerce businesses. There are customers who want eco-friendly packaging and this will help in managing the resources more efficiently. Customers will be attracted with the supply of their preferred recyclable or biodegradable materials and more so these materials will help cut down the shipment costs as some of the green materials are lighter and compact.

How to Enhance the Consumer Experience Through Packaging

The role of packaging has been established especially in eCommerce as one of its key pillars. Here are some recommendations on how to make the most out of packaging to help your business:

1. Tailor Packaging to Your Product and Audience

Different products will have different ways of being packaged. For example, fragile products will need additional protective layers, unlike sturdy goods. In addition, knowing the target audience preferences can go a long way to influence the packaging. Younger audiences may prefer green packaging while older generations may prefer functional and easy to open packages.

2. Add a Personal Touch

It is a no-brainer that consumers want such experiences that feel personalized. Adding a handwritten note to say thank you, placing the customer’s name on the box, and even offering a small gift all help narrow the gap between the customer and the brand. Such a gesture would make the customer feel ‘special’ and this could go a long way in fostering loyalty to the brand.

3. Simplify the Unboxing Experience

As sometimes the idiom suggests, deification of all things brilliant does not necessarily work. The more compulsive neglect of packaging practices to emphasize other aspects of the product may appear less appealing to some consumers – and more appealing to others, particularly when the unpacking of a product does not take long or involves needless troubles. No one likes to engage in a battle against wrapping supplies in countless layers of tape and boxes in order to reach the product inside. Thus, if you are concerned with the design and contents of the packaging, imagine how it would have cut off all nasty elements and made your product accessible as feasible.

4. Use Packaging to Convey Brand Values

Then every brand strategy should have a core element devoted to the product package. For instance eco-friendly strategies may be assisted by the adoption of recyclable packaging materials while cost intensive lux materials with metallic foils or embossed surfaces can presidge the product quality.

In modern eCommerce, packaging is more than just a useful addition for after a purchase; it has become a crucial part of the customer journey. Be it shielding the product, commemorating an un-boxing moment, or stressing on the company’s green values, packaging wins or loses the engagement. High-end packaging materials and taking into consideration customer preferences have the potential of elevating the image of a company, retaining customers and increasing the profits of their business operations.

By concentrating on packaging, you will not just accomplish one sale but numerous future sales as well!

***

Kathleen Niala