Today’s retail shelves are filled with bags, clamshells, blister packs, cartons, variations of plastic sleeves in chipboard, etc. With so many options, how do you know you are packaging your product to get the best results? If books can be judged by their cover, then certainly product can be judged by its packaging.
There is a long list of questions that should be asked before making the decision on what type of packaging to use. Here are a few key questions from the list to answer before making your decision:
- Where is my product being sold?
- What is the cost of my product?
- Who is my target audience?
- What information should be in the graphics?
- How sustainable do I want my packaging to be?
- How should my packaging function?
- What type of product am I selling?
The consumer has an expectation on how certain products should be packaged. Apple doesn’t use a stock clamshell with an insert card to package there iPads for a reason. They understand that they must present a set-up box that screams quality. Innovative products should have innovative packaging, don’t underestimate the power of a creative package.
Understand where your product is being sold. Although oversized packages will catch the attention of the average consumer as they scan the shelves, Wal-Mart will decline on the basis that they can’t afford to sell your product. Since your competition has the same product and is half the size, they win.
Good packaging should show the consumer what they are buying and tell why they should buy it. Help the consumer understand the advantages of the product. Why is your product different than its neighbor on the next peg hook? Is there a feature the consumer should know that would help them decide to buy your product over another? Let the packaging help explain that.
Sustainable packaging continues to rise to the top of the list when deciding how a product is packaged. Show the consumer that you are a good steward of the environment by the way you package your product. Ensure that the organization you work with for packaging your product has an excellent understanding of marketing and manufacturing sustainable packaging.
For additional information or questions, contact Brian Pankratz (bpankratz@mercuryplasticsinc.com)