What Does Frustration Free Packaging Mean?

Nothing can match the frustration you feel when you order a simple, daily-use product and struggle to open it. Complex packaging can make customers feel confused. If a customer is confused because of your packaging, that is a deal breaker. They won’t be purchasing from you again. The best way to avoid that would be by using frustration free packaging.

So, what is frustration free packaging? The short answer is, any kind of packaging that is easily understandable and offers convenient unboxing. But that's not all. This blog will help you understand what does frustration free packaging means and how to design your packaging to be frustration-free.

Frustration-Free Packaging:

There are two different definitions for this phrase. 

• Amazon’s frustration-free packaging program to reduce packaging waste.
• Packaging that is designed to be easy to open, reuse, and dispose of. 

We will discuss both these in detail to help you understand them better.

Amazon’s Frustration-Free Packaging:

Amazon started its line of frustration-free packaging in 2019. And since then, they have encouraged sellers to use their packaging. This is because the packaging is designed in a very simplistic way to ensure it is easy to open and use.

Structure Of Amazon’s Frustration-Free Packaging:

Amazon uses plain flip top tuck boxes that are easy to open for their smaller products. These boxes are sealed using branding tape that can be easily removed upon receiving the parcel. This offers a very straightforward unboxing experience. 

For larger boxes, Amazon uses corrugated cartons that are sealed with the same branded tape on the top and bottom to offer a secure closure. They do not seal their boxes from the inside, so the unboxing is simple. For products that require more secure packaging, they use peel-and-seal tape with a simple adhesive that doesn’t create a mess when the box is opened.

Problems With Amazon’s Packaging:

Amazon has created great packaging to reduce wrap rage. Their frustration free packaging is quite excellent in many ways, but still, it requires some improvements. The problem with their boxes is that they are awfully big with respect to the products they pack. They use box fillers to fill the empty spaces inside. Which can be very challenging to dispose off.

Frustration-free packaging is not just about easy opening. There are a lot of other factors involved, such as how to dispose of the packaging after unboxing. When designing your product boxes, you need to consider all the factors in order to make it customer-friendly.

Frustration Free Packaging VS Standard Packaging:

When it comes to standard packaging vs frustration free packaging, the latter always wins. Here are some differences between the two packaging options.

• Complexity:

Standard packaging varies in complexity. It can be very easy to open, and then there are box styles that require a lot of brain power to access the product. On the other hand, frustration-free packaging always features an easy opening to ensure the customer doesn’t have any confusion. 

• Design Approach:

Standard packaging may be designed with an approach towards marketing and branding. It is designed with intricate patterns and branding details to market a brand. On the contrary, frustration-free packaging is designed with the customer in mind. It is a portrayal of what the customer needs.

• Cost:

With standard packaging, brands might invest large sums of money to get the packaging design they desire. Comparatively, frustration free packaging is plain and simple and costs very little amount of money.

• Instructions:

Standard packaging may not include instructions for opening the box. They feature a lot of other details and may not deem these instructions necessary. Frustration-free packaging, on the other hand, is designed with the customer in mind. So while they are simple to open, they still feature instructions on how to open the box.

Factors To Consider When Designing Your Frustration Free Packaging:

Here are the factors that you need to consider when designing your frustration-free packaging boxes.

1. Sustainability:

Sustainability is the most important business strategy these days. About 80% of millennials and Gen-Zers would not purchase a product if the manufacturer did not follow sustainable practices. 

Making sure your packaging is made out of sustainable materials is the best way to win customers. Use sustainable materials to create your display packaging boxes.

2. Simplicity:

Frustration free packaging means creating a simplistic opening. Go with a simplistic design when creating your packaging box. Keep the customer in mind and see to it that they can easily open the box and access the product.

3. Add Instructions:

While frustration-free boxes are designed to be convenient, adding opening instructions is still a great idea. Add labels with opening instructions to ensure the customer can fully understand your packaging.

4. Secure Closure:

Along with the simplicity of opening, you need to ensure your box can hold the product securely. A great idea would be to use peel-and-seal tape with good quality adhesive that keeps the product secure but doesn’t create a mess when the box is opened. You can also use tape externally to cover the closure and seal the product from tampering.

5. Size Of Your Box:

Another important factor to consider with your frustration free packaging is to properly size your box. If you have to add void fillers to fill up the empty space, your box isn’t properly sized. Ensure that you size the box perfectly to hold your product in place. This will also help the customer dispose of the box without any issues.

Conclusion:

Reducing wrap rage is a priority for businesses across the US, and frustration-free packaging is the best way to do it. With a packaging box that is well designed, you can streamline your business and win over more customers. Offer your customers what they actually need, rather than what you think might be right. For that, having an experienced team that knows how packaging works can be beneficial. So let OXO Packaging help you design the best frustration free packaging boxes that will set your brand apart and help you win more customers.