What is Packaging Functionality & How Can it Boost Sales?

Customer retention in a highly competitive market is a difficult task, but not an impossible one. All that you need to know is how to pack and market your product. Packaging functionality is an important term that every brand must know before packaging their products. Read this blog to know how you can ensure packaging functionality and ways it can attract more customers towards your brand. 

Choosing Sturdy Material for Protection During Transit 

One of the most important functions of packaging is to offer protection to the products. Packaging functionality means that the consumers get the product in one piece, i.e., without any damage. According to a report by the US EPA around 96 million tons of packaging material waste is generated every year in the US. Packaging products in durable boxes and bags helps in improving the customer satisfaction rate. You can consider the following packaging materials to ensure product safety during transportation:  

Cardboard

Use cardboard boxes to keep your products safe from jerks, bumps and temperature. Brands can choose the durable thickness of the cardboard when placing the order for custom cardboard boxes to ensure product safety. You can pack various products such as sweet treats, certain makeup products, vape, medicines, and jewelry items inside the cardboard boxes. 

Corrugated Cardboard

When shipping products such as ceramics, pieces of furniture and even glassware use corrugated cardboard boxes. The corrugated flute sandwiched between the two cardboard layers offer durable protection. You can decide the thickness of the box depending upon the product you are packing. The flute offers cushioning and protection against jerks and bumps.

Rigid

Rigid boxes are used to keep the products protected and offer a luxurious appeal to the products displayed on the shelves. Many D2C brands use these boxes when packing products such as apparel, footwear, electronics, watches, and high-end jewelry. Rigid boxes can keep the products safe against factors such as pressure and temperature to an optimum level.

Picking Materials Offering Barrier Protection

It is very important to ensure your products remain safe from spoilage during transportation and shelving. Choosing materials that offer barrier protection is very important to boost sales and leave a lasting impression on customers. Keep your food products and medicinal fluids safe from bacteria and pathogens by choosing the following materials: 

Mylar

Use Mylar bags when packing products such as dry goods, dry fruits, baby food puree, milk, and other beverages etc. Mylar is a type of plastic that offers excellent protection against bacteria, oxygen, odor, pathogens, and punctures. Coffee is a highly volatile product, but it can retain its original aroma and flavor when packed in Mylar bags.

Glass

Most brands use glass packaging when packing beverages such as sodas and wines. The reason for choosing glass bottles for packaging is to ensure the products stay away from bacteria, dust and water. Several skincare and makeup products are packed in glass vials and bottles to retain the product’s freshness. 

Tin 

Tin packaging is often used when packing products such as lip balms and lipsticks. The reason for choosing tin as a packaging box is very simple: to keep the product safe from external factors. The box can keep the product safe from bumps and jerks as well as dust, water, bacteria, and temperature. 

Offering Handiness with Versatile Packaging

Packaging must meet the consumer demand to attract more customers. One of the important factors to attract and boost sales is to offer user-friendly packaging. This includes packing products in easy-to-open boxes and packages. Do not overcomplicate the packaging as it can frustrate the customers and they may not shop from your brand the next time. 

Easy to Use 

How many times have you seen a packaging extremely beautiful but don’t know how to open it? While aesthetics is an important aspect to attract sales, you must keep the user ease in mind when designing the boxes. Boxes and bags that are easy to open are always prioritized over anything that has a hideous spot you cannot see in the first two seconds. 

Portability

While over-the-top packaging has made its impact on consumers, it’s not always the best practice when it comes to boosting sales. Most customers look for something easy to access and portable. Several brands have reduced their packaging so customers can easily carry the boxes in their hands. If you can make your product look chic in a small box, there’s no need to go for an extravagant box.

Meeting Sustainability Goals 

Packaging functionality also communicates value, and what better way to do that than with sustainability practices? Most customers today are looking for options to reduce their carbon footprint. And if you're still stuck on conventional packaging, you may not be their favorite brand anymore. To avoid this, start replacing your packaging from toxic materials to sustainable ones. You can start by choosing materials such as Kraft boxes, cardboard boxes, glass, aluminum, and even rigid boxes. 

There is more to being a sustainable brand than material. For instance, opting for minimal design means you are using less ink, which in turn saves resources and costs. Similarly, replacing petroleum ink with soy-based dyes can attract more eco-conscious customers. Offer them packaging such as seed-based bags that they can plant in their garden after they have opened the package to get a flower or a fruit. 

Providing Accurate Information 

Avoid legal battles by offering the correct information on the packaging boxes and bags. It is important for every brand to add necessary information regarding the product and the brand on the packaging. Doing so, you can let customers know of any potential allergies or side effects of the products, the ingredients used to make the product. 

Truthful Product Information 

Brands are required to add truthful information regarding the products on the boxes and never to mislead the customers. To avoid any lawsuit, you must inform the customers about the potential side effects or allergies in case of a product that is to be applied or eaten. Similarly, when packing electronics, glassware, furniture, add accurate handling information. 

Label and Branding 

To create a brand identity in the market, you must market your brand the right way. This can be achieved by using the space on the packaging. Give your brand’s logo and address on the packaging bags and boxes so customers can search for you for more products. You can consult a professional to find the best way to market your brand through packaging. One such 

Incorporating Smart Technology in Packaging

Today’s packaging is more than just a protective shield around the product; it offers a wholesome experience to customers. Brands are using the latest technologies and innovations so customers can experience the product in a different and wholesome manner. You can use the following two techniques to make your packaging speak a thousand words:

QR Codes

Link the QR codes to your brand’s social media handles and website so customers can learn more about the brand. Choosing QR codes will save customers the time of manually searching for your brand online. You can also provide details about the product through these QR codes or offer discounts on certain items.

NFC Tags

Brands often use NFC tags to verify the authenticity of products. The global NFC enabled packaging market size is expected to grow at CAGR of 14.1% to reach 19.2 billion by 2034. These tags help consumers in identifying the original product and its replica in the market. Use NFC tags on your packaging to offer an interactive experience to your customers. You can link the tags to anything such as the product's history, behind the scenes of manufacturing the product and more. 

Marketing Products for Boosting Sales

Your packaging is only going to be talked about if it captures the attention of customers. Without that, it’s just another product biting the dust on the shelf. This is why marketing your products is important, and this is where brands hire marketing professionals for help. A few ways you can make the buzz in the market are as follows:

Choosing Visually Appealing Designs 

Start by choosing the perfect designs for your boxes to attract more customers and improve the shelf visibility. You can always research the market to see the latest trends and what your competitors are doing. Let’s have a look at the following three design types you can use for your boxes:

Minimal

When aiming for a sleek yet elegant appearance, choose minimal designs for your packaging. Minimalistic designs are also a way to ensure sustainability, and it can help your brand in attracting eco-conscious customers. Leave more white spaces on the box and use fewer words to say more. Position your brand’s logo where it’s visible to establish your brand’s identity. 

Rustic 

Use rustic designs to give your packaging a raw and rugged appeal. Most brands use rustic designs when packing organic and natural products to give a more nature-inspired look. Choosing shades of brown and adding a piece of jute or a flower on the box for decorative purposes will serve the purpose well. 

Textured 

Giving a tactile finish to your packaging will enhance the visibility of the products displayed on the shelves. Raise the texture of the designs on your packaging boxes to attract more customers. You can use it for your brand’s logo as well as other visual elements such as the textual information for a timeless appeal. 

Styles

Most customers love the idea of having a decorative box for gift-giving purposes. If they happen to find a box like that, they can skip packing it in customized wrapping paper. This is why you must pack your products in boxes that exude elegance. The following are some of the box styles you can try:

Pillow Boxes

When packaging products such as candies, sweet treats, stationery items, socks and even pieces of jewelry, you can use pillow boxes. Most brands use this packaging box to pack soap bars as well. You can add a ribbon handle on these boxes for a beautiful appearance. 

Pyramid Boxes

Bakery owners often pack their products, such as cakes, pastries, macarons and pies in pyramid boxes. These boxes enhance the unboxing experience of customers and offer a beautiful appearance when displayed on the shelves. You can customize these boxes however you like to boost sales. 

Colors

You can use different colors to make your packaging more attractive and to boost sales. Colors play an important part in influencing the purchasing decisions of customers. Most customers give in to the aesthetically pleasing colors on the packaging, which ultimately helps the brands. You can try the following colors for your boxes:

Pastels

Pastels offer an elegant and calm look to the packaging. Most brands use pastels for the packaging to reflect what’s inside the box. For instance, when packing makeup products or eyeshadow palettes with lighter shades, use pastel packaging. Try colors such as sage green, lime yellow, and ice blue. 

Bold

Establish your brand as a luxury brand in the market by offering bold colors on the packaging. You can use these colors to exude elegance and to offer a refined appearance to the boxes. Choosing colors such as red, black, gold, blue, and green for your boxes will give a timeless appearance. 

Retro 

Packing products that are inspired from the 80’s? Using retro and vintage colors is the only way to go about it. Whenever you are offering customers something that evokes nostalgia, choosing retro and vintage shades is the perfect way. Use shades of orange, rust, and yellow. 

Finishes 

Give your boxes one last beautification by using the finishes. Adding finishes is similar to adding the cherry on top; it gives a beautiful appearance to the product. There are different premium finishes you can use to make your boxes more charming. Let’s have a look at some of these finishes to give your packaging an elegant look:

Matte

Reduce the color vibrancy of your packaging and give the box a subdued look with the matte finish. This finish is also used to keep the boxes safe from fingerprint smudges and works best in retail where customers touch the boxes every now and then. 

Gloss

Give your boxes a beautiful shine and a protective layer with the help of gloss finish. You can enhance the color vibrancy with this finish and attract more customers. Gloss finish can also ensure the boxes remain safe from abrasions during transportation. 

Foil Stamping

Brands often use foil stamping in gold or silver color to enhance the visuals of their brand’s logo. You can use it on other visuals such as the designs on your boxes. There are other colors of foils to explore such as red, purple, and green. 

Offer Visually Appealing and Durable Packaging to Customers!

Now that you know about packaging functionality and how it can be used to attract more customers, it’s time to place your order. You can customize the boxes however you like as per your brand’s needs. Consult the professional design team at OXO Packaging to test different designs until you find the one that speaks to you the most. Contact us today and we will offer you a free custom quote for your packaging needs.