How can your Brand stand out with effective yet cool packaging!
Customer Delight”. The buzzword that is crucial during your customer’s unboxing experience! Designing this aspect of customer experience is an integral part of establishing an impressive brand. While shipping materials could often be an afterthought for most brands, an emphasis on branded shipping cartons can help your brand capitalize on retaining current customers. How? Let us show you Staying On-Brand A branded experience shouldn’t end when you receive an order. Ensuring your shipping materials and packing process are on-brand will help your company deliver an experience most customers will remember. When your customer receives a shipped package from your brand, their very first impression of your product is going to be the carton. From there, what is the first thing they see upon opening it? And the next? From start to finish, there are many opportunities for your company to deliver a memorable experience that solidifies your brand identity. Components of a Branded Shipping Experience Shipped products should be packaged in a way that enhances the customer’s experience of your brand. The order in which items are presented can add massive value and streamline a customer’s shopping experience. Outer Packaging of a Fulfillment Container The first thing your customer sees upon delivery is the outer packaging of your fulfillment container. An important question to ask when choosing outer packaging is this: Should my company’s shipping packaging be branded or not? For companies shipping products that require discretion – such as adult products or high-end products – a plain and unbranded outer package is likely preferred, in order to prevent theft in transit or prying eyes from neighbours. For other products – especially perishable food items – it can be important to mark or brand the outside of the box to alert recipients of the package contents immediately upon receiving delivery. If your product doesn’t fit into either of those categories, consider what is best for your customer and your company. Will custom printed boxes and packaging material enhance your customer’s experience? If so, that can result in an increase in your company’s bottom line. If custom printed boxes aren’t right for your brand (or if it’s currently outside of your company’s bootstrapped budget), another option to consider is pre-designed non-branded coloured boxes. These can be enhanced with a simple creative solution such as using a stamp to add branding or a sticker used as a seal on the outside of the parcel. Custom-printed packing tape is another great way to add branding elements to your shipping process. An additional perk of custom packing tape is that it serves to dissuade tampering during transit of a product. Inner Packaging of a Fulfillment Container Choosing the inner packaging of your fulfillment container is another superb opportunity to highlight your branding. While many items are shipped with packing nuts, paper, foam, bubble wrap, etc you may differentiate your shipping experience by using materials that are more aligned with the ethos of your brand. For companies looking to promote their eco-friendly ethics, opting for biodegradable packaging or recycled materials shows your customers that you care about minimizing environmental waste. This gives customers the satisfaction of investing in a brand that promotes ethical, sustainable practices, which makes them feel even better about purchasing Do you have a particular thematic colour scheme associated with your brand? Crinkle paper comes in most colours. Tissue, perhaps a more elegant option, can be printed with your company’s watermark! Box Inserts Once the box is opened, will you take this moment to present your customer with something in addition to what was ordered? This stage in the fulfillment process is often overlooked, but it can greatly enhance the customer’s experience of unboxing their order. Here are some different options and ideas for box inserts: Customization Opportunities Personal touches At volume - handwritten notes aren’t feasible, a printed note card is more than adequate to evoke a similar welcoming feeling. Consider taking this opportunity to thank your customer or formally welcome them to your brand. Even packing slips can be personalized with a signature or stamp that says, “Packed for you by ____.” This reminds customers that your business is run by real humans who care about the customer experience. In an increasingly automated world, these simple human touches can make your brand stand out. Postcard inserts Feature a call to action, such as an invitation to join a social media contest. Ask customers to document their experience with a photo of their new products. Share your company’s origin story or brand values. Include an on-brand quote or introduction. Companies that offer high-touch support can invite customers to contact customer service with questions or feedback. Promotional material such as a discount code for future orders will encourage repeat sales and maximize a customer’s lifetime value. Gifts Delight your customers with an unexpected free item such as stickers, freebies, or other bonuses. If your products can be distributed in sample sizes, this is a great cross-sell technique to introduce your customer to a new or complementary product. For the proper effect, the product sample must be of interest to the specific customer segment, based on the product ordered. Random or non-complementary gifts can have an adverse effect and may appear to be a tool for liquidating stale inventory.
March 18, 2021