AI’s impact also extends to retail packaging. In this article, we take a peek into the role AI plays in reshaping the packaging industry. We also go over what we can expect to see from it in the future of packaging.

The Impact of AI on the Packaging Industry

The use of AI in packaging is not restricted to a single aspect. Instead, its applications encompass almost all processes in the packaging sector. Sophisticated technologies such as computer vision, machine learning, and 3D printing have widespread use in sourcing, manufacturing, design, and distribution processes, among many others. In this section, we go through five key aspects that clearly show the impact of AI on the packaging industry.

1. Operational Efficiency

At the heart of AI’s influence lies the optimization and streamlining of packaging processes. Picture warehouses humming with precision, thanks to AI-driven automation. Tasks once laboriously manual are now seamlessly executed, reducing costs, enhancing efficiency, and ensuring impeccable quality standards. Among the packaging processes, we see AI useful include:

• Supply chain optimization. One of the key drivers for AI in packaging market growth is the heightened demand for optimization in the supply chain. Through AI, the entire packaging process is streamlined from sourcing to distribution.
• Inventory management. Through machine learning algorithms, historical sales data becomes a blueprint for precise inventory levels. This helps predict demand and adjust production to minimize waste.
• Predictive maintenance. By monitoring equipment health, AI preemptively identifies potential failures, mitigating downtime risks and optimizing production schedules. This proactive approach ensures uninterrupted workflows and optimal resource allocation.
• Quality control. There’s no room for mistakes in the AI world. Computer vision and machine learning spot imperfections and defects with almost perfect precision. The tiniest packaging flaws are no match with automated AI inspection systems.

2. Design and Labeling

Gone are the days of standard packaging designs. AI ushers in an era of bespoke aesthetics that give corrugated boxes a glow-up. The process of designing and labeling packages now demands a higher level of precision and sophistication.

• Out-of-the-box designs. AI tools analyze consumer preferences and purchasing habits to create packaging designs that scream, “Pick me!” Generative AI platforms will accelerate design conceptualization and the creation of mockups. New versions of packaging designs can be created digitally and tweaked to perfection in less time and effort. Aside from visually pleasing designs, AI crunches the numbers to ensure the structural integrity of packaging materials – no flimsy boxes on its watch.
• Labeling automation. Generating labels is a cinch for AI. AI and machine learning eliminate manual errors in date labeling, product info, customer details, and everything in between. More importantly, it can ensure compliance with regulatory requirements while boosting brand recognition with label designs that drown the competition.
• Smart packaging. Smart features can now be integrated into product packaging. Heard of tamper-proof and smart packaging? You’ll hopefully receive one in future orders. Soon, we’ll have packaging boxes that can’t be opened without prior authorization. Packaging materials that detect changes in temperature, humidity, or pressure and automatically adjust settings to protect their contents will usher us deeper into the future of packaging.

3. Personalization of Customer Experiences

AI’s impact on customer experiences is deep. It elevates personalization to unparalleled heights. Modern product packaging designs explore innovative materials, sizes, shapes, and aesthetics that are tailored to individual preferences.

By harnessing consumer data, AI crafts packaging solutions with visual and textual content that’s customized for each customer. Smart packaging that features QR codes and AI-powered sensors can transform product unboxing into a unique, immersive, and interactive experience. Imagine hyper-personalized packaging that adapts its color with temperature changes or releases delightful scents upon opening—AI makes these possibilities tangible.

4. Sustainability and Traceability

AI is leading the charge in sustainability and waste technology. It’s not just about reducing, reusing, and recycling—it’s about optimizing supply chains and slashing carbon footprints.

A McKinsey survey shows that two out of three consumers consider sustainable packaging a big deal when making a purchase. It also reveals that product ingredients are a stronger indicator of sustainability than the packaging type itself. What does this have to do with AI? Well, AI is incredibly useful in sourcing eco-friendly materials and evaluating recyclability. 

It’s also quite helpful in optimizing packaging design to reduce unnecessary materials. Take Lenovo, for instance. In 2023, they unveiled an AI-driven intelligent alarm system that identifies high-density packing, reducing packaging materials by a whopping 35% and slashing carbon emissions by 50,000 kg.

Aside from this, AI is also leading trends in waste technology. It plays a major role in promoting the objectives of the U.S. EPA and is projected to help in achieving a 50% recycling rate by 2030. AI does this by tracking packaging materials from birth to recycling, identifying areas for improvement, and making sustainability its middle name.

5. Customer Support

Packaging companies deal with business enterprises of all sizes and deal with both B2C and B2B customers. Efficient customer support, thus, becomes essential for business growth. For this, the use of AI becomes even more important. AI-driven customer support, such as interactive voice response systems, elevate customer interactions and help foster lasting brand relationships.

Chatbots, in particular, enable customers to access packaging-related information whenever and wherever they are. Common issues are resolved promptly, increasing customer satisfaction.

As packaging companies implement AI-powered customer support solutions, they are not only enhancing customer satisfaction but also gaining valuable insights into consumer behavior. This strategic use of AI paves the way for more efficient and personalized interactions in the packaging industry.

Traditional Packaging vs. AI-Powered Packaging

To help you understand better how AI is reshaping the industry, here’s a concise comparison between traditional packaging methods and AI-powered solutions.

Barriers to the Adoption of AI in Packaging

Without a doubt, AI in packaging brings a host of benefits for businesses. However, we have yet to see its widespread adoption. While many large corporations are already leveraging the power of AI in their packaging, smaller businesses face challenges.

1. High Cost

Integrating AI technology requires a huge upfront investment in software and equipment. With their limited budgets and other priorities, new businesses and small enterprises are often unable to allocate resources for AI solutions. Although the long-term benefits are appealing, the initial costs are prohibitive and become a formidable barrier to adoption.

2. Data Security

AI feeds on data. After all, data is what fuels machine learning and helps make decision-making more accurate. This reliance on massive amounts of data can be particularly concerning for some businesses. Some fear data breaches and unauthorized access might compromise sensitive information. For custom packaging companies, this would include the production process, product semantics, and customer data.

3. Seemingly Limited Use Cases

Despite the recent advances in AI, many packaging companies have yet to see the pressing need to integrate AI into their system. Perhaps this is because their traditional processes still work, and they see no reason to change them. Perhaps it’s the seeming lack of broader use cases of this technology in their business operations. Hopefully, though, more companies will eventually see the need to adopt the technology as the benefits of AI in packaging become more obvious.

These are just a few of the many barriers to the adoption of AI in the packaging industry. In the near future, we expect to see smaller companies overcome these barriers and maximize the potentials AI brings.

What’s In Store in the Future of Packaging

The numbers speak volumes about the exponential growth trajectory of AI within the packaging sector. In the current landscape, the estimated worth of AI in the packaging market stands impressively at $1.79 billion. In a decade, this is projected to soar even higher at a staggering $23.4 billion by 2034–that’s a remarkable 29.3% CAGR. This underlines the immense potential and market demand for AI in the packaging industry.

AI will undoubtedly play a key role in driving innovation in the packaging industry. Industry experts foresee AI primarily impacting production, distribution, and logistics processes. It will be crucial in meeting the increased demand for sustainable, smart, and connected packaging. AI will also enable the development of packaging that not only meets consumer demands but also reduces environmental impact. As AI technology matures, we are bound to see it at work in virtually every aspect of packaging.

To gain the benefits AI brings and maintain a competitive edge, custom box packaging manufacturers and consumer brands must embrace the technology. 

Refine Packaging is among the innovative packaging manufacturers gradually integrating AI into their workflows. A leader in custom boxes and packaging materials, Refine Packaging is the top choice for 1000s of small businesses, Inc 5000, and Fortune 500 companies alike. With super fast production times, affordable pricing, and a sky’s the limit attitude, we’ll help you turn your custom packaging into a competitive differentiator. Contact us and a dedicated packaging specialist will guide you through every step of the custom packaging process without breaking a sweat.  

The post How AI is Reshaping the Packaging Industry appeared first on Refine Packaging.

Minimalism is a sleek, stripped-down look that creates breathing space for the design and lets the product shine through. Minimalist packaging embodies the “less is more” principle by cutting down on the clutter.

The projected growth of sustainable packaging to $423.56 billion by 2029 signifies a substantial shift in consumer and business behavior towards sustainability. This approach also indicates a growing consciousness towards the environmental impact of physical goods. When it comes to consumer products, minimalist packaging is at the forefront of sustainable practices.

An Overview of Minimalist Packaging

In today’s saturated packaging industry, minimalist packaging designs promote simplicity, sustainability, and clear communication. By removing excessive layers and information, minimalist designs focus on the basic essence of the product. This often leads to a sleek and refined look. Minimalist packaging isn’t just a passing trend; it mirrors a shift in consumer values. It attracts environmentally-conscious consumers who appreciate transparency and efficiency.

There are two aspects to minimalist design:

• Eco-Friendly Packaging: This focuses on using minimal and environmentally sustainable materials.
• Visual Appearance: Minimalist branding and elegant graphic design create a clean, uncluttered look.

Minimalist packaging streamlines elements, such as employing one impactful typography or a single color for the entire packaging, and avoids clunky text or complex visuals. This design conveys the brand story and engages consumers with minimal distractions.

5 Benefits of Minimalist Packaging Design

Many companies find it challenging to switch to minimalist packaging. Let’s explore the key benefits of minimal packaging design to understand how less is more.

1. Minimize Eco Footprints

A massive chunk of packaging waste winds up in landfills. Every fancy box, excessive plastic wrap, and unnecessary filler leaves a hefty carbon footprint.

Minimalist packaging uses less material, which means a lighter environmental impact. It’s often made with recyclable or compostable materials like cardboard or kraft paper, making it easier to ditch the dump and embrace the recycling bin.

2. Economical Packaging Solutions

Think of each layer of unnecessary packaging as a tax on your bottom line. Think about it—fewer resources used in manufacturing result in a direct impact on your expenses. Beyond manufacturing costs, a minimalist design can also slash your shipping, storage, and logistics costs.

3. Improved Shelf Presence

In the bustling aisles of a store, where numerous products compete for attention, shelf presence is crucial. Minimalist packaging design steps up to the challenge by prioritizing clarity. Picture sleek, simple lines made from environmentally friendly paper materials, adorned with a bold brand logo and necessary product details. This straightforwardness acts as a visual attraction, guiding the gaze towards the clean elegance of your product.

4. Solidify Brand Image

Minimalist packaging can reinforce your brand image through its simplicity and clarity, which enhance the product’s appeal and visibility. Transparency can further strengthen the brand image by showcasing the product’s authenticity, which aligns with 74% of consumers who prefer brand honesty and sustainability.

Moreover, diverse types of packaging can tell different stories. For instance, a minimalist glass bottle conveys elegance and luxury, while a minimalist paper bag evokes a sense of rustic charm. Both minimal packaging approaches define the brand’s unique style.

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5. Enhance Customer Experience

A survey showed that 60 to 80% of consumers admit to switching brands due to dissatisfaction with packaging. Ripped tabs, cryptic instructions, and mountains of unnecessary plastic aren’t exactly a recipe for a great unboxing experience. 

Adopting a minimalist design is a strategic move to avoid overwhelming and off-putting packaging that might drive customers away. And just because we’re keeping things sleek doesn’t mean the wow factor is gone. Small additions like a personalized thank you note or a freebie make the experience more enjoyable.

6 Key Design Elements of Minimalist Packaging

Minimalist packaging design possesses defining characteristics that ensure the product takes center stage while providing ample protection. Here’s an overview:

1. Limited Color Palette

One key design element that stands out is a limited color palette. This approach—often rooted in the RGB color model—focuses on simplicity and subtlety. 

Minimalist packaging picks a few well-chosen shades to deliver its message. Take Glossier’s millennial pink hue with a touch of white as an example. The soft-muted shade resonates with the preference of the millennial demographic.

Best practices for mastering a limited color palette:

• Pick a hero: Choose one dominant color that embodies your brand. Think earthy brown for organic coffee beans or a vibrant orange for a playful kids’ toy.
• Embrace neutrals: Use white, black, or gray as supporting acts. They balance the hero color and provide a clean canvas for essential information.
• Consider pops: A surprising accent color can add intrigue—a splash of lime on a dark chocolate bar or a touch of silver on a minimalist notebook. Just remember to keep it simple.

2. Negative or White Space

Also known as white space, negative space refers to the intentionally empty areas surrounding design elements to achieve a clean and uncluttered look. While it might sound counterintuitive, embracing the “less” in these areas can amplify the “more” of your brand. A good example is Apple’s minimalist ethos, reflected in the neat and minimal packaging of their devices.

Best practices for making negative space your ally:

• Frame the focus: Think of negative space as a gallery wall for your product. Give it breathing room, and let its natural beauty and unique features command attention.
• Balance the elements: Don’t let your logo or text get lost in the emptiness. Position them strategically and use negative space to guide the eye towards them.
• Practice uniformity: Keep the spacing consistent in the packaging for a polished and cohesive design.

3. Typography

Clean and balanced fonts create a sophisticated and neat aesthetic. A simple sans-serif font for product information makes it easy to understand. Many fonts are suited for minimalist design, so it’s important to pick one that strengthens your brand identity.

Best practices for minimalist typography magic:

• Less is truly more: Stick to one or two fonts, choosing styles that complement each other and your brand personality.
• Clarity before creativity: Focus on readability first. Choose clean, well-spaced fonts that are easily understood.
• Test them out: Play with subtle variations in size, weight, and even color to add depth and visual hierarchy.

4. Texture

Texture adds depth, dimension, and a touch of intrigue, transforming simple packaging into a sensory experience. Minimalist designs use layers, raised edges, textured paper, and materials that mimic the feel of natural elements like wood.

Best practices for textured minimalism:

• Highlight key features: Use textured elements to spotlight crucial information like your brand logo or product name.
• Embrace natural materials: Untreated paper, woodgrain, and fabric can add an earthy elegance to your packaging. These textures evoke a sense of authenticity and quality.
• Play with patterns: Don’t shy away from subtle embossing or debossed patterns. Geometric shapes, organic lines, or product-inspired motifs can add visual interest without overwhelming the minimalist vibe.

5. Logo Placement

Your logo is a beacon that draws attention and anchors your brand identity. Its placement on your packaging can provide a significant visual impact. Here are some examples of logo placement:

• A central placement exudes confidence and simplicity. It works brilliantly for bold logos that can hold their own in the vast negative space.
• An off-center placement can create a dynamic tension that draws the eye and invites exploration. It’s particularly effective for logos with playful elements or those that benefit from negative space.
• Placing your logo in the corner adds sophistication and creates curiosity, suggesting a story to be discovered.

Best practices for the proper logo placement:

• Scale Matters: Ensure your logo is appropriately sized for the packaging. Too small, and it gets lost; too large, and it overpowers.
• Color Harmony: Consider the interplay of your logo’s color and packaging. Striking contrast can make it pop, while tonal harmony can create a cohesive look.
• Readability First: Always prioritize visibility. Avoid placing your logo near busy patterns or overlapping with essential information.

6. Functional Design

More than the aesthetic, functionality is the bedrock of minimalist packaging. Every element must serve a purpose. That way, the packaging becomes an integral part of the product journey.

Best practices for making function your friend:

• Function takes precedence over form: Trendy shapes won’t benefit your product if they compromise usability. Consider how your packaging will be opened, stored, and shared digitally.
• Welcome sustainability: Look for a design that minimizes waste, like reusable closures, and choose recyclable materials.
• Prioritize convenience: Small functions like a simple pull tab on a box can greatly impact brand perception.

4 Popular Types of Packaging for Minimalist Design

Not only should your minimalist packaging save the planet, but it must also protect your product.

1. Tuck End Boxes

A tuck end box is a single sheet of paperboard folded to precision, with flaps that tuck in for closure. Its surfaces offer a great canvas for your brand’s logo. Eco-friendly tuck end boxes come in various shapes and sizes and can safely store anything from delicate jewelry to chunky candles. They can be dressed with a touch of foil or left bare for a raw, natural look.

2. Mailer Box

The mailer box is minimalism on the go. It offers a snug and structured haven that hugs your product without unnecessary padding. The surface can display a single bold color, a playful pattern, or just your logo. Custom printed mailer boxes are built tough and can protect your products from the bumps and bruises of transit.

3. Folding Cartons

Folding cartons use precise manufacturing that involves printing, die-cutting, scoring, and gluing. Their lightweight nature means saving on shipping costs and a smaller environmental footprint.

4. Bags

Bags embody flexibility, versatility, and a chic style. When crafted from paper, they give off a natural, earthy vibe. Meanwhile, fabric allows you to creatively explore textures and colors. Bags are also lightweight and easy to ship, reducing logistics costs.

3 Ideas for Minimalist Packaging Design

Here are some minimalist design ideas that you can use to better optimize your marketing campaigns:

1. Color Blocking

If you decide to use more than one color, try a clean, color-blocked approach. Select colors that connect seamlessly to your brand’s personality and help convey your message. For instance, pair sage green with soft peach to create a harmonious, calming effect.

2. Clear or See Through

Clear packaging emphasizes that the product itself is a work of art. One of the benefits of clear or see-through packaging is its immersive user experience. Your target audience can easily see the color, texture, and quality of your product beforehand.

3. Logo Focus

Putting a strong focus on your logo improves brand recognition. The minimalist approach makes the logo identifiable among hundreds of similar products in your industry.

Minimal Packaging: Why Less Is More

We are saturated with visual noise, and it can be exhausting at times. A great antidote to loud and robust marketing is minimalist packaging. With its sleek and simple designs, minimalism catches the eye and sparks curiosity, which can serve as an effective marketing tactic.

If you plan on using minimalist packaging, keep in mind the true essence of “less is more.” It’s not the absence of design but the deliberate act of trimming excess so you can focus on your brand message. Every design decision should have a purpose, and every element should resonate with your target audience. Great minimalist packaging conveys quality, sophistication, and intention—values that speak to today’s conscious consumers.

Refine Packaging is the top choice for 1000s of small businesses, Inc 5000, and Fortune 500 companies alike when it comes to custom packaging boxes. With super fast production times, affordable pricing, and a sky’s the limit attitude, we’ll help you turn your custom packaging into a competitive differentiator. Contact us today and a dedicated packaging specialist will guide you through every step of the custom packaging process without breaking a sweat.

The post Simplify and Shine with Minimalist Packaging Design appeared first on Refine Packaging.

Picture this: you’re at a store looking for a new snack to try. 

And then, bam. A riot of color blasts out from a candy box, its bold pattern practically daring you to look closer. The sassy tagline seems to say: “Pick me, pick me! You know you want to!” And then there you are at the checkout, eager to rip open that package and unlock its mysteries. That’s the magic of intelligent custom packaging.

If you maximize its use, product packaging is a powerful marketing tool. It nudges your target audience to make an actual sale. And in a world where brands are vying for the attention of a fleeting crowd, captivating packaging can be your secret weapon. The numbers don’t lie:

• The packaging design services market is expected to hit $32.42 billion by 2030.
• 72% of American shoppers decide on a product based on its packaging.
• For 67% of Americans, packaging materials impact their purchasing decisions.
• YouTube unboxing videos have gained 1.1 billion views and 60 million hours of watch time.
• On Instagram, over 5 million posts are tagged with #unboxing.

These numbers whisper a truth: your packaging has the power to transform how customers view your products.

For many small business owners, packaging is responsible for safely getting their product from A to B. But in truth, it’s often the first impression customers will have on the company. Neglecting packaging can harm your product and brand reputation, regardless of how good your product is.

The correct box elevates your product, charms retailers, and turns customers into fans. Custom packaging for small businesses directly influences product perception. But with small businesses likely having a limited budget, it can also create a problem. Let’s look into the pros and cons of custom small business packaging:

The solution is to choose the suitable packaging for your product. This requires a thorough understanding of your product, industry, packaging, and shipping requirements. To help you choose, let’s explore some small business packaging ideas.

10 Small Business Packaging Ideas

Packaging is one of the first tactile interactions your small business will have with your customers. Make it count!

1. Personalized Box Labels

Labels like those stuck on fruits at the supermarket are generic and bland. But when personalized, these pint-sized powerhouses can transform your ordinary packaging into a delightful surprise. Now, you might be tempted to switch to personalized boxes right away. However, if you have a limited budget, personalized labels are a great alternative. Box labels are stylish and versatile and won’t break the bank.

A sticker with your logo and a handwritten note (“Thanks for supporting my dream!”) gives it that personal touch that makes your customer feel noticed and connected to your small business.

So, how do you make personal labels appeal to your audience? Here are three best practices to keep in mind:

• Ditch the generic “Thank you.” Go for witty one-liners, playful rhymes, or personalized messages based on the product or the customer’s name.
• Show, don’t tell. Think whimsical doodles, quirky icons, or a mini portrait of your adorable mascot if your small business has one.
• Just because they’re “just” labels doesn’t mean you skimp on them. Invest in good-quality paper or eco-friendly materials to avoid pixelated graphics or smudged inks.

2. Creative Wrapping Paper

With creative wrapping paper, you can elevate gift-giving into a mini adventure for your customers. That’s a recipe for an excellent unboxing video! Design-wise, the possibilities are endless. Check this DIY wrapping paper using crayons for inspiration. You can do away with the pricey pre-made rolls and unleash your inner Picasso. Here’s how creative wrapping paper becomes your small business budget bestie:

• Recycle and repurpose. Raid your stash of discarded materials. Use old maps, newspapers, comic book pages, and even stained brown paper bags.
• Draw, paint, doodle. If you have the skills, draw a pattern related to your brand, digitize it, and print your wrapping papers with the design.
• DIY is one way to go. If you can’t draw or paint, grab some stamps and stencils to decorate your paper and add personality without breaking the bank.

The great thing about creative wrapping paper is embracing its imperfections. A slightly uneven line or a smudged stamp adds character and charm. It shows your customers you’re real people making real things. Bonus points for adding a playful “Handmade with love (and maybe a little coffee)” note.

3. Diverse Tape Options

Much like generic labels, tape gets a bad rap for being boring. But tapes are essential small business packaging supplies. Before you resign yourself to one that’s plain old brown, think of tapes as creativity and brand expression assets. Consider it the finishing touch, the punctuation mark on your packaging masterpiece.

The best thing about tape is that it’s budget-friendly. Anything economical is a win for a small business. Just a roll of beautifully designed tape elevates your packaging from basic to brilliant.

Here are some tips when choosing your tape:

• Color it up. A pop of color instantly adds personality and makes your packages stand out in a sea of boring brown.
• Get crafty. Washi tapes have many fun designs and can readily add instant flair.
• Think beyond plastic. Eco-conscious customers will love biodegradable tapes made from recycled materials.

4. Themed Custom Packaging

Thanks to theme packaging, you can transport your customers into a whole new world with their purchase. Imagine buying a leather passport wallet and receiving it in a box with vintage travel-themed packaging. That’s sure to make a customer smile.

Also, with this custom packaging, you can easily create engaging and immersive product displays because your packaging carries a unified theme.

Remember, the key is to:

• Know your audience. Craft a theme and product display that speaks to their hearts.
• Keep it cohesive. Ensure every element, from the box to the display, reinforces your chosen theme.
• Don’t overspend. Get creative with budget-friendly materials and DIY touches. Remember, it’s the thought and effort that count.

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5. Seasonal Packaging

If you sell products all year round, seasonal packaging will be a treat for your customers. You can turn your packages into festive little gifts with seasonal wrappings. Imagine cute packaging for small businesses with red and white stripes for peppermint-scented bath bombs sold during Christmas.

Seasonal packaging is a great way to make your packaging not just eye-catching, but also add a little extra. Use plain boxes, but dress them with paint, colorful stamps, or seasonal-themed wrapping paper. You can get crafty with fillers, too. Use shredded paper dyed in festive colors or natural elements like dried leaves or pinecones.

Let your creativity run wild and tie the season to your brand story:

• Stick to your vibe. Don’t go overboard with Halloween gore on your organic tea brand. Keep the season festive but aligned with your overall brand image.
• Focus on key elements like a bold color scheme or a thematic pattern.
• Make your seasonal packaging a special treat, available only briefly. This limited-edition design adds a touch of exclusivity, driving customer anticipation and excitement—they know this beautiful packaging won’t be around forever. It’s a perfect way for a small business to stand out, offering a unique experience that encourages impulse purchases.

6. Special Instructions

Another standout product packaging design great for small businesses is adding special instructions. This is particularly valuable for products that require a little TLC, like those with assembly instructions, brewing rituals, or activation spells. 

These special instructions are more than just packaging ideas for inspiration; they’re engagement blueprints. They transform product assembly into an adventure, brewing tea into a ceremony, and science experiments into family bonding moments. They become your chance to guide your customers to an enjoyable experience and boost your brand reputation.

To craft instructions that make your customers cheer:

• Tell a story. Weave a narrative into your instructions, guiding your customers through the process with humor, excitement, and maybe even a dash of intrigue.
• Use illustrations, diagrams, or even QR codes to visually guide your customers, especially for products with more complex steps.
• Personalize if possible. Consider offering downloadable instructions with the customer’s name or recording short video tutorials for a one-on-one touch.

7. Custom Fabric Packaging

Elevate your business packaging from practical to luxurious, transforming every unboxing moment into a sensory symphony with custom fabric packaging. Think velvety pouches in jewel tones, cradling your handcrafted jewelry like precious treasures. 

Or soft linen wraps in natural hues, enveloping your organic bath products for a spa-like experience. Custom fabric packaging tells your customers you care about every detail, ensuring that they get the best from your business.

To optimize your custom fabric packaging for maximum impact, make sure to:

• Choose the right fabric. Consider the fabric’s weight, feel, and durability. Match the fabric to your brand and product aesthetic.
• Go beyond plain fabric. Embroider your logo and hand-stamp patterns, or even dye the fabric in your brand colors.
• Focus on functionality. Opt for drawstring closures, zippered pockets, or convenient carrying handles to ensure your packaging is beautiful and practical.

8. Personalized Paper Bags

Paper bags are humble carriers for your products. They do the work and are budget-friendly, but they can be a tad dull, too. You can counter the latter with customization. Use personalized paper bags as miniature billboards for your brand, adding a personal touch that lingers long after the purchase.

Personalized paper bags are incredibly versatile, and compared to custom boxes, they may be more cost-effective in certain scenarios. They’re also perfect for small to medium-sized products. 

Think of Kraft paper bags adorned with doodles of your bakery’s freshly baked delights or glossy paper bags embossed with your elegant logo that adds a touch of luxury to your product. You can also offer personalized bags with customer names or special messages for a special touch. If your small business is events-oriented, like weddings, personalized packaging is great for bulk orders.

To personalize paper bags for maximum impact, make sure to:

• Get creative with design. Experiment with patterns, colors, and handwritten messages that reflect your brand.
• Keep it functional. Consider handles, gussets, or even reinforced paper for heavier items.
• Encourage reuse by adding care instructions or printing playful messages like “I’m not plastic; I’m fantastic!”

9. Interactive Packaging

Interactive packaging is a fun and smart tactic that creates lasting memories and boosts brand engagement. They help spark curiosity and engage your customers in a whole new way. Imagine a puzzle box for a mystery board game with hidden clues and compartments or a QR code on a customized tea box, leading to a video of the tea’s origin story.

To create eye-catching and memorable interactive packaging, make sure to:

• Tailor the interaction to your audience’s interests and expectations.
• Keep it simple and intuitive.
• Focus on quality. The interaction should be seamless and enjoyable.

If you’re not a design whiz, that’s okay. You can find incredible packaging designers who can help you bring your interactive ideas to life. Consider collaborating with local artists for a unique touch.

10. Photography Insert

Photography inserts are little visual gems that showcase your products in glorious detail. Imagine an insert with close-up shots of your glazed donuts inside the box dusted with colorful sprinkles and glistening with sugar. Photo inserts boost product appeal because they tell a story beyond words.

To make the most of this small business packaging idea, follow these tips:

• Invest in good photos; they truly make all the difference. If you have the budget for it, hire a pro. Otherwise, research lighting techniques and editing tools to showcase your products in the best light.
• Print on thick, textured paper or cardstock for a premium feel.
• Choose impactful visuals and pair them with short, engaging captions that tell a story or highlight key features.

Let your products shine through your photos, turn your mailer boxes into mini galleries, and share behind-the-scenes photos of your product photography on social media. All this builds anticipation for your products.

5 Tips on Optimizing Packaging for Small Business

Aside from the small business packaging ideas above, there are ways to further optimize your choice of packaging. Consider the following tips.

1. Everything Leads to Branding

Branding is the silent ambassador that continues to tell your brand story long after the purchase. That means slapping your logo on a box won’t cut it. You must craft a sensory experience that resonates with your customers and leaves a lasting brand recall. The latter is significant as 60% of consumers worldwide choose to buy a new product from a brand they recall.

Ditch the generic small business shipping supplies and embrace new ways to make your boxes stand out, like:

• Infusing your brand colors into every element, from tissue paper to boxes. Bold choices grab attention, while softer hues exude elegance.
• Using custom illustrations to tell your unique story that reflects your brand’s personality.
• Showing your eco-conscious side with recycled or compostable packaging options.

2. Sweeten the Package with a Freebie

Sure, your product rocks, but why not sweeten the deal with a little unexpected freebie? Tucking in a thoughtful free item is a powerful marketing tool disguised as a delightful surprise. It cultivates a good customer relationship and boosts brand buzz. Gifting a freebie also nurtures reciprocity, which works, given that there’s a whole niche for freebie marketing.

A well-chosen freebie can introduce customers to new products they might not have explored, boosting your sales potential. Get creative and consider these freebie options:

• Send mini samples to let them dip their toes into another product line, like a travel-sized lotion that comes with every bath bomb purchase.
• Gift branded swags like totes, stickers, or keychains. These freebies are fun and functional and subtly promote your brand.

The freebie doesn’t have to be expensive, just thoughtful and relevant. It’s a chance to make your customers feel special, deepen their connection to your brand, and maybe even spark some word-of-mouth magic.

3. Double Down on Functionality

In today’s world, savvy small businesses are doubling down on functionality, transforming the right packaging into a strategic asset. Multipurpose packaging minimizes environmental impact and resonates with eco-conscious consumers.

• Ditch the standard boxes for packaging with options like zipper closures, Velcro flaps, or snap-lock mechanisms. This doesn’t just protect your product during shipping—it can be repurposed, like for storing toys, jewelry, or travel essentials.
• Those loose packing peanuts? Not very earth-friendly. Instead, opt for custom-designed inserts crafted from recycled cardboard or biodegradable materials. These inserts keep your products secure during shipping and can be transformed into handy container dividers later. It’s a win-win for the environment and your customers, who get added value from your packaging.
• Become an upcycling champion by offering tips and ideas on your website or social media. Imagine the positive impact—happy customers, reduced waste, and a brand identity that resonates with eco-conscious values.

4. Pick the Right Shipping Materials

Custom boxes are the standard in packaging. But if you want to optimize your small business packaging, choose the suitable shipping material. The box you select isn’t just for protection; it’s about finding the perfect balance between cost, efficiency, and customer experience. When you choose the right box, it also aids in fast shipping. Using the right box size makes it easier to attach labels and documentation, reducing the likelihood of delays due to damaged labels during sorting and delivery.

Think beyond the standard brown box. Explore various types that suit your small business needs best:

• Corrugated boxes: The classic choice, offering sturdy protection for larger, heavier items.
• Rigid mailers: With their sleek and premium look, they’re ideal for flat items like artwork, photos, or apparel.
• Poly mailers: Water- and tear-resistant, they’re great for lightweight items like clothing or soft goods.
• Padded mailers: They have padding inside them, which makes them suitable for delicate items, such as electronics or jewelry.

5. Test and Gather Feedback

Packaging for marketing shouldn’t be a one-shot gamble. Even when you experiment, you should always test the market. By gathering real-world reactions, you can refine your packaging strategy so that it truly fits your brand without overspending. That’s where testing comes in:

• Run small-scale trials like mini campaigns with different packaging options and gauge customer response. A/B testing on your website or social media can be surprisingly insightful.
• Encourage customers to share photos and reviews of your packaging on social media platforms. Tag them for added engagement and valuable insights.
• Invite a small group of target customers to your “unboxing HQ” and observe their reactions firsthand.

By embracing an iterative approach, you can identify what sticks and what stumbles.

Final Thoughts

Packaging tells a story. For small businesses or solopreneurs with limited funds, having great packaging translates to a tangible representation of the business’s ethos. As a business owner, elevating your packaging means caring about your product and customers. It also means your product can stand out even with a saturated market and a fleet of competition.

Customization is the key to elevating your packaging game regardless of its size. With the small business packaging ideas above, you can choose and design packaging that not just protects your product, but also doubles as a great marketing tool.

Refine Packaging is the top choice for 1000s of small businesses, Inc 5000, and Fortune 500 companies alike when it comes to custom packaging boxes. With super fast production times, affordable pricing, and a sky’s the limit attitude, we’ll help you turn your custom packaging into a competitive differentiator. Contact us today and a dedicated packaging specialist will guide you through every step of the custom packaging process without breaking a sweat.

The post 10 Small Business Packaging Ideas to Elevate Your Brand appeared first on Refine Packaging.

What Is Custom Packaging and How Does It Impact Sales?

Custom-made packaging is developing product packaging tailored to your brand. It can involve anything from the shape and size of the box, the materials and colors used, the printing techniques, and even interactive elements. One primary benefit of custom product packaging is that it protects your product more efficiently than generic containers. 

Another great benefit of bespoke packaging is its ability to nudge prospective buyers to make a purchase. Between a generic brown cardboard box and an eye-catching box, the latter always gets more attention. There’s data to back this up, as the global custom or bespoke packaging industry is expected to grow to $63.07 billion by 2030.

So, how does bespoke packaging work its magic on sales?

1. Custom-made packaging translates to storytelling

Product packaging is a platform for compelling storytelling. It’s the first point of contact between you and a customer, shaping their perception of your brand. Additionally, it enables effective visual communication to your target market. Your packaging communicates your brand’s message through design elements, colors, and imagery.

Unique unboxing experience translates to elevated product value. Bespoke packaging taps into this psychology by transforming the unboxing experience into a mini celebration, making an ordinary purchase feel extraordinary.

For example, a hand-painted coffee plantation scene on a custom coffee box brings it to life. You haven’t even brewed the coffee yet, but the aroma of roasted beans is already on your mind. 

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2. Custom packaging reinforces brand value

When you say something is customized, you know it has gone through many processes, such as: 

• Brainstorming 
• Iterating
• Refining 
• Finalizing 

Every process and design element reinforces your brand’s core values. Imagine sleek, minimalist packaging embodying your dedication to modern design or vibrant, playful boxes reflecting your brand’s youthful spirit. This consistency strengthens the association between your product and its unique qualities. But the impact goes beyond aesthetics. By incorporating premium materials, thoughtful features, or even personalized touches, you elevate the customer experience. The multi-sensory experience translates to perceived value, increasing sales not just through immediate attraction but also by solidifying your brand’s premium positioning in the minds of consumers. 

3. Bespoke packaging affects a buyer’s behavior

Custom boxes shout, “Pick me!” to a buyer. Around 72% of American shoppers consider the product’s packaging in their purchasing decision. A buyer first notices the packaging and maybe admires its visual appeal. Then, they’ll think about how the brand took the time to think of impressive ways to present its product, leading to perceptions of quality and authenticity. Before they know it, the irresistible allure of the packaging has won them over. 

4. Custom packaging elevates the product’s perceived value

Packaging design is a persuasive marketing tool. Picture a bottle of olive oil. In a plain glass bottle, it becomes another generic product on the supermarket shelf. But if you put it in a sleek, dark bottle with a gold cap, a picture of a sun-drenched Tuscan olive farm, and embossed lettering, suddenly, it looks premium. The visual experience of the cap, the feel of the embossing’s texture, and the evocative imagery all elevate the oil’s perceived value. 

When something looks premium, it feels premium. Deluxe packaging subconsciously suggests higher quality and justifies a higher price point.

5. Made-to-order packaging reinforces product security

Because the package is tailor-made, it can act as a barrier to minimize the risk of damage during transit. This is particularly important when shipping perishables and glass items. Consider a fragile hand-blown glass ornament that’s bubble-wrapped and packed in a generic box. Even with the bubble wrap, that’s a risky chance to take. Now, think about the same item but packed in a custom-molded foam insert with a sturdy box. Buyers are willing to pay more for the assurance of safe arrival, which helps build a reputation for quality.

What Custom Packaging Design Elements Help Boost Sales?

Good, bespoke packaging design must balance form and function. The packaging shouldn’t just look pretty and make a good impression, but it should also withstand the rigors of shipping.

1. Storytelling and Brand Identity

Product packaging is a great way to tell a story. More than presenting stunning visuals, storytelling through design is about forging an emotional connection. Each interaction, from the shelf to unboxing, becomes a touchpoint, reinforcing brand recognition and leaving a lasting impression. This emotional investment fosters loyalty, turning one-time buyers into brand advocates. 

Customization allows you to create a cohesive design that showcases brand consistency across your products. Your message can leverage humor, nostalgia, or other emotions that drive sales. For example, Le Petit Trou—a lingerie brand—showcases empowerment and sexiness through a minimalist color palette, evoking feelings of desire without being blunt.

For a seamless branding experience, make sure to unify these certain elements in your packaging:  

• Logo
• Color schemes
• Fonts
• Taglines
• Visual assets

2. Striking Visuals and Finishing

In a crowded marketplace, custom packaging needs to grab attention fast. High-quality printing with vibrant colors and captivating imagery instantly draws the eye. Remember, the visual impact goes beyond sight, so consider incorporating playful peek-a-boo windows, unusual shapes, or interactive elements to heighten the sensory experience. Investing in visually striking and tactilely engaging packaging creates a memorable first impression that sets your product apart.

Bold, vibrant colors, exciting and playful patterns, and striking, thought-provoking images make for an engaging visual experience. But even with muted hues and minimalist patterns, you can still engage your audience with a refined and elegant finish. Consider using special finishes such as metallic foils, embossing, or textured papers to add a luxurious and interesting touch. The goal is to make it a feast for the eyes and improve brand recall. For example, Sunski packages its sunglasses boxes using bright yellow materials that evoke sunshine imagery and feelings of happiness, which aligns with the brand’s image and identity.

3. Sustainability and Convenience

Today’s discerning customer appreciates brands that embrace eco-conscious practices while prioritizing convenience.Approximately half of US shoppers are willing to pay more for sustainable materials. Utilize proper packaging made from recycled materials or rapidly renewable sources. This demonstrates your commitment to environmental responsibility, which resonates well with modern values. Balance sustainability and convenience to appeal to eco-conscious consumers and reinforce brand recognition as a forward-thinking company.

Consider incorporating features like easy-open closures, resealable compartments, or portion control options. These thoughtful elements enhance user experience and demonstrate your understanding of their busy lifestyles. Think reusable pouches or snap-shut boxes that double as storage containers. Such convenient designs also enhance the customer experience, and when a customer is satisfied, it leads to repeat purchases and positive word-of-mouth. 

For example, these resealable snack pouches provide easy storage and extended freshness.

4. Interactive Elements

Transform your boxes into conversation starters with the power of interactivity. By using QR codes, for example, brands can spark curiosity and redirect potential shoppers to exclusive promotions or additional content. Augmented Reality (AR) experiences can bring products to life, while hidden messages can ignite curiosity and social media buzz. The true value of interactive elements lies in the emotional connection they create. Inviting customers to participate in your brand story cultivates a lasting bond that transcends the product itself. This ultimately boosts brand recognition and drives customer loyalty.

By strategically using these elements, you can create a powerful sales-generating marketing tool with your packaging.

Does Custom Packaging Increase Sales?

Custom product packaging can significantly enhance sales, but it’s not a magic bullet. The key is understanding how it connects with your target audience. By integrating design elements that narrate your brand story, visually engage, and provide convenience, you’re crafting an experience that surpasses mere product housing.

Think of bespoke packaging as an extension of your marketing strategy. It subtly influences purchasing choices right at the crucial moment. However, keep in mind that its effectiveness depends on your audience. Bold visuals might impress millennials, while eco-friendly packaging could appeal more to environmentally-conscious consumers. You unlock its full potential by tailoring your custom product packaging to match your target market’s values and preferences.

Does Custom Packaging Always Work?

Custom packaging has tons of benefits, but it’s not without drawbacks:

Effective product marketing often entails customized packaging, but not every business requires it. Anything custom-made is generally more expensive and takes considerably more time. If your business is just starting out or you don’t have a cohesive brand identity yet, customized packaging can take a backseat for now. Another instance where custom packing isn’t worthwhile is if you have a product with a short shelf life. 

It’s important that you identify your industry and product specifics to see if customized packaging is a worthwhile investment. You can always expand to bespoke packaging once your business has found its footing. 

Final Thoughts

In today’s crowded marketing, standing out from the shelf or screen is critical. Custom packaging can be your secret weapon in turning an everyday product into something unforgettable. It can reinforce your brand’s narrative and upgrade your product’s perceived value. 

Before you dive into custom packaging, you must first do your research. Consider your product, industry, and especially your audience. What resonates with them, and how can your customized packaging align with their values? The answers to these questions will help you unlock the full potential of custom packaging, helping you increase sales, product engagement, and foster brand loyalty.

Refine Packaging is the top choice for 1000s of small businesses, Inc 5000, and Fortune 500 companies alike when it comes to custom packaging boxes. With super fast production times, affordable pricing, and a sky’s the limit attitude, we’ll help you turn your custom packaging into a competitive differentiator. Contact us today and a dedicated packaging specialist will guide you through every step of the custom packaging process without breaking a sweat.

The post From Cardboard to Cash: How Custom Packaging Drives Sales appeared first on Refine Packaging.

Your target market’s initial impression of the packaging powerfully sways their buying decision. Shoppers can get your item from the shelf and examine it more closely (or click your product image online and read more about it) before adding it to their cart. Or they can pass you up for another item.

Packaging’s marketing role is undeniable in a world increasingly focused on online engagement. Tangibility still matters, with an enticing physical presence improving your company’s brand recognition and recall more than digital communications.

How can packaging support your branding and marketing strategy? 

It all starts with understanding your buyer’s behavior. So let’s dive in and discover what makes packaging a potent conversion tool. Also, we’ll tackle how you can track your packaging’s performance.

It’s Not What They Look at But What They “See”

In packaging design, you must plan with the end in mind. For brands, this entails balancing two primary goals—product safety and customer appeal. The box or container must protect the product until it reaches the customer. At the same time, the packaging should make the buyer feel happy about the purchase and transacting with the company.

Factors Influencing Consumer Perception

Let’s admit it: despite humanity’s great strides in knowledge—including sales tactics, we’re still prone to the bias from positive first impressions, also known as the halo effect.

This bias applies in shopping and packaging—consumers are inclined to choose products based on appearance. The following factors can affect how they perceive your brand:

Color

Color can create emotions leading to desire, disgust, or indifference. Researchers and market analysts reported that 85% of consumers selected products based on color.

Thus, knowing the psychology of colors—the messages they convey—is necessary for your color choice in packaging design. Your selection should be consistent with your brand’s mission and personality. 

Although culture, life experiences, and socialization affect color preferences, graphic designers and marketers refer to guides and charts like the one above when designing their branding assets, including packaging designers looking for inspiration.

Meanwhile, recent research shows that blue currently holds the record as the most-liked color (preferred by 57% of men and 35% of women).

Shape and size

Factors such as the size of your box can depend on your target market’s demographics. For instance, children view product sizes and shapes differently than adults. Grown-ups may lean toward easy-to-carry products with minimal excess weight, but large-size or uniquely shaped packaging may excite younger consumers.

Texture

Although product packaging should look attractive even from a distance, it’s meant to be touched. Glossy and smooth packaging can give products a premium look and feel. Meanwhile, eco-conscious consumers might appreciate Kraft paperboard or molded pulp boxes, which may feel rough and barely have any design. One forecast shows a growing demand for barrier coating—for paper and board packaging—as a plastic substitute and will hit $11 billion by 2028, based on 2022 prices.

Layout, fonts, and graphics

A well-laid-out packaging box with a clear and sharp logo and images plus readable typography for your product name, description, and instructions make it easy for shoppers to know how your product can benefit them. 

Packaging Reveals What Consumers Want to Know About a Brand

Effectively designed packaging can answer your target market’s questions about you and your product. Shoppers typically want to know:

• What company produced this product?
• Why did they develop this product?
• What process did the business use to create the product?
• Where was this product made?
• What makes this product the best or better than others in the same category?

Including the following information in your custom packaging can convince consumers that buying your products is worth their money:

• Nutritional and health facts
• Ingredients
• Eco-friendly information
• Brand name
• Reasons for choosing your brand
• Certifications and awards
• Detailed instructions
• Cautionary notes
• Government regulations

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Moreover, your packaging material and structure can reveal how much care you put into ensuring your product’s usability and consumer safety. In a video from The Packaging School, founder Dr. Andrew Hurley emphasizes that thoroughly knowing your product is crucial in developing packaging that hits safety targets for both your item and those who’ll use it. He says clarifying these aspects about your product can help you nail your packaging design:

1. Form and nature of your product

Your product’s state (solid, liquid, or gas) will determine what material you need to package it. 

Beyond dimensions and weight, you must also consider what’s required to prevent leakage and adverse chemical reaction due to temperature, moisture, and the packaging material itself.

2. Needed protection at each level of the sales cycle

Your packaging must keep your product safe from the stockroom or warehouse to its transfer to couriers or fulfillment centers that will transport and deliver it to your retailer or customer.

3. Product’s end user and expected interaction with the product

Customers may have unique preferences, but convenience is universal across your demographics. For instance, a resealable package is advisable for a kid’s beverage, while gable top carton boxes are handy for adults.

4. Presentation

Your packaging must differentiate your product from other players in your niche or industry. Moreover, it should include a surprise element, particularly an unboxing experience better than they expected.

5. Sustainability beliefs and regulations

Research your target market’s beliefs on sustainability in packaging and the laws at the locations where you distribute or sell your goods. Six US states currently uphold Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies on the disposal of hard-to-recycle materials: Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, New Jersey, and Maine. Use your packaging to communicate how your company adheres to EPR laws.

How to Use Packaging as a Marketing Tool

Packaging is now at the forefront of brand awareness and promotions after some marketers renamed their seventh marketing P from the overarching “physical evidence” to packaging.

Here are seven ways you can optimize packaging as your “silent salesperson”:

1. Include customized packaging in your branding

You can use packaging to reinforce your brand identity because it receives the highest engagement with your consumers next to your product. For consistency, your packaging should include these brand elements according to your style guidelines:

Name

The brand-to-product association is so strong at times that some names have undergone genericization—the trademark becomes synonymous with that class of products. 

Examples include Kleenex for tissue paper, Band-Aid for adhesive bandages, and Xerox for copying machines. Other genericized brands include Velcro, Lego, Google (“Let’s Google it.”), and Photoshop (“I think that was photoshopped.”).

Logo and brand graphics

Your logo is your visual trademark, which must be recognizable as your brand name—if not more memorable. Graphics separate from your logo must use your brand color palette.

Color palette

Your packaging should ideally use your brand colors, which should’ve been chosen after analyzing your target audience and competitors. Some designers advise using up to three colors for maximum memory retention.

Slogan

Slogans are simple and catchy phrases representing your brand’s personality. They’re also crafted to function as mini-mission statements.

M&M: “Melts in your mouth, not in your hands.”

FedEx: “Where now meets next.”

Nokia: “Connecting People.”

Typography

Your fonts should be easy to read and express product information. Their look must also fit the style of your other branding elements.

Images

Images or visual elements must be crisp and attractive enough to tug at your target market’s heartstrings. They should also represent your brand message and the product’s unique value.

2. Think out of the box for higher shelf impact

Does your packaging seem to blend with other products on retailers’ shelves? Although shoppers have subconscious packaging expectations for different product categories, your brand must have unique elements that will help you stand out in a sea of other competing products. Two steps can help you achieve this:

Audience research

Conduct a simple online poll (try Twitter or LinkedIn) and ask your target buyers what they consider to be typical packaging in your product category.

Competitor research

Look through store shelves and compare the designs of your rival products. You might notice similarities in color and typography—these are the core design elements of your category. Doing something different but still in tune with your audience’s survey results is worth the risk.

Finnish company Sitko’s artisan pizza box is one example of unconventional design. It only uses black and white and shows off its sourdough balls—described as the “heart and soul” of its business—in various irregularly rounded shapes.

Meanwhile, Norway’s Freja did quite the opposite, playing up Nordic geometric shapes and a bright—although still limited—color palette for its rebranded bone broth line.

Below, this unique nature-based concept by Vu Digital encases bottles like flower petals.

Meanwhile, one designer used insect-themed window boxes for lightbulb packaging. 

3.   Incorporate packaging in your marketing campaigns

Although packaging can promote your product on its own, it’s most influential when used in tandem with the rest of your marketing arsenal. You can feature them in your digital (social media and website or Google ads) or offline (billboards, print, and TV) ad campaigns.

Aligning your packaging with your ad strategies may be as simple as using custom tape, labels, and sleeves on stock packaging boxes.

4.   Make it functional

Packaging should be durable and user-friendly in that storing, opening, resealing, and displaying them shouldn’t be a struggle. New packaging trends, such as smart packaging features, offer tamper detection and counterfeiting technologies such as QR codes and RFID tags.

Functional packaging can also refer to ergonomic handling and dual-purpose design. For instance, Motorola’s Razr 5G comes in a box that doubles as a phone holder-stand.

The Botanist Gin’s functional liquor boxes also double as a reusable planter. When you can repurpose your packaging, you get plus points for sustainability.

5.   Personalize through promotional elements

Add a personal touch through packaging inserts, such as thank-you cards, coupons, or customer-specific samples. You can follow the STP model to determine the most appropriate personalization add-ons. The acronym stands for segmentation, targeting, and positioning. 

Segmentation is dividing your customers into groups based on shared traits. Targeting is determining each segment’s buying power and identifying those most likely to convert. Finally, positioning is developing a marketing mix for each group.

To illustrate how the model works, small business owners can apply STP by including handwritten thank you messages in the package of first-time buyers, addressing them by their names. They can add freebies—stickers, trinkets, or a product sample—that complement their purchase to encourage repeat business.

Meanwhile, for returning customers, a referral card (offering discounts to the customer and a friend) or loyalty program invite can help expand your client base and deepen engagement.

McKinsey reported that 71% of consumers expect brands to personalize their interactions. Meanwhile, 88% of shoppers surveyed by Salesforce said their experience with a company is as important as the product or services they offer. McKinsey adds that personalization can increase revenues by five percent to 15%.

6.   List all the ways they can reach you online

Use social share inserts or print your social channels directly on your custom box and labels to encourage clients to connect with you online for feedback and queries. Be upfront about requesting a review and include a link that directs them to your corresponding webpage.

Also, include your main hashtags to encourage customers to look them up online and use them in their posts and tweets.

7.   Provide themed or limited edition packaging

Holidays and occasions such as your subscriber’s birthday and anniversary of their loyalty program membership or first order offer opportune moments for you to produce variations of your packaging. Themed packaging instantly turns your products into giftable items—something not-so-crafty buyers warmly welcome.

Moreover, you can roll out limited-edition packaging for specific products. Doing so can entice shoppers to buy before supplies run out and give them a sense of exclusivity because they acquired something unique to your brand and not available to the rest of the public. 

Grow with the Packaging Industry’s Marketing Thought Leaders

Once your packaging design is done, finding a capable packaging and printing company can make or break your marketing dreams. Choosing a printer with established thought leadership in this area can give you peace of mind. Besides being masters of the technical process, such service providers are aware of what makes a design arresting and professional-looking.

Refine Packaging is more than just dependable—we’re committed to ensuring your custom packaging becomes a profitable growth driver. And our dedication to your marketing success isn’t just lip service. Check out our blog section where we discuss the essentials of design, printing, and distribution. We’re serious about what we do, but always aim to keep simplicity and lightheartedness at the center of it all.

No matter what stage in the business you’re going through, we’re here for you. Our team includes in-house designers so you can get answers to any marketing concerns. Contact us today for a free consultation or more information about our process.

The post Optimizing Packaging for Marketing: 7 Client Engagement Keys appeared first on Refine Packaging.

Packvertising had intended to be a separate and more cost-effective alternative to traditional ad placements. Brands included flyers, vouchers, and promotional stickers in the box for added ways to connect and engage with consumers.

When COVID-19 struck, social media became flooded with at-home unboxing videos. The trend elevated the packaging box as an extension of every product, coming under the same scrutiny as its content in vlogs and influencer videos. Many brands now compete by showing off their product’s primary and secondary packaging in paid advertisements.

In light of this development, you may wonder: is it really worth investing in not just branded packaging but ads that include your product boxes? How can you make your packaging ad-ready?

This article answers these questions as we discuss improving your packaging ROI through ad placements that feature your custom branded packaging.

What Is Packaging ROI?

Your investment in packaging includes payments for design, packaging material, printing, distribution, and promotional activities.

How to calculate packaging ROI

You can apply the basic formula for ROI in calculating your product packaging ROI. That is, divide your net profit—the amount you earned from an investment or the investment cost minus its present value—by the investment cost and multiply the result by 100.

ROI =  (Net profit / Investment Cost) x 100

However, other factors contribute to packaging ROI. They include the following:

Damage reduction

A solid, structural packaging design results in savings for shipping and replacement of goods returned due to dents, breakage, or other damage. By protecting fragile goods, you can avoid processing returns, which can run up to 59% of the item’s original price.

Improved environmental profile

A quarter of consumers prefer buying from brands that use sustainable packaging, which Statista lists as the second top consideration among American shoppers after coupons and discounts.

Higher sales

Consumers have become more careful about how brands influence their buying decisions. 82% of shoppers in a Razorfish poll said they favor brands that stand for a greater societal purpose, which brands can achieve through packaging that conveys their intended contributions to the community. Your sales performance after your new packaging design’s launch is a good indicator of your ROI.

Recurring customers

When shoppers are delightfully surprised or satisfied with their initial purchase, their positive experience leads to what is called a “brand halo” effect. As a result, they’re likely to buy again and tell others about the product. American subscription box companies combine the power of packaging’s visual appeal with anticipation in keeping and growing their client base, which stands at 61 million. 

Top 3 Reasons to Include Custom Packaging in Your Ad Campaigns

You can double the influence of packaging over your target audience in the following ways when you incorporate them in your ads:

1. Packaging enhances your social media presence

Before the pandemic lockdowns, businesses used packvertising as a standalone marketing channel. They relied on extra features such as multi-page labeling and inserts containing rebates, discount coupons, and product information to attract buyers and engage customers.

When self-isolation mandates took effect, brands didn’t only ramp up their shipping and delivery procedures. They also ensured that their packaging would make up for the excitement and pleasure derived from in-store shopping. Their strategy included packaging in their content marketing and advertisements, mainly on their target market’s preferred social platforms. You can apply the same tactic to your online promotions. 62% of consumers tend to buy products a purchaser features in an image or video post.

Although unboxing videos reportedly started as early as 2006 (featuring a Nokia E61 phone), the contemporary content creators’ commentary covers the entire package—literally—from the box to its contents and fillers.

2. Packaging helps manage your customer’s expectations about a product

Advertisements featuring your product with its packaging promote transparency. Such ads can promote trust if you’re selling high-end products. As they say: the higher the price, the higher the customer’s expectations.

Potential buyers discover the item’s dimension and how large—or small—it is compared to its box. These visuals are more mentally digestible and retainable than a written description.

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3. Packaging allows you to receive immediate feedback

Why not hit two birds with one stone by asking your followers to comment on your packaging when you publish your social media ad?

How to Optimize Packaging for Advertising Success

You can succeed at including customized packaging in your advertising strategy by taking these steps:

1. Conduct market research and analysis

Market research and analysis help you discover more about your target market, competitors, and the packaging industry. Your study should ideally give insights about:

• Who belongs to your target market and their pain points
• Where your target and existing buyers research to discover and learn more about products and services
• Which of your rivals does your target audience turn to for options and information
• What influences conversions and purchases among your target audience
• What aspects of your competitors’ packaging are working for them
• Whether there’s a demand for your business initiatives
• Underserved or unaddressed consumer needs your business can turn into a selling opportunity
• What’s trending in your industry in the buyer’s eyes
• Consumer attitudes toward a particular topic or consumer issue, a brand or product, and pricing
  

2. Identify your goals and metrics

Surveying your target audience and industry helps you define or clarify the objectives and success indicators for your packaging.

Goals should reflect what your brand identity wishes to convey—a message (such as your unique selling point) and emotion (your brand personality)—besides growth objectives, such as increasing awareness, loyalty, and referrals. Meanwhile, success metrics include brand recall, conversion, retention, and word-of-mouth.

3. Pick the appropriate design, packaging materials, and box style (Proceed to points 4 or 5 if you have existing packaging)

Your design, paper stock, custom box style, and coatings must suit your product type and function. For premium products, you may want to use luxury materials and extra features.

4. Design, test, and evaluate your packaging’s performance

You can use prototypes when testing your product packaging with small markets or focus groups. Gather people’s opinions through surveys or interviews so you can determine your packaging’s strengths and areas for improvement. Here are some tips to follow:

• Limit the number of questions to ask, as they are open-ended ones.
• Provide participants with a demo or prototype.
• Ask them how they feel about your pricing.
• Ask for their views about your competition.
• Give them a chance to air any questions, concerns, or other comments at the end of the questionnaire or feedback session.

5. Adapt your packaging-related ad materials to the requirements and expectations of each advertising method

Around 55% of B2B and B2C product suppliers’ marketing budgets go to digital campaigns. However, traditional channels like print, TV, and billboards continue to be viable options.

If you’re allotting a large chunk of your budget to online marketing as well, familiarize yourself with the image sizes for product photography and video lengths required for website or social media ads. Our cheat sheet below is a handy reference.

Besides great visuals, the best social media ads have a clear call to action so your followers know what to do next, such as “Buy now” “Add to shopping cart,” “Sign up,” and “Learn more.”

6. Include your social media icons on your packaging

Invite ongoing engagement with your customers by including your social media handles on your company info. Doing so can raise your chances of upselling opportunities and referrals. 

Social Media Ad Specs Cheat Sheet

Here’s our cheat sheet for social media ad specifications. Aspect ratio (x:y) refers to the ratio of an image’s width to its height.

Social Media Examples Featuring Product Packaging

Here’s how some businesses featured their personalized packaging in social media ads:

ThreadBeast

Streetwear brand ThreadBeast showcases their subscription boxes directly in their Facebook advertising campaigns.

Jam Cellars

Jam Cellars’ Butter Chardonnay brings on some “better beach time” based on the brand’s YouTube video featuring the wine with its bright yellow-labeled bottle, can, and packaging box.

Crest

This Instagram image ad of Crest 3D White Strips directs the platform’s users to Amazon.

Corkcicle

A TikTok subscriber included the packaging in the unboxing video of the insulated tumbler by Corkcicle, which she received on Mother’s Day.

Purolator Inc.

Purolator made a LinkedIn post to announce its limited-edition holiday boxes. Like the Canadian courier, you can end your written ad with hashtags to widen your reach. Although you can use up to 30 hashtags, marketers advise using only a few of them. Three to five are enough according to the Instagram Creators account.

Know Your Other Advertising Channels

Through market research, you can focus your ad budget on your target audience’s preferred channels. Nevertheless, knowing the various advertising channels below makes you aware of additional venues for sourcing product promotion ideas.

Moreover, consider that although the average American broadband-connected household has 13 connected devices, 28 million households can’t afford the fees for internet access.

Television

Advertisers forecast a 10.4% growth in ad revenues amid an expected increase of connected TV (CTV)—or traditional TV connected to the internet that allows video streaming and web browsing—adoption from 2023 to 2028. Moreover, 50% of Americans connect their smart TV or CTV sets through their in-built mechanism.

Minimum CTV ad costs range from $20,000 to $50,000.

Print

Newspaper and magazine ads, flyers, and posters are all part of print advertising. Their tangibility gives them an edge over online adverts, the oversupply of which has taught netizens to ignore their presence, resulting in so-called “ad blindness.” Moreover, internet users can use ad blockers for privacy. Top Media Advertising reported that a digital ad’s effectiveness rises 400% when combined with print ads. 

Newspaper ads can cost between $50 and $2,700 and up for full-page ads.

Outdoor advertising

Billboards and public transportation ads are examples of outdoor advertising. Billboard fees—which cover four weeks—are worth $850 (for static) or $2,100 (for digital) on average. Meanwhile, transit advertising shares the same average cost as static billboards.

Email ads

Your brand can place an ad on a third-party email newsletter in exchange for an endorsement. The sponsorship cost depends on the newsletter’s industry, subscriber count, and audience engagement. Advertising charges can start at around $15 to $30 per sponsored email. 

Make Your Custom Box Packaging Ad-Ready

Selecting an expert custom box manufacturer with an eye for design is crucial when you decide to make product packaging design a part of your advertising projects. Your box provider should help deliver what you promised consumers in your image or video ads in whatever medium.

Refine Packaging can print branded boxes that will delight your customers beyond what they see in traditional or digital ads. Our happy customers can tell you all about it.

Moreover, our seasoned in-house design team can ensure that every step in your packaging development journey with us targets optimal client satisfaction from discovery to conversion. Contact us today to request a free consultation about your ad-ready packaging requirements.

The post How to Increase Your Ad Campaign’s ROI By Showcasing Custom Packaging (6 Steps) appeared first on Refine Packaging.

When you think about packaging and branding, it’s likely that logos, typography, colors, and photographs come to mind first. But as you’ll discover in this article, you can also use patterns to further connect with and influence your target market.

So stick around to learn about pattern design basics, where to source ideas, and how to use patterns for standout product packaging.

Elements of Pattern Design

Before we go deeper into the use of patterns, let’s examine the customizable parts that make them suitable for your packaging purposes:

1. Motifs

Motifs refer to the individual elements in a design, such as geometric shapes, lines, florals, and so on.

2. Color palette

Your pattern’s color combination should match your official brand colors.

3. Spacing

Patterns involve motifs with spaces—typically precise distances—between each other.

4. Layout

You can lay out motifs in the following ways:

Layout Pattern	Example
Directional: one-way (you can view the pattern only one way) or two-way (the pattern looks the same if you turn it 180 degrees or upside down)	One-way directional pattern Two-way directional pattern
Non- or multi-directional: the pattern repeats from any angle	Non- or multi-directional pattern
Tossed: random placement of motifs	Tossed pattern

5. Repeat

The various repeat patterns include:

Why Use Patterns in Packaging Design

The repetition of symbols and colors in a harmonious order is relatable, often producing a pleasurable experience. You can harness this characteristic of patterns in the following ways:

Enliven your design

Minimalism is appealing, but pattern and repetition also draw attention by adding texture, depth, and movement to your primary business symbols.

Improve brand recognition

Choosing a pattern that aligns with your brand story and color palette—considering that color boosts recognition by 87%—can give the public something to remember about your company besides your logo and the product’s name.

Besides being more memorable, patterns can distinguish your product from others in the same category.

Reinforce your brand values

Your pattern’s shapes and colors communicate what your business stands for—whether it’s elegance, playfulness, or sustainability—and the personality you wish to project. Research shows that such brand consistency can increase business revenues by 20%.

12 Websites to Find Stunning Patterns

While you can hire a packaging designer to create a pattern customized for your brand, you can start searching online for the most prevalent styles and see what you can adopt for your packaging. Get ready for a pattern overload from these websites:

1. The Pattern Library

Graphic designer Claudio Guglieri and creative developer Tim Holman set up The Pattern Library as an ongoing project, where creatives can share and derive tileable patterns. The site allows you to download the tile image in gif format.

2. Vecteezy

Over 1.6 million free and Pro (subscription-based) vector graphics await you when you click “Vectors” from Vecteezy’s main menu and choose “Pattern.” Some of its categories include seamless, line, wave, retro, kids, camouflage, geometric, and abstract patterns.

3. Canva

Typing “patterns” on Canva’s search bar will display templates you can freely use or purchase to tailor-fit your business and serve as a box template that can help frame your packaging artwork.

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4. Spoonflower

Spoonflower is an online print-on-demand company that customizes design prints for fabric, home decor, and wallpaper. Its community includes 25,000 independent artists, interior designers, small business owners, and DIY hobbyists.

5. Patterncooler

Graphic artist Harvey Rayner is behind PatternCooler, another online resource for editable patterns (300 by 300 pixels). The website’s color and theme generator tabs have sliding tools for customizing the pattern’s colors, saturation, and motif randomness. License plans are available if you wish to use any of his patterns commercially.

6. Patternbank

Patternbank is a surface pattern and textile design website with a filter system for searching ideas—over 75,000 of them. Surface design refers to images showing artwork patterns for decorating various surfaces.

Under its “Giftware/Stationery” link, you’ll find options such as ethnic, conversationals (novelty print featuring recognizable objects), camouflage, texture, tribal, and border.

7. Artlandia

Artlandia’s Pattern Central has a collection of patterns from various categories, including naturalistic, abstract, and geometric. It also developed plug-ins for making repeat patterns in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

8. Dinpattern

Dinpattern describes itself as an “ever-growing” seamless pattern library maintained and updated by designer Evan Eckard. Image files containing the motifs are free to download, but they’re for screen use only.

9. Pinterest

Because you can pin almost everything on Pinterest, the visual discovery engine has a wealth of pattern design inspiration, pattern art, and pattern illustration. On its search bar, type “surface design” then bookmark or save your favorite image pins for future reference. 85% of Pinners use the platform to start a new project.

10. Dribbble

Graphic, web, and UX designers have portfolios on Dribbble. Because designers retain rights to their work, you must get permission from the pattern’s designer before using their artwork.

11. Behance

An Adobe platform, Behance provides another online community for creative professionals, including surface designers.

12. Eye on Design

This website—run by the American Institute of Graphic Arts—has several sections on everything about design from the professional community, including the latest updates about branding and patterns.

2023 Top Trending Patterns in Packaging Design

The websites above showcase talent from across America and the world. However, as a business owner, you may be wondering if there are specific patterns currently enjoying widespread adoption. Packaging design circles say these three patterns are gaining popularity among brands:

Wrap-around pattern

Health, beverage, cosmetics, and personal care brands are leading the pack in using this pattern, which features lines and waves that cover the entire surface of the product’s retail packaging. Curiosity motivates shoppers to pick up the item and explore the design 360 degrees or from every side of the container. You can apply this pattern using custom labels or print the wrap-around pattern design directly on sleeves, custom paper bags, and other box types.

Memphis pattern

Making a comeback is the 1980s Memphis pattern style characterized by bright and multiple colors and oversized geometric shapes, curves, and lines. A group led by Italian architect and designer Ettore Sottsass a.k.a. Memphis Milano developed this retro aesthetic to oppose the 1960s minimalist design and 1970s modernism. Fashion brands and interior designers were behind its resurgence to evoke nostalgia, cheer, and individualism.

Folk botanical pattern

Current designs feature flowers, fruits, leaves, and vines drawn in unrefined, shaky doodles with rough textures and unexpected color combinations.

How to Choose a Pattern for Business Branding

How can you find the right pattern to improve your existing packaging design? These four steps can get you started:

1. Establish your brand’s visual identity

What needs does your product or business fulfill for your consumers? Understand your brand identity thoroughly, then choose a motif that aligns with your branding.

2. Research

Visit the websites and platforms we listed above to discover trends. Also, observe what’s around your home, your favorite hangout (diner or coffee shop), and your neighborhood—your surroundings can be rich sources of ideas.

Most importantly, check out your competitors’ product packaging to ensure you come up with a distinct pattern design.

3. Choose a concept or theme

Once you’re done with research, choose a motif, pattern layout, and repeat type.

4. Experiment and refine

Try different shapes, layouts, and color combinations. Designers use software such as Adobe Illustrator and Procreate for their digital sketches. Meanwhile, you can create a mood board (a physical or digital one) where you can compile illustrations, photography, color swatches, stationery pieces, or even fabrics representing what you want to incorporate in your pattern.

Although you should ideally use your brand’s color palette, you can experiment with shades other than your official colors when using patterns. However, your chosen hues should still be relevant and enticing to your target audience. For instance, bright-colored stripes would be more pleasing to younger (or young at heart) and fun-loving consumers, while a more mature or high-end crowd would prefer muted colors or even a monochrome color scheme.

Another color contrast tip: you can render older brand motifs or symbols in their opposite tone (a duller tone of your original bright pattern and vice versa). With 75% of companies rebranding since 2020, your business may want to consider this idea when adding patterns or revitalizing your visual identity.

Also, examine your negative space or background and see if you can add something new, such as texture or smaller motifs.

Then create a mock-up and test the pattern, getting feedback from colleagues or clients.

Pattern Generators for Experimenting

Besides visiting the sites we recommended above, you can use online tools to create your patterns, even without design experience. Try these user-friendly platforms and let your creative side run free.

Patternizer

Are you planning to feature stripes on your packaging? Patternizer lets you play with two colors and its slider controls to manipulate opacity, width, gap (distance between stripes), and offset.

Pattern Monster

Pattern Monster is your go-to site if you want to discover and experiment with patterns featuring lines and geometric shapes.

Tabbied

To explore ideas using Tabbied, browse their gallery, then choose an artwork to “redraw” using their tools to change the color palette, motif size, and repeat style. You can then download your final pattern design as a .png file.

Repper

Repper is a pattern creator that lets you create patterns using tile images from the website or your collection. You can select from various effects and color adjustment options.

WowPatterns Pattern Maker

WowPatterns has 27 categories of over 2,500 handcrafted patterns and a pattern maker with tools that allow you to alter the tiling style, rotation (angle), and color adjustments of the motifs, whether from the site or your files. You can download the pattern’s tile or surface image in .png or .jpg format with a maximum resolution of 5,000 pixels.

How to Use a Pattern Design Effectively

For your chosen pattern to work on your packaging design, remember these tips:

Balance it with other details

Pick a pattern that doesn’t overwhelm your other packaging design elements, such as your logo, product name, or product description. This way, the written text and visuals can still be easy to read and understand.

Let patterns highlight other elements

While you can use patterns to bring together various shapes and other symbols of your design or offer aesthetic comfort (because repetition creates familiarity and consistency), patterns can also direct the consumer’s vision toward portions of the package you want to emphasize, such as text describing your product’s top features or its ingredients.

Differentiate product variants using pattern designs

Do you have several variations of your product? Choose colors and textures to represent or signify variants of goods, such as chocolate, coffee, soap, and fragrances.

Make your pattern scalable

Ensure your motifs, colors, and layout stay sharp when applied on a larger scale. Designers typically render patterns and line art in vector format to retain their high quality regardless of resizing. 

Pick an Expert for Your Packaging’s Pattern Design 

Businesses will continue to compete against each other through packaging, with recent data showing that budgets rose 5.4% between 2022 and 2024 after a 3% rise from 2020 to 2022. Brands can expect patterns to stay influential as a design element in the years to come amid the thriving surface design industry. While US-based statistics aren’t available, over 3,000 designers worldwide belong to the Surface Design Association.

By following our tips, you can also use patterns to boost your branded packaging. Whether your idea is just germinating or a designer has developed a pattern design for you, Refine Packaging can make your motifs and colors come alive with our custom boxes and high-quality printing.

Our team can discuss your project given your artwork and preferred materials. We also have in-house designers ready to assist you if you haven’t finalized your desired pattern yet. Moreover, Refine Packaging can produce a mockup of your packaging box to ensure that the outcome fulfills your purpose. 

Refine Packaging is the top choice for the world’s Inc 5000 and Fortune 500 companies. With super fast production times, affordable pricing, and a sky’s the limit attitude, we’ll help you turn your custom packaging into a competitive differentiator. Contact us today and a dedicated packaging specialist will guide you through every step of the custom packaging process without breaking a sweat.

The post Where to Find Remarkable Patterns for Packaging Design appeared first on Refine Packaging.

At a time when thousands of new companies—and, therefore, new products—enter the market annually, businesses rely on these experts to see their products enjoy their day in the sun. The food industry alone welcomes 15,000 new products every year.

But with so many freelancers and agencies offering their design services, how would you know who can translate your unique selling proposition (USP) onto your brand’s visual identity?

This article will discuss how you can prepare for your collaboration with a packaging designer, including the factors to consider in selecting the one who can support your goals.

Before we dive in, allow us to show you some stats for insights on the consumer market from a wider angle. The figures below show how important it is to take product packaging seriously and seek the right path toward customer-centric packaging.

Impact of Packaging on Sales

Attractive packaging design remains at the heart of the unboxing experience. According to a Macfarlane poll, branded packaging made up 59% of all boxes shipped by merchants in 2022. Moreover, 41% of respondents said that printed packaging produced memorable moments, which made them want to buy again.

The outcome of this UK-based survey reflected similar sentiments of American shoppers in Dotcom Distribution’s study. 47% of participants who bought luxury shoppers over the past year said that “visually appealing/gift-like” boxes (32%) and personalized packaging parts (15%) made them share photos or videos of a purchase. Meanwhile, 24% valued sustainable packaging that is eco-friendly and paper-based.

Project Brief: Clarifying Your Vision

Packaging designers would ask you to share the details of your project in a project brief (also called a design or packaging brief). It lays the foundation of understanding between you and the designer or design agency by establishing your project’s purpose, scope, timeline, and budget.

The brief can take time to write, but it’s the most effective way to organize your thoughts and make the most of your meeting with your chosen designer. The document will serve as your playbook and prevent your designer from saying, “We didn’t realize or know you needed that” midway through the project.

Here are the sections to include in your project brief:

Project overview

Start the document with a short project description to help your designer envision what they need to deliver. Include the name of your brand and product, its back story, your USP, and how you want to communicate with customers through packaging.

Describe your product’s physical qualities, including its fragility, its appearance, smell, and so on.

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Company profile

This section describes what your company does, its values, and general objectives.

Goals

Discuss your reason for getting the designer’s services. If you’re launching a new product, your goals may include brand awareness, ensuring shelf appeal, and providing a pleasurable unboxing experience. 

However, if you’re hiring a designer to improve your existing packaging, identify your current problems—for instance, high production or transport costs, weak box structure, too simplistic design compared to rivals, or poor print quality. 

Share your competitor’s design or packaging to help your designer or agency grasp how you want to carve a unique presence in your market or niche.

Providing your designer with the above information will deepen their insight into your needs, possibly giving them a list of factors to eliminate when they start brainstorming your design.

Target audience

Define your target buyers—their demographics, preferences, and buying behavior. Be specific: trying to reach senior citizens who want to safely use their home bathtubs is different from trying to reach bathtub owners of any age.

Scope (design, material, and dimensions)

The scope covers your project’s technical details. Specify the style (box type), shape, measurements, preferred material (including any sustainable aspects or methods you wish to apply), and finish or texture. Remember to provide your brand style guide: logo, color palette, and proprietary artwork. Also, include all legal or mandatory copy you want to appear, such as ingredients, manufacturing information, warnings, and barcode.

Are there any elements that you don’t want your packaging to have? Incorporate them in the brief to help reduce revisions in the future.

If you’re changing your existing packaging, tell them about its shortcomings and get their feedback on how to improve it. Also, tell your designer about your shipping, distribution, and display methods so they can recommend suitable materials.

Timeline

Set your target dates, from when you want to see the design studies or samples to your expected delivery date of the printed boxes. Divide the timeline into stages depending on the urgency and output volume.

Budget

State your budget, but be open to discussions with your agency so you can balance quality with cost-effectiveness.

Deliverables

List the items you expect your designer to produce: mockups, digital files of the design, quantity of boxes, and any extras you may need. Discuss and agree on the approval process—ask how you expect them to deliver their output for your approval for each stage.

Contact information

Your project’s success will depend on regular communication between you or your team and the design agency. Include phone numbers and messaging contact details where your designer can reach you.

After your initial discussion, you may need to review the brief with your designer again to explore any changes. Amend as necessary and work together to ensure both sides share the same understanding of the brief. 

Where to Find Designers or Design Agencies

There are several places you can search to find a designer or design agency:

• Google (type “top or best packaging design agencies/firms” or “top or best packaging designers” + your location)
• Freelance networks, such as Fiverr and Upwork
• Portfolio sites feature designers’ past works, such as Behance and Dribbble
• Crowdsourcing sites, such as DesignCrowd and 99designs, operate like a design contest—you can post your project and receive proposals from around the world. Clients only pay for submissions they like. Refine Packaging has partnered with 99designs to provide brands an easy way to match with design experts to create world-class product packaging at an affordable price.

Which Is Better: A Freelancer or Design Agency? 

Freelance designers are experts in their niche and work independently—typically on a contract basis. Being a one-person team and their own boss, freelancers communicate directly with you or your marketing head. Meanwhile, design companies typically have several members, such as graphic designers, brand strategists, and market research specialists. Agencies can offer an array of services given the diverse skill set of their team.

How do you choose between the two? Your funds, project scope, and sense of urgency are top considerations.

Hire a freelancer if you have a small, lower-budget project that you need to complete fast. Meanwhile, choose a design agency for larger projects requiring more strategic planning to go into your packaging design, such as market research and mockup development. 

Agencies charge higher and assign you to an account manager. However, they have access to more resources and follow an established process, enabling them to finish your project within your deadline and scale when necessary.

Factors to Consider When Selecting Your Agency or Designer

To determine the designer or agency most suitable for your needs, evaluate your prospects with these criteria:

1. Track record

Designers can have various specializations—select the one who specializes in packaging. Not all graphic designers work with dielines. Research the person or company online to verify their track record. Read their case studies and what reviews say about them. Ask for references from past clients if possible.

Seasoned designers can recommend the packaging type that will work best with your product. They can also suggest the design and imagery, which will make your package eye-catching, given your preferred box size, shape, and material. Moreover, such designers know government compliance requirements on labeling (origin claim, FDA guidelines, and others).

Whenever possible, pick a designer who has package manufacturing experience. Those who do can go alongside you from design concept to production and box delivery. They are also familiar with the average production time for different box types.

2. Portfolio

Does the designer or agency have experience working in your industry or niche? Check their online portfolios for past work related to your sector and see if their output aligns with your taste. You can also request them to show you samples of their past projects.

3. Connection with printers

Designers or agencies typically have printing partners. Past collaborations hasten the process due to the agency’s familiarity with the latter’s quality and speed. They can also ask the printer about the minimum volume requirement for your preferred packaging.

Choose an agency that can liaise with the printer and follow your timeframe. Alternatively, you can recommend that your designer use a leading packaging manufacturer such as Refine Packaging for your printing needs.

4. Prototyping and testing

Can the agency supply you with a sample or mockup for review before mass production? Find one that offers prototypes as part of their service. Testing services—especially boxes for fragile products—will be a great plus.

5. Other services

Ask the designer if they can render your design onto other items in your product range. Consider specifying this in your project brief, as your other goods might have different dimensions and packaging materials.

Moreover, verify whether your designer or agency can offer copywriting and editing services for the text on your box.

You can also inquire if they’re knowledgeable about trademark and copyright issues. Otherwise, you might have to hire a lawyer to avoid legal issues.

Limitations of a DIY Approach to Packaging Design

New technologies allow entrepreneurs to design and print basic marketing materials by themselves faster and at a lower cost. However, if you want your product to stand up to the competition, you’ll need some professional help.

A DIY approach lets you practice your freedom of expression besides being in full control of the creative process. Immersing yourself in production can also educate you in graphic design, printing, and the box manufacturing sector.

But that said, handling packaging design yourself has some limitations, which a professional designer can help overcome:

1. Your design can be authentic but out of touch with your market

You may choose symbols, colors, and copy for your packaging representing your style and beliefs, which are close to your heart as a business owner. However, the design may not click with your target audience. For 63% of consumers, a product’s packaging is equally important as the brand itself.

Working with a packaging designer widens your perspective to include the factors involved in buying decisions. Designers translate their consumer knowledge, awareness of trends, and artistry into a unique design containing your preferred elements.

2. The hours you spend on package design can take time off your core tasks

You may also act as your company’s accountant, driver, legal liaison, and purchaser when you’re starting your business. Designing your package might get you stuck in an ever-deepening hole as you discover its intricacies.

A packaging designer can handle market research, competitor analysis, ideation, the creation of various design samples, prototyping, and more.

3. Your software may offer editable templates, but your final design can still look generic

The Internet offers a wealth of free and paid tools that design logos and stylize pictures, which you can print as labels or directly on paper packages. However, you risk finding a similar box template design on other products and appearing amateurish. Designers use more specialized software, which can generate an original design for you from scratch.

4. The quality of your home printer’s output can suffer with bulk printing

If you print your stickers and sleeves using your home printer, the output may eventually fade on some printed material over time. Quality printing is essential since more than 70% of consumers state that packaging design influences their buying decisions.

A professional designer works with commercial-grade printers to provide consistent print quality, which is crucial in branding.

5. Stock boxes may not be as sturdy and cost-efficient as custom boxes

Using stock boxes is more economical if you’re on a tight budget. Moreover, restocking won’t be a problem, unlike custom boxes, which your printer must replenish.

However, made-to-order boxes can be more financially sustainable in the long run if you sell luxury items or uniquely shaped items. Designers can develop the most suitable structure and choose the correct materials to hold up your product and preserve the box’s visual appeal until they reach their destination.

Well-designed boxes can make you spend less on padding (within or outside the box) and shipping. Moreover, it reduces damages, which lower product returns, which will also cost you. 80% of consumers also state that solid and sturdy packaging impacts their satisfaction with a product.

6.   Designing on your own can stretch your budget

Unless you’ve had previous experience with design, packaging, and printing, you might end up buying materials you might have to replace later on due to their low quality, inaccurate dimension, or incompatibility with your product. Meanwhile, you might stock up on expensive supplies only to discover later that more reasonably priced packaging is available.

Packaging designers consider your budget and apply their know-how and experience to ensure these issues don’t become your own during your partnership. 

Ensure Your Packaging Design Translates Beautifully on Your Custom Box

Any packaging design is only as good as its final version—the physical box. While it can look great from your designer’s study sample, your product can only have a fighting chance in the market through high-quality print packaging, which has the look and feel you envisioned from the start.

Refine Packaging has in-house designers who can assist you to this end. You can view our product gallery to learn about our capabilities. At the same time, you can get assurance from our testimonials that our team will be with you every step of the way in your packaging design journey. 

Contact us today to discuss your custom box project, whether you already have a basic concept, want to change your existing packaging, or need help from scratch.

The post How to Find an Incredible Packaging Designer (5 Critical Factors) appeared first on Refine Packaging.

Before the subscription model, businesses offered club memberships to introduce their latest offerings without pushing for physical store visits. With subscription boxes, various items from beauty or grooming products and pet food to clothing, books, and “loot crates” for gamers conveniently arrive at one’s doorsteps monthly, quarterly, or other recurring timeframes.

But life is now returning to the “old normal.” In-store shopping is in high gear – with 61% of consumers preferring to shop in person to view or try on the items they’re purchasing – and inflationary costs are rising. Consequently, subscription boxes are no longer the obsession they used to be, but are still widely used. How can your product offerings stay relevant and attract new customers? By understanding this business model’s success drivers and packaging basics, it’s still possible to plan and launch your themed box idea.

Subscription Box Categories

The three subscription box categories explain the appeal of this shopping model.

Access

Membership subscriptions boost the idea of being special, as certain items are only exclusive or limited to subscribers. A recent survey showed that being able to “try something new” is the top reason why up to 51% of U.S. shoppers get subscription boxes. Retailers sometimes include their latest offering in their monthly boxes for members to test, which could mean pre-launch access and a chance to purchase earlier than commercial distribution.

Curation

Who wouldn’t want to receive a “mystery gift” every month for the rest of the year? The surprise factor is the idea behind curated subscriptions, which offer something new in every shipment. This option builds up the anticipation to unravel and discover something novel and personalized, making it a wonderful gift idea for friends or oneself.

Replenishment

Also known as the “subscribe and save” category, replenishment subscriptions provide consumers with a fresh supply of their chosen product once it runs out (vitamins, soap, beverages, and so on). Shoppers gain peace of mind knowing they won’t run out of stock of their favorite items. They also skip the hassle of placing a new order because subscriptions are recurring.

Moreover, buyers can also save on costs, as some—if not all—products are on discount as part of the subscription.

Factors to Consider in Choosing Your Subscription Box Packaging

You can tailor-fit your subscription box to match your brand’s marketing goals and keep your product intact during transit. Here are the factors you must consider when selecting your packaging:

1. Style

You can choose from various box types to ship your product:

• Folding carton boxes are for single-item, lightweight products.
• Mailer boxes are heavier and sturdier than paperboard boxes.
• Shipping boxes made of corrugated cardboard are heavier than mailer boxes. In many cases,  customized shipping boxes are your best option if you’re going for an original look and feel that suits your product protection and budget goals.
• Rigid boxes for heavy and premium or luxury products.
  

Choose a type robust enough that it won’t tear under your item’s weight.

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2. Size

You must know what items will go into your subscription box to determine the appropriate size. Take the dimension of your box’s contents: weight, length (side-to-side), width (front-to-back), and depth (top-to-bottom). Also, consider how fragile or durable they are.

A box slightly larger than your product is better than one in which your product barely fits. You can put fillers in the space around your item, particularly for breakable and easily deformed or punctured contents. However, the box shouldn’t be too big that products would jiggle inside.  Furthermore, consider that larger boxes can add to shipping costs.

3. Packaging Extras

People love unboxing. On Instagram, when you search for #unboxing, over 4 million posts will show up. To enhance your subscribers’ unboxing experience, you can choose to enhance the interior of your subscription box with the following:

Inlays 

Inserts provide perfect-fitting holders for your products, reducing the chances of items breaking or getting tossed around during shipment.

Dividers

Create compartments inside your box to improve the presentation of various products, especially to keep several small items of the same kind in separate spaces.

Padding 

Such as bubble wrap, air pillows, and crumpled kraft paper prevent dents and other damage on your item.

Custom Tissue Paper

Acts like a gift wrap that covers your product inside the box.

Custom Stickers, Labels, or Tape

Help heighten brand awareness and can prevent tampering if you use them to seal the lid onto the rest of the box. They’re also a cost-effective decor if you opt for plain packaging.

Custom Sleeves

Also known as belly band packaging, custom sleeves serve as 360-degree wrap-around labels for similar items—like a chocolate bar set or egg tray—or boxes, whether plain or printed.

4. Printing Method

The three most common printing methods that packaging service providers currently use are:

• Flexographic printing: Features printing plates containing your design—one plate for each color. They spin on rotating cylinders and “stamp” or transfer the image onto the packaging material. Most corrugated box projects with simple designs use flexographic printing due to speed and clarity, even on corrugated boxes.
• Digital printing: Involves machines that can apply the colored or monochrome design directly on the box’s surfaces. Although more highly recommended for smaller orders, some printing providers can offer this service for large-quantity jobs.
• Lithographic printing: Also known as litho-lamination or offset printing—can be compared to wallpapering. It produces high-resolution designs onto a paper sheet laminated on the packaging box using adhesive. We recommend this method for more intricate designs and photo-quality imagery. Offset printing is also suitable for printing boxes with a metallic finish and Pantone colors.
  

5. Packaging Designer and Supplier

A designer can help you determine the box structure that can best protect your product from breaking or shifting while at the same time representing your brand and delighting your subscribers. Some packaging suppliers have transit safety (ISTA) certification and offer rigorous box performance testing.

Before deciding to outsource your product box design and printing, be sure to:

• Determine your budget: This will help set the quantity you can order.
• Set your timeline: when you need to get your boxes to provide time for packing and shipping.
  

Meanwhile, examine the following when choosing a packaging supplier:

• Industry experience
• Range of services and customization (Can it design, print, and ship the boxes you require?)
• Reviews about the supplier’s output quality and customer service (If possible, ask and compare samples from your shortlisted candidates.)
• Response or delivery time
• Pricing, minimum requirement, and if they can keep up with demand
• Use of sustainable kraft and eco-friendly box materials
• Shipping service (warehousing and logistics)

A custom packaging manufacturer such as Refine Packaging can create a unique design, provide prototyping and testing, handle your printing needs, and scale high-quality production as your business grows.

6. Shipping

Handling subscription box deliveries can be time-consuming. Find out your options, including working with a fulfillment center if your orders are mounting and you don’t have enough staff to help you with shipping.

Branding Essentials You Should Know

Familiarize yourself with the following design elements to help you work better with your subscription box packaging designer:

Typography

Typography refers to the font your brand uses. It should be readable enough to catch your prospect’s and client’s eye. Besides using an attractive font, your tagline should include catchy words that reflect your brand values.

Copy

Copy refers to descriptions, instructions, and other written information you will include in your packaging.

Logo and Colors

It’s logical to use your logo and brand colors to reinforce your business identity. However, you can play around with your color palette. Check if your designer can draft multiple designs featuring variations of your brand colors. Good designers consider your target audience and market trends (including the competitor’s packaging type or style) when crafting and presenting studies for your review and approval.

Other Visuals

You can include photos of the product inside your box and other details such as vector graphics (that retain their smooth look even if you enlarge them) and patterns (lines, curves, shapes) to help manage subscribers’ expectations about the contents.

Negative Space

Negative spaces are the blank or white spaces around and between images. They add sophistication to packaging and can direct people’s gaze to significant elements like your logo or tagline.

Dieline

The dieline is the flat diagram showing all the cut lines and folds of your packaging box.

Subscription Box Packaging Checklist

Here’s a summary of the packaging details to remember from concept design to shipping:

Examples of Subscription Boxes

The most sought-after subscription boxes are visually appealing and structurally sound. Although the following examples mainly received good reviews for their content, their designs are also worth studying:

Universal Yums

Universal Yums’ subscription box—a custom end-open mailer box—features a set of various snack packets from a different country each month. The exterior design features blue-colored sweet treats set on a white background, building on the same colors as the Universal Yums logo. The two-toned design provides a good balance to its multi-colored contents, which include a country map and a guidebook about the featured nation’s top destinations, culture, fun trivia, and a local recipe. The box is available in three sizes: Yum Box with five to seven snacks, Yum Yum Box with 10 to 12 snacks, and Super Yum Box with 15 to 18 snacks. Shoppers can subscribe annually or send it as gifts (once or monthly for three, six, or 12 months).

Jot Coffee

Only Jot Ultra Coffee’s rabbit logo in gold foil appears outside the box in solid black. Inlays secure the bottles and a silver spoon. Newer subscription boxes contain dividers to separate the bottles and drinking glasses, which are among the welcome gift options for first-time subscribers. 

Unlike Universal Yums, Jot uses two-sided printing, which gives the box a luxurious feel, although it doesn’t use a rigid box. Subscriptions provide 25% savings on its 200-ml bottles of concentrated liquid coffee.

Gardyn

Gardyn claims you don’t need to have a green thumb to succeed at indoor gardening when you sign up for its monthly kit of salad vegetables you can grow using its proprietary hydroponic system. 

The company uses one rigid box to deliver ABS plastic columns, which hold several “yCubes” or pods with seeds and rockwool—”a natural, rock-based growing medium”—inside (packed in their own box), a six-gallon water reservoir that serves as the base, and other accessories. 

A separate narrower rigid box contains poles that provide simulated lighting for the plants. The Gardyn app guides subscribers through their gardening journey with the help of AI assistant Kelby, which monitors the plant’s health using the cameras on the light poles. 

Subscription Box: History and Forecast

The subscription box trend began at the heels of Netflix’s 2007 launch of its streaming service when Harvard Business School fellow grads Katia Beauchamp and Hayley Barna launched Birchbox in 2009. Subscribers received designer beauty products—mostly in miniature size—for a $10 monthly fee. By mid-2010 onwards, more sellers adopted the concept, offering consumers more product-type subscription options. Ipsy and Dollar Shave became Birchbox’s top rivals.

The COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 boosted the industry as followers of Instagram and YouTube influencers became captive audiences for unboxing videos. Large companies such as Walmart, Target, and Amazon and niche retailers like Wayfair, which hopped on the trend before the pandemic, drew more subscribers as people turned to safe and reliable shipping of home staples and hobby items when stay-at-home orders were in force.

The International Market Analysis Research and Consulting Group’s latest report shows that the global subscription box market was worth $28.1 billion in 2022 and may hit $73.6 billion by 2028. The report adds that the top challenges facing current and incoming players are fierce competition amid market saturation and a lack of long-term agreements with vendors, which could threaten standardization and spike prices.

How to Sustain Your Subscription Box Business

High prices are making 60% of Americans abandon the subscription box habit. Thus, you must make your target market feel they’re getting more value for their money by signing up or staying subscribed. Here are some ways you can activate or reignite the addiction for your recurring box:

1. Reward subscribers

You can integrate a loyalty program into your subscription by providing subscribers with access to free merchandise or priority customer support besides early access to new offers and discounts.

2. Collect and analyze feedback

Focus on the first box and what recipients felt upon receiving it. The American Marketing Association advises subscription box providers to combine “concrete” and “emotion”-related questions: “What did you feel when you saw the box’s contents?” (emotional) and “What were your top three thoughts when you tried the products?” (concrete). Avoid seeking extensive comments about their second box. Instead, build up interest for the next box.

3. Offer a preview about the next box without making them lose excitement

You can inform subscribers in advance about a specific product in the upcoming box but not the entire kit. Rotate the product category or any aspect of the box that you’d like to preview every month.

4. Diversify

If you’re not a brand owner but depend on suppliers for your subscription box’s contents, you may consider diversifying your offers just like what leading providers are doing. For instance, Blue Apron has launched one-off party boxes for Thanksgiving and special occasions and an online cookware and wine shop.

5. Keep a tab on trends

Hyper-personalization, higher demand for men’s boxes, and influencer marketing will continue to prevail in the subscription box sector in the short term. Stay abreast with new developments, including smart packaging technology. Examples include QR codes to access digital content describing the product or augmented reality, active (shelf life-extension) packaging, as well as radio frequency identification, and embedded barcodes to prevent tampering and counterfeiting.

Create FOMO with Unforgettable Custom Subscription Boxes

Consumers can fear missing out on your subscription box with the help of targeted messages and customized packaging. But since the unboxing experience is the main draw of your subscription offer, getting your packaging right becomes the top priority.

Refine Packaging can assist from conceptualization to mass box production. We aim to provide as many options as possible and simplify the process so you can see your idea materialize in the shortest time possible.

Select from our array of custom box industries and products, or let us know your concept so our designers can work with you. We use various printing techniques and offer 2D and 3D mockups of your packaging. Our team can send you a sample so you can verify if the prototype matches your vision.

But don’t just take our word for it—discover how the Refine Packaging process has delivered successful customer stories for 1,000s of satisfied brands and their clientele. Contact us for a free quote today, and our packaging specialist will connect with you shortly.

The post Subscription Box Packaging Design Essentials You Need to Know appeared first on Refine Packaging.

Rigid packaging boxes are also referred to as set-up boxes as they’re usually displayed in stores along with the products they contain. They often hold high-end items such as electronics, jewelry, and cosmetics, so some people also call them luxury packaging.

Rigid packaging boxes normally consist of two parts: thick chipboard with a 36- to 120-point thickness (about 2-3 millimeters), which is 4x to 5x thicker than folding carton boxes, and the thinner and more flexible paper wrap that’s pasted over the chipboard to cover it. It’s the wrap that gets customized for branding and can feature foil stamping, varnish, coatings, and other premium printing techniques and textures.

Some custom rigid boxes also have lining interiors that add an elegant touch besides shielding products from scratches and dust. 

Comparing Rigid Boxes vs Folding Cartons vs Corrugated Boxes

Rigid set-up boxes are always in 3D form and generally don’t require assembly before they’re filled. Unlike carton boxes, rigid boxes typically can’t be folded to lay flat and reassembled into their box form, although some brands are now developing collapsible ones.

Due to their thickness, customized rigid boxes can withstand the stress of shipping without damage, protecting the usually fragile products they contain. However, rigid gift boxes may not be as tough as corrugated boxes, which are made of several dense paper layers. Corrugated boards are more versatile in that they’re lightweight and can be folded flat like carton boxes. They can also be customized, being the box of choice for stand-up, point-of-purchase, or point-of-service displays. 

Benefits of Using Rigid Boxes

What makes rigid gift boxes a great option for your business?

1. They’re Customizable

You can look into several possibilities when it comes to using a custom rigid box as part of your marketing strategy for luxury retail packaging or e-commerce packaging. Depending on your target buyers, you can choose a unique shape with a bright and fun design or a more conservative layout with little to no embellishments.

Chipboards come in different values of thickness, while you can play around with your logo and brand name on the wrap using specialty paper, printing techniques, coatings, and finishes.

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2. They Don’t Require Setup

Unless you opt for collapsible models, a customized rigid box doesn’t need assembly, so they reduce the labor involved once they’re delivered to your company.

3. They Raise Brand Awareness

Rigid boxes can help increase sales if you can pick a box style or design that stands out from your competitors. Boxes can feature a clear window, sticker labels, or a specific structure that delivers a pleasurable handling and unboxing experience.

4. They Improve User Experience

Quality packaging is important as it’s the next thing that consumers lay their eyes on after seeing or touching your merchandise. Custom packaging boxes can enhance the visual and tactile appeal of a product. This makes the item look elegant, increasing the worth of your brand.

Thus, rigid packaging boxes give prospective and current customers a well-rounded experience from the time they examine it (whether online or in a physical store) until they receive it via delivery or take it home after their in-store purchase.

5. They Can Boost Your Credibility

When the printing of your logo, brand name, artwork, and product details, plus the box’s finish, appear high quality, your brand appears more professional and trustworthy.

6. They Protect Against Damage

As their name suggests, rigid boxes are supposed to be sturdy enough to protect their contents from the effects of storage, handling, and long-distance travel. Their lids are meant to be secure, and the inserts can securely hug the items, including bottles of oil and tincture, so that they don’t arrive broken. Inside panels for sweets can also prolong shelf life.

7. They Can Be Repurposed

Due to their sturdy construction, many pieces of luxury packaging become keepsakes and are reused as drawer separators or storage containers, especially if they have quality magnetic closures or similar resealable lids. From mementos and jewelry to important documents and printed photos, well-designed, high-quality packaging boxes can become a part of one’s work desk or closet for a long time.

8. They Support Brand Loyalty

You can make your rigid packaging boxes reusable for other purposes: to build a following. Using eco-friendly materials is highly popular and can attract environmental advocates who are very particular about how packaging boxes are made. 

When Not to Use Rigid Packaging

Rigid boxes may not be the best option if:

1. You Have a Large Product

Although the structure of rigid setup boxes can offer superior product safety for small to medium items, its design may not be suitable for large home appliances as their heavy weight may put pressure on the edges. High-end corrugated packaging may be a more viable alternative.

2. You’re Not Yet Ready for a Large Expense

As you read on, you’ll discover that you have to pay more for rigid boxes due to more expensive and thicker materials, the more specialized process involved, and higher shipment fees.

If you’re not ready to invest in rigid packaging, you can ask your manufacturer how it can work with your design using a quality folding carton or high-end corrugated box.

3. You Have Limited Time

Rigid boxes take longer to produce than carton boxes, so you may have to go for carton boxes if you have a tight schedule. 

Different Types of Rigid Boxes

Rigid box packaging styles are either two-piece or hinged: 

1. Telescope or Top-Load Boxes

With Corners

The telescope box features a lid that covers the base midway (partial telescope) or nearly all the way to the bottom edge (full telescope). Some full telescope lids have thumb cuts or semi-circular cutouts, which make them easier to lift from the base.

The classic shoebox, which has a lip that is typically one inch deep, is an example of a partial telescope box. Many commercially available high-end gift boxes as well as our own windowless shirt boxes and luxury cosmetic packaging are structured this way. They can come in various shapes, too.

The neck or shoulder (others call it shouldered) box is another example of a partial telescope box. This type of box has a dual base, with the inner one (also called the tray or neck insert) higher than the other. The protruding part of the tray is called the neck while the top edge of the outer base is referred to as the shoulder. The lid rests on the shoulder. There are shoulder boxes with an extra-long neck, creating a gap between the lid and the base of the box.

Meanwhile, the drawer-style box is a variation of the full telescope box. Also referred to as a tray with a sleeve or the shell and slide. This type of box is like your traditional matchbox. It has a slipcase going over the base or “tray” of matches instead of a lid on top. They’re suitable for items that need to be laid down instead of upright to prevent damage or to preserve their contents. Such products include smartphones, jewelry, and some cosmetics.

Without Corners

Cylindrical rigid box styles, also referred to as rolled-edge tube packaging (or just tube packaging), feature either telescopic or shoulder-neck openings. They make a great packaging option for bottles, markers, other circular-shaped items, as well as powdered goods and irregular-shaped objects. Brands can also consider them alternatives to metal packaging.

Some rigid tube boxes have plastic or metal lids. Their interiors can feature plastic inserts (as in the case of beauty products) or foils.

2. Hinged Lid Boxes

With Cover on the Hinge

Hinged lid boxes have covers that are permanently attached to the base. They close due to their weight, via magnetic strip, or other securing material. The lids of some of these boxes, such as the flip-top or cigar box, don’t have a lip that covers the base of the box. The covers of the book-style box are the same as that of a cigar box—the covering flap extends slightly beyond the base so that when you close it, the box looks like a hardcover book.

Meanwhile, the clamshell design has a lip that goes down partially or down to the bottom edge of the base. In some hinged lid boxes, there’s a cloth or other lining that covers the hinge joint. 

No Cover on the Hinge

Custom Rigid Boxes: Different Types of Finish

Besides having versatile structures, rigid boxes can also offer you plenty of finishing types, from the way the wrap encompasses the box to the look and feel of the wrapping material.

Partial vs. Full Finish

When the wrap only covers the entire outer surface of the lid and tray, it’s called a partial finish rigid box. You can see the lips of the wrapping paper folded and glued to the chipboard’s interior, but most of the board is bare and visible.

Meanwhile, the chipboard is wrapped to its entirety in a full finish rigid box. The inner wrap may be colored white or another color.

Exterior Add-Ons

Brands can select from a variety of options when they want to go for fancy packaging.

1. Coatings 

Coating can come in different types:

• Varnish: Varnish is made of clear ink and creates a thin satin, matte, or glossy layer on the wrap. It can be applied to a specific area (spot varnish) or the entire sheet (flood varnish).
• Aqueous coating: A water-based coating gives your boxes a glossy or matte surface, making it easier to clean dirt and fingerprint marks off of them. They’re also scratch- or scuff-resistant and more eco friendly than varnish or ultraviolet (UV) coatings. Because this type of coating is food-safe, it’s usually preferred for boxes that house food and beverage.
• Ultraviolet coating: UV coatings need UV light or sun exposure to quickly harden coating. They offer the highest gloss finish, but foil stamping can’t be applied to them. UV-coated sheets can be embossed, but they should completely harden first.

2. Lamination

Lamination involves spreading polypropylene or a very thin, plastic film on the wrap, making it water-resistant and moisture-free. It reduces creases and small cracks. The higher level of protection it offers makes it pricier than varnish, which is why it’s mostly used for high-end luxury packaging. Most custom luxury boxes feature matte—as opposed to glossy—lamination. It’s the best coating to use when planning to add foil stamping, embossing, and spot UV on your outer design.

3. Hot Foil Stamping

Heat and pressure are used to apply foil designs of gold, silver, or other colors. The bright metallic foil can highlight your brand and logo.

4. Embossing and Debossing

Creating raised areas (embossing) and indentations (debossing) can enhance the texture of your high-end gift boxes and fancy packaging, making it more eye-catching and attractive to consumers. Embossing and debossing create depth when applied to foil-stamped material.

5. Flocking

Flocking is the method used in rigid boxes where there are velvet or suede-like textures on certain parts of or the whole wrap. The short fibers can be made of cotton, wool, rayon, or other synthetic materials. They can be dyed according to your color preference. This process may also be applied on the surface of some inserts.

Special equipment, as seen in the following video, electrically charges the flocking fibers—causing them to stand up—before spreading them over an adhesive-coated material. 

How Are Custom Rigid Boxes Made?

Brands and sellers tap rigid box manufacturers for luxury brand packaging or high-end retail packaging solutions. The creation process normally involves three stages:

1. Conceptualization

Contracting companies can tap the expertise of a rigid box packaging consultant to come up with the right design that will meet their goals. Some manufacturers also have an in-house design and engineering team that can handle conceptualization and prototyping.

At this stage, designers need to know the following points:

• If the item to be packaged is part of a broader product line, which has an existing design that should be followed or patterned after
• If the box will have to hold many items in a specific way
• If a certain artwork should appear in front of the box that may affect sizing specs
• If you want to incorporate advice from your retailer, who’ll ultimately decide which of your products will be put on sale at its store

Once the concept and budget estimates are presented, reviewed, and approved, the box maker can create the template. The contracting company needs to provide the artwork that will go on the wrap of the rigid box.

2. Production

Production is done by machine, hand, or a combination of the two. The wrap is printed beforehand, undergoing lamination or other treatments required by the client. On the other hand, chipboards are scored and cut to the correct size and shape. Machines (quad stayer) or staff—or a combination of both—then fold the tray or base of the rigid boxes and apply adhesives on the corners so that the sides stay up.

In packaging companies with fully automated systems, pre-trimmed wraps are trimmed and lined up in a conveyor belt. An arm places the tray on the glued surface of each wrap. Then the tray with the wrap beneath it passes through a plunger, which glues the wrap evenly on the tray’s outer surface.

3. Delivery

The packaging material itself also needs protection during shipment. This aspect should be considered and included during the design stage. 

Testing

About 11% of shipped goods arrive with damages. This results in the brand replacing the unit, offering a discount, spending on return freight, and missing profit. More importantly, customer trust is adversely affected when boxes—or worse, their contents—come with dents, scratches, or torn parts.

Thus, production of your custom rigid box packages and other high-end packaging will only be complete when testing is conducted.  

Dimension Testing

Even before your chipboard gets wrapped, it has to be tested for accurate dimensions. In an automated assembly line, the folded chipboard should have the precise length, height, and width or diameter to ensure that the wrap will cover it partially or fully, depending on the company’s design specifications. Meeting the prescribed measurements is also necessary to ensure that the product, inserts, and fillings will fit inside.

Label and sticker application is also set automatically in mechanized production. Thus, custom rigid boxes should all have the exact and accurate dimensions so that seals and any other adhesive-based matter will be placed on the right spot.

Drop Test

This allows contracting companies to determine how the box will stand up to accidental falls. The most popular drop test procedures come from the International Safe Transit Association (ISTA).

During the test, the product is placed inside the box and a machine drops the box on a hard surface from varying heights. The test can be performed on the corners, edges, or sides of the box. The manufacturer or supplier should analyze any resulting damage and work out a solution. When the improved box is available, the test is repeated.

Drop test machines for various package sizes and weights are available in the market. 

Common Custom Rigid Box Mistakes to Avoid

Using custom rigid boxes may turn to your disadvantage due to the following:

1. Use of Oversized Packaging

No matter how fancy the packaging is, buyers will be turned off if they discover a small product inside a big box. Disappointment over the false impression can lead to negative online reviews or even a lawsuit.

2. Lack of Differentiation

Your custom rigid boxes shouldn’t only be eye-catching but also distinct from those of your competitors. Be sure to research your segment thoroughly and get your design team’s opinion about how your product can stand out.

3. Insufficient Protection

Boxes for bottles containing liquids may need a grease barrier. Waterproof-coating should be considered for custom rigid boxes that will go on outdoor display.

4. Not Child-Friendly or Pet-Friendly

When you’re targeting adult clients of various ages, packaging should include instructions for human and pet parents. It should clearly state whether contents include choke hazards or hazardous substances. 

Factors That Contribute to High Prices

A custom rigid box can cost an average of $4 to $5 per piece, more expensive than a fully printed and labeled corrugated box (under $2 to $3) or a folding carton box (under $1). As the previous sections mentioned and indicate, the higher cost can result from:

Materials

More expensive chipboard, which is thicker than regular, foldable carton packaging, is used for custom rigid boxes. They come in a variety of colors—including white and black—with natural chipboard being the cheapest.

Your choice of paper and finish for the wrap also affects the final price. Full finish boxes cost more as they require more paper to cover the chipboard.

When it comes to finishes, metallic, neon, and other specialty inks are more expensive than regular ink. And naturally, larger surfaces will entail more materials. Any labels, magnetic strips, or ribbon pulls needed also add to the total expense.

Construction

The tooling cost in your final bill covers the use of custom-made tools needed to produce each custom rigid box, including dies for cutting its shape, foil stamping, and embossing or debossing, as well as print cylinders, print plates, and molds. The fee goes up if your packaging box has a unique shape or various parts and involves many colors and other printing techniques. Inserts require separate cutting dies and molds.

Reputable manufacturing companies use special machines to fold parts of your custom rigid boxes, paste their sides, and cover them with wrap. But manual labor may be required for intricate packaging or inclusion of inserts, which can be made of tissue, cardboard, foam, or plastic.

Volume

The packaging industry also follows economies of scale, so small-run custom packaging projects will cost more than large ones.

Transport

A majority of custom rigid boxes aren’t collapsible so they don’t ship flat, thus requiring higher shipment fees. Moreover, the rising cost of fuel will ultimately impact how much you have to pay couriers or third-party delivery firms.

Storage Space

As custom rigid boxes arrive pre-assembled in their final form, they need plenty of storage space. Ask your packaging company if it offers managed inventory service. This refers to keeping an agreed level of stock for you and shipping on a just-in-time basis or when you need them. You can also survey your business warehouse for any unused space.

Ways to Cut Rigid Box Production Costs

Here are some workarounds to consider when you need to deliver rigid boxes on a budget:

1. Opt for Standard Sizes and Thickness

A complicated structure will inevitably command a higher price. If this is beyond your budget at this time, use a standard size and thickness that will demand less customization from your manufacturing partner. Standard chipboards are easier for them to buy in bulk or may be available in their stock at a volume that can cover your custom rigid box order. This will result in lower costs for you, an early production start for them, and a faster turnaround time. 

2. Go for a Smaller Design

Want to stick with your original concept? Maybe you can reduce the graphics and shorten the text to make them fit in smaller cardboard packaging. You can also try repositioning the product in a different way or even disassembling it to see if a smaller box will work for you. One advantage of using smaller rigid boxes is that more of your products can fit on a store’s shelf at one time.

3. Pick Lighter Materials

Know your options when it comes to chipboard thickness. Then discuss with the design or manufacturing team how a thinner version can support your advertising and functional needs.

4. Choose Digital Printing for Low-Volume Runs

Although not as high-quality as offset printing, digital printing is more cost-effective, especially if you have a simple and minimalist design.

5. Tone Down Embellishments

• Consider adding a viewing window. A cut-out area that will show the product inside the box might be a cheaper alternative to embossing or foil stamping, especially if there’s artwork in the primary package—that is, the label on your product’s bottle, plastic casing, and so on.

• Reduce the area(s) where foil-stamping or embossing will be applied. The cost goes higher for every square inch where these treatments are used. Choose only the essential parts of your box for these finishes.

• Select water-based coatings and low-gloss finish. UV and glitter coatings are more expensive. A low- or semi-gloss finish can be a good alternative to lamination, which is known for high moisture protection.

6. Use Paper and Tissue Paper Inserts

These materials are more affordable than foam padding. Paperboard inserts with slits can provide the support your rigid setup boxes need for gadgets, cosmetics, luxury candles, and more.

7. Contact and Get Quotes from Different Suppliers

Ask three or four reputable packaging solutions companies to give you a quote, specifying your materials and size. Then determine which one can do the job at a more affordable price without sacrificing quality. 

What to Look for When Choosing a Rigid Box Maker

An ideal custom rigid box supplier should have the following characteristics:

1. Specializes in Rigid Box-Making

Folding carton manufacturers currently outnumber rigid packaging makers. Custom carton box makers may offer to do the job for you by outsourcing the work and just bill you for added costs. It’s better to choose a company whose specialty is rigid packaging. Ask for actual samples, not just prototypes.

2. Employs In-House Designers

It’s best to find a producer with a team that can help you come up with custom quality packaging that will best suit your product. This can help minimize delays and improve coordination as you only have to deal with one company from conceptualization to production.

3. Communicates Effectively

Check client reviews. Companies manufacturing rigid setup and luxury boxes with good reviews most likely listen well to what their clients need and want, resulting in a low error rate. They should be able to promptly answer your questions regarding how boxes are made, the minimum order size, and turnaround time, for example. They should also be able to provide practical solutions.

4. Respects Environmental Sustainability

Today’s consumers are drawn to brands that are conscious about environmental protection. A rigid setup boxes producer that’s Forest Stewardship Council-certified means that it uses paper products from responsibly managed forests. You can also choose custom product packaging manufacturers that use recycled fibers, practice water stewardship, and operate with renewable energy. 

Market Updates and Trends

The rise of work-from-home opportunities has recently paved the way for more people to shop online for various goods, including luxury and gift items. The demand for rigid paper packaging remains high despite the growing popularity of bioplastic, which may affect the quality of food and flavor of liquids and releases polluting methane gas.

The personal use and gifting of video games and equipment, confectionery, wine and other beverages, personal care items, bags, clothes, shoes, watches, and jewelry packaged in luxury rigid boxes, especially among millennial customers and Gen Zers, is expected to drive e-commerce growth in the coming years. The market for this box type will be worth more than $5.4 billion by 2030, according to forecasts. Custom two-piece rigid setup boxes will be at the forefront, with its value expected to reach $268 million until 2025.

Collapsible Rigid Boxes

As mentioned earlier, several manufacturers can now design and produce foldable rigid setup boxes. They can offer the versatility and convenience that custom carton boxes can offer, with the top selling point being their ability to store flat, which lowers shipping cost.

Smart Packaging

More and more brands will continue to integrate digital technology into their custom rigid boxes for better quality and customer engagement. Here are some examples:

Printed Electronics

Boxes with near-field communication (NFC) chips can provide more product information, prove authenticity, enable tamper detection, and even detect temperature when consumers bring their smartphone close to the NFC tag. Brands may also use NFC and radio-frequency identification (RFID) stickers to track orders.

Quality custom packaging may also feature LED and OLED lighting devices. These flat, nanometer-thin types of lighting can make your business logo, product name, or parts of the packaging glow or cause a holographic image to appear using hand pressure or with the aid of a smartphone, without the need of a battery.

Augmented Reality

Brands can include a QR code in the packaging that will allow buyers to view the product with animation and sound effects or play a mini-game, with virtual objects seemingly emerging from thin air. The visual appeal of AR-enabled packaging is reportedly two times stronger than regular ones.

Impress Your Customers with Luxurious Rigid Packaging Boxes

Refine Packaging is the top choice for the world’s Inc 5000 and Fortune 500 companies. With super fast production times, affordable pricing, and a sky’s the limit attitude, we’ll help you turn your custom packaging into a competitive differentiator. Contact us today and a dedicated packaging specialist will guide you through every step of the custom packaging process without breaking a sweat.

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