Introduction
Who doesn’t love receiving parcels? But with the eCommerce landscape growing quicker than ever – each small or growing business and parcel is fighting the good fight when it comes to standing out from the crowd.
That is why you need to look beyond the norm when it comes to a “cardboard box.” From custom colours & branding to quotes and even freebies, there is so much that you can do to get noticed.
Why is personalised packaging important?
When something is inevitable, people tend to pay less attention to the details, but when it comes to packaging this shouldn’t be the case. Product packaging plays a key role in the overall shopping experience. Especially when it comes to eCommerce.
We often hear eCommerce referred to as a journey, and the final destination being the placing of an order… but we’d argue that’s just not true. The final destination is the opening of the parcel – and the excitement that your customers get from unboxing and unwrapping their goods. As a nation, we love to receive parcels but with an average of 74 parcels being delivered to a single person each year, we need to make them stand out.
💡Did you know: 43% of consumers expect their parcels to be personalised to them?
It isn’t just about standing out from a crowd. Packaging plays an important role in your marketing efforts. From external branding to inserts, it all goes towards selling your brand and improving the likelihood of customer retention. After all, it’s marketing material that 100% of your customers will see!
So what are the 6 benefits of using custom packaging?
1. Create a great first impression!
As the saying goes “you never get a second chance to make a first impression.” That’s why using custom packaging, especially for first-time buyers, can be the difference between retaining existing customers and paying today’s higher acquisition rates.
Interesting packaging often means an interesting brand. Seeing excentric or on-brand personalised packaging sets a precedent for the perceived quality of your product. Helping you to create a fantastic first impression that sets you apart from your competitors.
2. Get free marketing with user-generated content.
The #unboxing has over 73.8 billion views on TikTok.
Whilst that sinks in – let’s get into how you can use this to your advantage. In the age of social commerce and the growth of influencer marketing people will very often post images and videos to their social platforms to show their purchases.
But with a rise in the number of parcels that influencers and social media professionals use – they’re not always picking up your parcel first to show it off, that is of course, unless it stands out!
💡Did you know: 40% of consumers will share an image of your packaging on social media if it was unique or branded.
When it comes to packaging creating custom memorable parcels can help you to get your brand name and aesthetic in front of huge audiences – without having to pay a penny for the privilege.
3. Keep customers coming back for more.
With the cost of customer acquisition continuing to rise businesses are turning their attention to retention.
💡Did you know: 61% of us say we are much more likely to make a repeat purchase if it came in premium packaging?
We know that the unboxing experience plays a pivotal role in creating a loyal customer base. And though it’s up to you to create an exceptional sales process – we can handle the post-purchase part! From initial delivery to returns, each step is just as important when it comes to building brand reputation and establishing loyal customers.
4. Referrals = sales!
We all love to make calculated decisions when it comes to spending money! And that is why we’ve developed online habits like reading reviews. Similarly, we trust those that we love over all else so if you can get one loyal customer – they can help build your following too.
💡Did you know: Customers are 77% more likely to purchase from your company if they have been recommended by a friend.
If your customers are happy with their purchase experience, including their reaction to your personalised custom packaging they’re more likely to refer you to a friend. And if your packaging stands out you’re more likely to hold prime position at the front of their minds.
5. Stand out from the crowd.
One of the greatest things about using custom packaging as a small business is its ability to differentiate you from your competitors. In a competitive marketplace, consumers are looking for something more than a product to justify their buying decision.
If a potential customer is impressed with not only your product but also the packaging and unboxing experience, they’re more likely to purchase from you in the future, rather than go with one of your competitors.
What’s more, if you use branded packaging, you can get some great brand awareness whilst your product is on the way to its customer. We’d call that a win-win!
6. It adds value.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw a huge push in the support of smaller independent businesses. Following on from this, we are seeing this continued support and we love that! But generally, choosing products from small businesses comes at a higher price point than buying from larger retailers.
Therefore, by providing custom packaging, or even personalised packaging in some cases, it helps you to add value to that purchase. Make sure you do everything possible to ensure that the consumer has made the right decision opting for your company over a mainstream alternative.
If you’re looking for a fulfilment company that can pick & pack and ship your orders using custom packaging and according to your instructions, look no further than UK Fulfilment Service.
Find out more about our E-commerce fulfilment services today.
