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Every single day, thousands of new products enter the retail setting, competing to win. What actually helps brands to make sales is how their products look in customers’ eyes. Yes, we are talking about product packaging here. No product is sold without its packaging; thus, packaging and retail are inseparable.
Whether you’re running an established brand or just joining the industry, having exclusively designed retail packaging is the best way to stand out and eventually make sales. What is retail packaging, how does it help sell your products, and what are the best retail packaging strategies you should perform? Let’s explore all the details.
What is Retail Packaging?
In general, retail packaging refers to the exterior wrapping, box, or container specifically designed to protect and market a product within a retail environment.
This packaging includes all the functional features to provide customers’ convenience. It combines high-quality materials, structural integrity, high-quality graphics, and, of course, branding performance. Most importantly, it provides complete product information to help customers make their purchasing decisions.
How Retail Packaging Helps Sell Your Products?
In the competitive world of retail, your product has about 7 seconds to make a first impression in-store. Good impression, customers will put it in their cart. Bad one? They will not even look at your product.
Fortunately, retail packaging does the heavy lifting to convince customers.
With carefully designed retail packaging, your business can more easily promote and sell your products.
Here’s how.
Build Brand Recognition
Retail packaging is highly customizable with consistent colors, business logo, and fonts. This way, customers can instantly identify your brand.
Communicate Value
This packaging is made of high-quality materials. In addition, its sturdy construction and vibrant printing convey to customers that the product inside is worth the price.
Provide Essential Info
In addition to branding, retail packaging provides ample space for essential product details. Accordingly, the description printed on the packaging quickly tells customers what the product is, how to use it, and why they need it.
Create an Experience
The “unboxing” experience starts the moment a customer picks up the box. Properly printed packaging creates excitement and builds brand trust. Even when your product has to compete with thousands of others on retail shelves, exceptional packaging can create an experience customers will love, remember, and come back to your brand for.
Popular Retail Packaging Box Styles
There are many packaging styles you can find on just a single retail shelf. How to choose the right one that actually sells?
Here are the most common styles used today:
- Folding Cartons
In every retail store, you might have seen folding cartons. Lightweight and versatile, these cartons are the gold standard for selling cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and small electronics in retail settings.
- Custom Display Boxes
If you want to sell more products in retail, custom display boxes are the best option. They are designed to sit directly on counters or shelves (often called Point-of-Purchase displays). They organize and separate multiple products easily with custom-fitted dividers. Another consideration is that these boxes are crafted with the science of raising the product to eye level to drive impulse purchases.
- Sleeve and Tray
Sleeve and tray boxes are actually “drawer”- style boxes that add a layer of mystery and sophistication.
In addition to the popular retail packaging styles above, there are several trendy options to consider, including tuck-top, auto-lock bottom, two-piece boxes, and more.
Retail Packaging Guide
The various retail packaging options leave you wondering about which one to choose, right?
To make a better, more informed decision, stick to the retail packaging guide.
What’s included in the guide?
- Easy to Identify: When your product is competing with others, it must be easily identifiable.
- Easy to Open: Your packaging should not give customers hassles and frustration when opening it.
- Easy to Restock: Your product packaging should be easy for retail staff to restock.
Best Retail Packaging Strategies
To sell more in a retail setting, you need a packaging strategy that focuses beyond just looking “pretty.”
Note the best retail packaging strategies below.
Prioritize Clarity
Don’t make customers hunt for information. Make sure your product name, its features, and all the essential benefits are visible, even from several feet away.
Choose the Right Material
Match the “vibe” of your product to the packaging material. For example, choose Kraft (brown) paper for eco-friendly or organic vibes. For a luxury appeal, go with premium rigid stock.
Focus on Typography
Too much description can make customers feel overwhelmed and give them a headache when they see your packaging.
Don’t think about making your packaging look crowded with overly scripty fonts. Consider using fonts that are easy to read under grocery store lighting.
Don’t Skip on the Sensory Elements
Yes, you should not skip the sensory elements. Apply spot UV (shiny bits), embossing (raised textures), or cut-out windows to showcase your product. When a customer touches this type of retail packaging, the chances of them buying it increase significantly.
Design for the “Shelf Shout”
It is always a good idea to research your competitors’ packaging. Evaluate their packaging and how they apply their design, logo, and everything in between.
But wait, it doesn’t mean that you should copy their packaging. If everyone else is using blue, consider a bold orange or a minimalist white to break the visual pattern on the shelf. Make a difference, differentiate your product, sell more in retail settings.
In Summary
No doubt, retail packaging does the heavy lifting to convince customers.
With carefully designed retail packaging, it is easier for your business to promote and sell your products. Stick to the retail packaging guide: it should be easy to identify, easy to open, and easy to restock.
For the best retail packaging strategies, design your packaging to prioritize clarity, choose the right material, focus on typography, don’t skip on the sensory elements, and design for the “shelf shout.”
Nevertheless, by following our complete guide, you can make retail packaging that actually sells.
Ready to grab more sales in retail?
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