What purpose does packaging serve?

Protecting the product. And? Looking good enough on the shelves for consumers to want to buy it in the first place. In the first place – that’s the key here. We buy what we find visually appealing, and if some product suffers from poor packaging, unimpressive and shabby, chances are we will move on to a better-looking item. So what factors determine whether a buyer will find some item attractive or not? The answer is design. When a quality product comes in a well-designed package, it encourages sales. However, speaking about good design is easier than implementing it. However, you’ll find some helpful tips below to attract customers.

1. Content is King

In a bid to play up the effects of good packaging, brands often forget that customers want to buy the product, not the outer cover. Yes, packaging has a role to play in the process, but it’s not everything. Packaging should work in tandem with the product to create the best impact. Make it clear what a particular product is for and the brand information. The placement of this information is important as customers don’t want to spend more than a few seconds on a single product nowadays. Your product packaging should have strong visuals on the outside, yet explain what customers will find inside the box. The clearer the customer is about the product and the brand, the more they’ll be interested in the item.

2. Play with Different Designs

The packaging of a product – no matter how exclusive or unique – means zilch if customers do not buy your product. This is why you have to take various designs and then test them out on a focus group. It could be just family and friends. It is important to determine what sort of message your product is sending to the viewers, and ensure that it’s in line with that which you’re trying to convey. The fact that the packaging of the product appeals to you doesn’t mean that it will be received by the customer in the same way. That’s why it’s important to test this as often as you can.

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3. Honesty is the Best Policy

Packaging is supposed to present your product in the best possible way. However, showcasing the item in a way that is completely different from what it actually is? Never a good idea! Your customers will feel cheated and misled, and though this process might boost initial sales, you’ll end up with angry and disappointed customers. Retaining your existing customers and word-of-mouth advertising are both important, and so you should package your products honest and allow it to speak for itself.

4. Always Be Practical

Practicality is important, especially if the packaging affects the function of the product. Looks are not always what consumers are after; ease of use and efficiency are also important. Take a look at the market and try to figure out ways to improve the functionality of your packaging. You’ll gain many customers simply due to functionality alone.

5. Be Familiar With Target Audience

Knowing your target audience will give you an idea about the kind of packaging your product should have. A lot of factors will determine the final item, such as gender, age group, income etc.

6. Clear Typography

Consumers spend a few seconds looking at any product. If they find the typography to be illegible, the chances of them taking the time to figure out what it means is less. Clearly legible and concise lettering is always preferred. Fancy fonts are always a hassle to deal with as people aren’t able to read them at a single glance. You also have to ensure that the color of the font is compatible with the overall color and look of the packaging.

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7. Always Be Aware of Your Competition

You should always study your competition. This will allow you to understand what design elements they are incorporating in their packaging, and how they differ from each other. You should also take a look at less successful brands in the market to get an idea about which design flaws to avoid in your item. You should attempt to list all the elements to craft your own recipe for success – one that meets your requirements and that of your brand.

8. Make Your Packaging Relevant

Heard the expression “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”? This doesn’t apply to the realm of packaging design. You should look at new packaging to keep up with the changing times. Even if you’ve got an amazing packaging strategy in place, it won’t last forever. You need to have a pulse on the interests of your consumers and figure out how to improve your packaging. If the demand of the consumers has undergone subtle changes, you can try and play up features that remain in the background.

9. Never Underestimate the Importance of Quality

Always use the finest materials that you can afford within your budget. The way your packaging feels and looks will go a long way in influencing their purchase designs. For many customers, the outside is reflective of the quality inside, and you would do well to remember this fact when packaging your products.

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10. Impact on the Shelf

Consumers never get to see a product alone. It’s always arranged in rows and shelves with the same or other items of the same group. So, they view the patterns made out of different products, and it is this pattern that prompts them to take a closer look at a particular item. This appeal and distinctiveness of a specific product when placed on a shelf is known as “shelf impact” and it is important for product sales. This is one avenue that you should test and explore in your packaging. If done well, the results will be amazing!

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11. Extensibility

A product packaging design concept should allow for an easy introduction of a new line (product variation) or a sub-brand. For example, imagine you're creating packaging for a new brand of apple juice. You and your designer opt for design featuring apples which looks great. However, a few months later it's decided to launch a cherry flavour, but your original design doesn't work as apples feature too heavily, and replacing them with cherries looks sub-par. Plus cherries have some additional health benefits that also need to be communicated on the front panel whereby space is no longer available.

To avoid this, you should always design product packaging with the future in mind. This means creating a visually systematic design which allows for easy changes of product visual or other information, so you can create as equally striking products as the origin product.

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Brands never have an easy time with packaging design. The best ones have found the perfect blend of sales performance and originality. The rules mentioned above will convince consumers to purchase your product.

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