Retail packaging and design for modern business
Great products need great retail packaging and design.
It’s just not enough to think that whatever you’re selling is good enough to sell itself.
Many small businesses, especially young start-ups, tend to focus so much on their product that they forget the packaging.
In this digital age, there is so much choice for consumers, so great retail packaging and design is a crucial factor in getting your product off the shelf and into a shopping bag.
Good retail packaging and design is more than aesthetics
Retail packaging and design isn’t just an aesthetic decision. There are several considerations to take into account from the very start, which is why it’s worth spending the time and money on it.
Storage and Transport
It’s all fine and well having a really cool box in the shape of a heptahedron, but from a practical standpoint, can they be stack on a shelf without falling over?
Packaging should minimise storage requirements and transport costs, by being as lightweight as possible and easily stacked.
Packaging that is too bulky, the wrong shape, or takes up too much shelf space is unlikely to impress buyers – or shop owners.
Material and environmental impact
When it comes to packaging materials, cost, functionality, durability and the environment are all things which need to be considered.
If your brand is a leading promoter of environmental and sustainability issues, but then you use a non-recyclable material, then obviously you’re setting yourself up for a fall.
Likewise, depending on what you’re selling, you need a material which will last. Cute little paper boxes might look charming, but what shape will they be on after travelling for months in a shipping container across the Pacific?
Brand recognition
Part of the job of your packaging is brand recognition. As the first point of contact with a potential consumer, your retail packaging and design should convey your brand’s reputation, quality, and personality.
The goal is to have your brand recognised and trusted at a glance before the brain even has time to process what it’s looking at.
Trusted and recognisable brands will always do better than those who are unknown, the trick is to get to that level.
Appearance plays a big part
Your retail packaging and design represent your brand, it is the physical embodiment of your company. Appearance does play a big part in letting customers know what they are purchasing, so retail packaging and design need to appeal visually to your target market. Be sure it conveys the message you want to portray about your product and your business. Good design is as much about what you take out as what you put in to enable brand match.
Here are some things to consider:
Company logo
If you’re just starting out, you might be wondering if you even need a logo.
The answer is yes!
Logos are an essential way for you to bond with your customers, while at the same time standing out from your competitors.
A good logo tells the world who you are, what type of product you sell, and the benefits you offer potential consumers.
Colours
The colour of your packaging is the very first thing people will notice, and there are ample scientific studies which suggest that it’s also the deciding factor in whether to buy.
Different colours elicit different emotions in people, usually unconsciously.
Cleaning products, for example, tend to use white as it’s considered “clean”, while blue conjures feelings of serenity, but also coldness.
Luxury items use gold, silver and black, while red creates a sense of urgency which is why it can boost sales, but it also gives a sense of anger, danger or defiance, so should be avoided if you’re selling a relaxing massage product.
Fonts
Deciding which font to use for your brand is one of the most important decisions you’ll make without knowing why.
A good font is recognisable and fits with your brand, while a bad font is unreadable and immediately off-putting to a potential customer.
Good fonts are well-balanced and easy to read, with consistency and scalability.
Bad fonts are overused, illegible, or just plain ugly.
Get the retail packaging and design right with our help
Great retail packaging and design not only represents the quality inside but sells your brand even after the product has been bought.
When designing packaging, it’s important to remember that you’re speaking to your target audience, so don’t try to appeal to everyone.
The design is only one half of the packaging, the other half being logistics.
Will your packaging stand up to travel?
Is it waterproof?
Can it be stacked easily?
Is the box too big for the product?
These are all questions you need to consider when thinking about the design, shape, and material of your packaging, and with retail packaging playing such an essential role in a brand’s success, it’s important to have a clear idea of what you need to do before you put a product on the shelf.
We work with some of the biggest and the smallest names in the business and we know how to build your brand value through great packaging.
With years of experience, we understand how important great retail packaging and design is, and that no two products are the same.
If you would like to know more about how we can help take your product packaging to the next level, contact us today.
Our friendly and experienced staff will be happy to help in any way they can.