Packaging design has a direct correlation to the success of your product.
When similar products are placed together in a store or marketplace, the design of the packaging is the predominate differentiator to make them stand out from one another.
The packaging you choose will have to fit the product you are selling correctly, it will have to portray the right image and position the product as the best choice in the consumer’s mind.
Whether this is your first design or you are an established brand looking for a new packaging design refresh, you must understand the importance of having an appropriate packaging design for your product.
It can be frustrating to look at similar products to yours and know that your package design needs to look equal to OR better than brands already on the shelf.
The good news is you can achieve the success you want when you consult the right people with real experience and know-how in packaging design. This knowledge will go a long way to your success for a number of reasons...
Influencing Consumers
Top brands invest heavily in the packaging design of their products year in, year out and with good reason.
The design has a direct influence on the consumer’s behavior, the choices they make and their experience with the product.
Product packaging will influence a consumers’ decision on whether to pay the price asked for your product. Quality packaging equates to perceived value, which can lead to increased sales, which leads to an increased bottom line.
When consumers are unable to try a product prior to purchase, the visual appearance of the package becomes the key decision making factor about the value delivered by the product inside.
An Atlanta-based research firm, Corporate Resource Development conducted a study to test the influence of packaging design on consumers.
They presented a number of health and beauty aids including fresheners, deodorants and razors to be critiqued. What they found is that packaging can give a product an advantage over other similar products on the shelf in two ways before purchase.
First, that it draws the consumer's interest to look at the product more closely and Second on whether or not to buy it.
With this in mind, it is quite clear that packaging design heavily influences consumer’s behavior when it comes to purchasing a product.
First Impressions Count
First impressions are everything. When you meet a new client, a friend of a friend or someone in the street for the first time, you do your very best to give a good impression of yourself.
And understandably so. This same logic should apply to your product and a consumer’s first introduction to it.
Shoppers make a direct correlation between the quality of the packaging and the quality of the product
In her book “Brand Identity meets Economies of Scale” Elizabeth Abrams states that “the carton, jar or tube on that store shelf provides the first impression of a brand’s products to a consumer, and the brand and product packaging is critical to the success of both.”
This means that how the consumer interprets the packaging has a direct effect on their interpretation and expectations of not only this product but the brand as a whole.
High Quality Packaging
If you choose to use cheap materials in your packaging that could get damaged easily, then this is going to send the wrong message to consumers.
Consumers don’t want to buy a product that already looks damaged and so it is important to use high quality, durable materials in your packaging design.
This will set your product apart from the start, making it more attractive in the eye of the consumer.
In a recent study, GENCO Supply Chain Solutions discovered that damaged packaging has a huge effect on whether or not consumers choose to buy a product.
Not only are they less likely to buy the particular product but their overall trust in the brand begins to steadily decline when they see a product in damaged packaging.
In fact they found that 55% of shoppers left the brand altogether and 36% chose to buy another brand instead.
A Reflection of your Overall Brand
Packaging design impacts not only the product it is housing but also represents the brand as a whole and this is something that should always be considered.
If your brand is for a younger age demographic for example, you might choose loud, bright colors. If your brand is a luxury brand you might choose an elegant design with gold or a royal purple to give a representation of what the brand stands for.
If you have existing products already packaged, make sure all your products have a ‘family appearance.’ Your packaging design should be appropriately designed and speak to the intended audience.
The Price You Pay
Product packaging can have a direct impact on how much consumers might be willing to pay for a product.
The quality of the packaging and the packaging design can impact the consumer’s choices when it comes to the price they feel is appropriate for the product in question. Appealing packaging leads to a higher selling price.
In their academic journal “Formation Consumer Price Expectation based on Package Design” authors Orth, Campana and Malkewitz stated, “a central premise of the current research is that consumers form an expectation of an offer’s price based in visual cues inherent in the package.”
They found this to be especially true when consumers are unable to try a product before purchasing, discovering that “the visual appearance of a package assumes a key role in the decision making by providing information about the aesthetic value delivered by the product.”
Swaying Purchasing Habits
People are creatures of habit and that is often reflected in their purchasing decisions. They will show loyalty to certain products and brands.
When a new product hits the shelves, the packaging is what can make it seem appealing to the consumer. Highlighting its benefits to the consumer, its ease of use and other advantages on the product packaging can help sway consumers to try out a new product.
In the Corporate Resource Development study researchers found that consumers do stick to their routine when it comes to selecting items to buy.
However, when they choose to try new products it was because the items appeared easy to use and they were reasonably priced.
Showing the product’s ease of use through the packaging design helped consumers to feel more comfortable with a new product increasing their likelihood of buying it.
Packaging Design IS Important
Packaging design is a vital element in the overall success of your product.
It needs to give a great first impression, be made from high-quality, durable materials appropriate for your product and represent your brand correctly.
Your packaging design will not only effect how likely consumers are to buy your product but at what price they will be willing to purchase.
Package design does influence consumers' perception of both the product and brand, which ultimately, impacts their purchasing behavior
If your product is new to the market then you are going to want to convince consumers to break their current buying routine and try something new; your packaging design is going to have a huge influence on whether consumers will make the change or not.
Pay attention to your packaging design, consult an expert and ensure you give your product every chance to shine in today’s competitive marketplace.
Got a comment? We want to hear it. Please send us your thoughts on the form below.
{{cta('7388b675-a346-43c0-a2a2-69bca2c090da')}}
