We have seen many times that in supermarkets, the ‘value’ range is exactly the same product as the ‘finest’ range, the only difference... the packaging! The design of the packaging can transform the perception of whatever the product is, whether it is the colours used or material of the packaging.

When a potential customer is scanning the shelves, there is only a few seconds to make an impact on the customer, to make them want to explore the product further. Most of the time, the packaging is thrown away or recycled, so the purpose of the packaging is to sell the product, inform the customer, and protect the product. 

There are many types of packaging, it is important to choose the right type of packaging to suit the product. For more premium products, gold and silver foiling, as well as 3D spot varnish can be used on card boxes, this instantly makes the product appear more high end and stand out against other competitors. Obviously this would make the packaging more expensive to produce, however it is sometimes worth spending a little extra in order to make more profit in the long run.

For lower end products, the packaging is purposely designed to appeal to customers looking for more cost effective products. If the target audience of a product is for customers looking for a bargain, the more basic design would instantly give someone the impression that the product would be less in value than the same product in a more fancy looking box.

When choosing the packaging for a product, it is important to choose the right material and style to suit the product. It needs to suit its purpose, so it is important to ask yourself:

  • Who is your target audience? Does the design appeal to the target audience?
  • Is the packaging going to protect the product when being shipped? Or would it need additional packaging if shipped?
  • Is it instantly obvious what the product is from looking at the packaging?
  • Do you want the packaging to be recyclable?
  • Do you want the packaging to be easy to open? Or securely fastened?
  • Do you want the product to be nice and snug in the packaging? Or oversized packaging?

Choosing the style of the box is important to suit the product. Types of box include pull out boxes, crash lock boxes, pillow boxes, flip lid boxes, hanging boxes, windowed boxes, snap shut boxes and standard folding lid boxes. It is vital to choose the right type of box for your product, so prototyping is essential. Making sure the packaging does everything you want it to before mass producing could be the difference to having or not having a successful product.

There are ways of making packaging flexible, so that they can be used for different products / events / versions etc. Additions such as stickers, belly bands and wraps can be created to promote the product in a different way. Whether it is a Christmas edition of the product, or a limited edition, it isn’t always worth having a whole new box produced, especially if the product is the same size.

Our friendly team at e-digiprint would love to help you create the perfect packaging for your product. We can work with you, make suggestions and help you design the perfect packaging to make your product stand out from the rest!