Stay on top of the latest e-commerce and marketplace trends.
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A British ex-pat, Tami been writing and content-strategizing for Israeli tech start-ups for the last 5 years. When she's not writing nerdy content, you can find Tami on open water charity swims or traveling to far-flung countries.
The last thing you want is negative feedback regarding your packaging. You do not want to receive this sort of feedback from a customer:
Packaging is a crucial element of the selling process. First impressions really do count, and making the right one on the customer is vital if you want to encourage future sales and create a strong and solid reputation. This is especially true on Amazon, where feedback can significantly impact your chances of winning the Buy Box.
Here are 4 things you can do to boost your packaging process and enhance your customers’ experience
1. Pack appropriately
The most important thing is that your customer receives their item intact. It’s all very well and good sending the item in a fancy and impressive box, but if the item arrives damaged, you’ll definitely be dealing with a return and you’re likely to receive negative feedback too.
There are a number of common options that exist for packaging, including padded or non-padded boxes and envelopes. You might also need extra stuffing or product cushioning. Be sure to evaluate each product separately to decide on the best packaging method. There is no one size fits all unfortunately, unless all your products are highly similar in size and material. Uline is one popular choice for buying all types and sizes of packaging materials.
2. Outside in
Since the outside of the box is the first thing the customer sees when the package arrives, it’s a great opportunity for you to hit the customer with your brand and impress them with aesthetics. You could put your company logo on the outside of the package, whether by creating branded boxes or, if that’s too costly, by having your tape branded with your company details.
You might also consider branding the inside of your box, which is the real wow factor for a customer. You can have your company colors or logo put on the inside, which can be pricey, but is definitely worth it.
You could also think out of the box (!) and utilize interesting packaging material for your products. For example, one eCommerce blogger uses coffee bags to ship some of his orders because the matte black or silver lining bags compliment his brand qualities, and are of high quality, so they look great. They’re also cheap to buy and since his products don’t require protective packaging, keep his orders thin which make them cheap to ship. Another online seller packages baby boots in sushi boxes!
3. Be aware of trends
Different trends rise and fall, and some even rise and rise! Know what your customers like and expect, and if possible, provide them with it. It will definitely have a hand in inspiring customer loyalty.
For example, as the green movement continues to grow, people are becoming more and more aware of, and concerned about, the impact our activity has on the environment. Many sellers are therefore consciously thinking about the boxes and packaging they use for their items. There has been an upsurge in environmentally friendly materials being used, such as recycled or biodegradable materials. One such example of this is the Rapid Packaging Container, developed by Henry Wang and Chris Curro. It is based on recyclable materials, and reduces the amount of material required as well as speeds up packaging and unpackaging times.
Another popular trend is packaging that can have a second life. Many eCommerce stores have been providing customers with packaging that can later be used for other purposes. This packaging is often high quality material that can be used to store toys, clothes, or even grow plants in!
4. Be aware of expectations
This may be obvious, but it’s still worth emphasizing. Be aware of what your customer expects for the price they are paying you.
For example, if you’re selling a $5 phone charger and offering free shipping, it is understandable that the package may show up in a padded envelope or a plain box with some tissue paper. Alternatively, if you’re selling a $100 product and the customer is paying for shipping, then putting in the extra effort to give the package that wow factor can be well worth it.
Pay attention to your packaging and not only will your customers be posting pictures on Facebook, but you’ll soon be receiving this kind of feedback:
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