It doesn’t matter whether you are selling electronics, cosmetics, or FMCS products; the product’s packaging is there for a purpose, and this purpose goes beyond just keeping the product safe until it reaches the consumer.
Take a moment to think about the last product you bought, whether online or from the local market. Now that you have that product in your mind, could you remember the impression the packaging of the specific product left on your mind? What was the first thing that came to your mind? Did you think about the design, safety, or anything else?
Before even seeing, touching, or using the product, the first thing the customers physically interact with after buying a product is the packaging. Packaging can serve different purposes like improving usability, and safety, enhancing looks, fulfilling specific customer requirements, or optimizing design. However, whatever purpose the packaging serves is a one-time purpose only.
So, before you choose a packaging materials company or a packaging design, it is essential to know about the role packaging plays in your business, and this is what we will learn in this blog post.
Here are the top reasons why packaging offered by a packaging materials company matters so much.
Protection
The main objective of any packaging is protecting the product from all possible types of damage that could happen during storage, transport, or handling. It is the packaging that helps in retaining the product right from the moment it leaves the manufacturing unit till the time it reaches the hand of the consumer. This might be why companies are so concerned about the type of packaging materials they choose.
The layers of packaging or the protection offered by packaging increases when the products are ordered online. But keep in mind there is a difference between designing packaging that serves all its purpose and packaging that only protects the product from all possible damages.
Attractiveness
Packaging is one of the essential tools marketers use to convey the right message and make the product look more enticing. A well-designed packaging with suitable materials can increase the product’s attractiveness and the chances of landing in the buyer’s cart.
So, another purpose of packaging is to make the product stand out from the website or supermarket shelf and boost sales. The packaging is also used to convey relevant information about the product and the company. Good packaging can be used to tell a whole story about the product and the brand.
Safety
Another essential purpose of good packaging is to keep the package’s and the consumer’s content safe. Packaging should always contain all the information about the product and how to use it safely. For example, the packaging of a food product should include the date of manufacturing and expiry. Similarly, a toy’s packaging should mention the age of the kids who can play with it safely.
Nowadays, sustainable packaging materials are being used because they don’t transfer any chemical, ingredient, or smell to the product, especially in the case of food items, and these packaging materials are environmentally friendly as well.
Sustainability
More and more consumers are now aware of the carbon footprint left by the packaging of products, and they are also keen to know about recycling and re-usability of the packaging of the product they have purchased. You will be surprised to know that even the buying decisions of consumers are now being affected by the type of packaging materials used by manufacturers. This is why the sustainability of packaging now directly affects a company’s sales figures.
Switching to sustainable packaging materials doesn’t only allow companies to save money on the packaging, but it even reduces the carbon footprint and leaves a positive image in the consumers’ minds.
Usability
In the modern age, consumers are now searching for fit-for-purpose packaging. They now expect packaging that is more useful and life-saving than the previous packaging, which makes it difficult to access the goods. But remember that only the consumer can evaluate and ultimately decide on the packaging’s utility.
If the packaging is difficult to open and store after opening, customers might be less likely to purchase your goods the next time they go shopping. Optimal packaging designs are now in trend, and you should use them to enhance the product’s usability.
Conclusion
Packaging today serves various functions, as opposed to the past when it was primarily intended to protect products by covering them. It doesn’t matter how good your product is; if the packaging is not good, not even a single customer will be interested in buying it. So choose your packaging by keeping the intended use of the container in mind.
