Why Brand Identity Packaging Matters for E-Commerce Brands

It takes less than a second for customers to form a first impression of your brand. Research consistently shows how important that first impression is for sales and brand recall. In the e-commerce market, where consumer touchpoints are limited, first impressions are almost everything when it comes to brand design.

Beyond first impressions, another area that matters in e-commerce is packaging. As mentioned above, packaging is one of the few touchpoints you have with customers. When a brand has strong branding, customers are more likely to open their wallets. If a product arrives in a standard shipping box with nothing extra added, customers probably won’t feel very excited. But what if it arrives in a specially made, brand-customized box with a handwritten letter included? Your brand will definitely leave a special impression.

If you’re working on package design, see: How to Communicate Your Brand Message Through Package Design

Source: Starface / Source: Starface

If you want to know exactly what kind of packaging box was used above, check here!

Why Are Customers Who Have Already Bought the Product So Important?

Why do you need to provide customers with a special experience? Because it is the channel through which your brand becomes recognized. No matter how cheaply your brand sells products or how well it curates and sells premium products, ordinary customers won’t remember your brand among countless online stores, and word-of-mouth marketing will fail. If you ship premium products in a cheap plastic bag or box just to save money in the short term, customers will remember only the product and feel no connection to your brand value.

Even if customers are satisfied with the product in this case, the chances of them repurchasing from your brand will be significantly lower. Especially for customers who bought because of a low price, the next time they shop they will look for an even cheaper competitor.

Even if customers are fully satisfied with your service and product quality, brand loyalty does not necessarily transfer to the company that sold the product. If customers don’t remember the brand, great products and service won’t matter.

If you’re considering packaging production, read this first: 9 Important Reasons Why Package Design Matters

Source: Ritual, which provides a special unboxing experience with packaging boxes printed on the inside / Source: Ritual

How Long Does the Effect of First Impressions Last in Package Design?

If the packaging feels too cheap, customers will question the quality assurance and overall quality of the product. Once that negative impression sets in, it is not easy to reverse.

Even without professional research findings, it is now common knowledge why brand design packaging matters. If you gift a luxury product in a black plastic bag, the recipient will no longer perceive it as a luxury item.

One brand that has really understood this is Trunk Club. The company designed its corrugated boxes to look like travel suitcases. It also includes personalized notes in each package at delivery to reinforce a warm, friendly impression and reduce the distance customers feel. Details like these inevitably leave a lasting impression of your brand.

If you’re working on packaging design, see: The Essential Guide to Product Box Design — Even Beginners Can Do It!

Source: trunk club

The box above is the same as Packative’s packaging box. Why not try designing it yourself?

What Looks Good Gets Shared More Widely

Have you heard the word “Instagrammable”? Things that look good are also great to share on Instagram. These days, almost everyone follows at least one social media channel. They check not only paid ads but also content created by friends every day. What if you can’t afford expensive paid advertising?

The answer is user-generated content. One recent trend that has rapidly risen on YouTube and Instagram is unboxing videos. Some of these videos receive millions of views. By investing a little money and effort into brand-customized packaging, you can reach countless potential customers through this kind of word-of-mouth marketing.

If you’re working on packaging design, see: Unboxing Is Becoming the New Marketing Trend of Our Time

By thinking a little more about both the product and customized packaging, you can increase your chances of being shared on social media.

Source: Starface / Source: Baconbox

Once You Understand the Nature of Online Shopping, Package Design Makes More Sense

The era when bold graphics and titles lured customers off the shelf is over. If you choose mail-order sales and sell products online, you need to recognize that you are no longer competing on the same shelf as other products. While traditional package design was meant to be “chosen on the shelf,” now the priority is to build a differentiated brand, provide a more special experience, create loyal customers, and keep buyers returning to your website.

Include personalized messages in your packaging so you can connect more closely with customers, and focus on branding so they remember your brand again.

If you’re working on package design, see: Why Shopping Mall Packaging Boxes Matter (Includes a Collection of Beautiful Boxes)

Source: Delivery box for the famous popcorn brand ThisCorn / Source: Clare’s delivery box. You can package even paint beautifully.

If You Still Don’t Know How to Create Package Design

You can predict the package design before production through a few clicks online. Even if you’re a beginner designer or not a packaging expert, you can avoid mistakes in advance and complete the design easily. Once you create and pay for your box using Packative’s first online packaging solution in Korea, voilà! A few days later, you’ll be able to check the boxes delivered to your office. If you want custom packaging boxes for your products, subscribe to Packative’s blog for more information and visit our website.