Is Your E-commerce Packaging a Missed Opportunity?

Is Your E-commerce Packaging a Missed Opportunity?

Almost any product can now be purchased online and UK residents love to browse the internet. However, the majority of orders arrive in plain cardboard boxes. Is this a wise decision or a missed opportunity for e-commerce packaging?

UK Desire for Online Shopping

According to the latest Statista data*, 80% of the UK population can be described as digital buyers. We love to shop online and the average household receives 3-4 deliveries every week. However, many of these orders arrive in a plain cardboard box. We believe this is a mistake. Let us explain why.

A plain box is a blank canvas that is just waiting to become a means of engaging, informing and establishing connections with customers.

How do you want customers to feel when they first see your boxes? Is your e-commerce packaging just another brown box or does it instantly start building anticipation about what’s inside?

When it comes to retail packaging, the power of design and print is understood. We know that branding, imagery and typography play a vital role in attracting attention and influencing purchasing decisions. Good packaging design can transform the perception of a product and elevate its value. However,  this insight seems to have been abandoned by online retailers.

Why settle for a brown box when it is straightforward and affordable to print e-commerce packaging?

It’s true that when the customer first sees the packaging, the purchase has already been made, however, that is not the end of the customer journey. E-commerce packaging is the first tangible connection that an online shopper has with your brand. It may have some influence on whether they keep or return their purchase, reorder or recommend. Printed boxes start to create a connection, making the unboxing experience more personal.

For these reasons, it is definitely time to think brand, not bland!

Delivering a Positive Customer Experience with E-commerce Packaging

When brands make an effort with e-commerce packaging it shows. Yes, there are functional requirements, but a great box can also delight, add value and leave a lasting impression. It may seem like a stretch to say that a cardboard box can create an emotional connection, but it can. Beyond the practicalities, personality can be embedded into every delivery.

Considered and beautiful packaging is often mentioned in customer reviews, as well as in unboxing videos. This social proof is a powerful way to extend reach and attract new buyers. People are delighted when their products have been wrapped with care. It makes their purchase feel like a gift.

Changes to a standard box design, such as letterbox-friendly dimensions, tear strips for ease of opening and resealable packaging for returns all improve the customer experience. Add an exciting print to boost desirability or provide useful information, such as serving suggestions or assembly instructions.

Print can be used to add graphics, information and the brand story on the outside and inside the box. The outside offers the initial impression – buyers can instantly see where their parcel has come from. Then, on the inside, you can encourage brand engagement with competitions, discount codes and social hashtags. All of which can make the buying experience feel more personal.

Printed E-commerce Packaging

We understand that your company may be shipping hundreds or thousands of orders a day. The cost of these deliveries is seldom recovered and so the most cost-effective solutions are sought. However, printed boxes aren’t all full-colour, high-finish designs.

Single or two-colour flexographic print can be applied as part of the box manufacturing process. As such, some great effects can be created with minimal increase in the price.

If you would like to find out more about printed e-commerce packaging for online retailers, get in touch with the Aylesbury Box Company team. We are happy to provide recommendations, a quote and print samples. Call 01296 436888 or email enquiries@abcbox.co.uk

* https://www.statista.com/topics/7887/online-shopping-behavior-in-the-uk/