Why Product Packaging Design Is So Important for eCommerce Success

Online shopping has gained massive popularity over the years. The growth of online shopping has necessitated changes in business strategies to align with digital or online buyers’ preferences for e-commerce success.

As such, optimizing your business or e-commerce website’s performance, speed, and general design and functionality are non-negotiable fundamentals to stay relevant and competitive in the market. Consumers want hassle-free online shopping and instant answers to their questions.

What’s more, you need to capture consumers' attention fast and in a meaningful way online to win their business. Data shows the attention spans of online shoppers are shorter than ever — only about 2.7 seconds.

Once you’ve caught consumers' attention, the next step is keeping that attention and directing it to conversions. For that to happen, attention to detail is crucial.

While it may seem like online users simply scroll without really paying attention, they’re actually very picky, especially noticing visual cues on sites. Your color palette, typography, icons, and CTA buttons have to be spot on to boost conversion rates, which is where product packaging comes in.

Reasons Packaging Designs Are Crucial When Selling Online

It may sound odd that packaging designs are vital when you’re selling online or running an eCommerce store, but remember that user experience doesn’t stop after customer checkout. Many of us tend to forget about the customer once customers check out.

For a complete and consistent experience throughout the buyer journey, you must ensure customers purchasing your product feel the product is exactly right and top quality. That means beyond checkout and delivery experiences, product packaging should be on-point.

Here’re key reasons why product packaging plays a critical role for eCommerce success:

1. You extend customer service beyond your website

The beauty of online shopping is you can buy anything from literally anywhere in the world from the comfort of your home. It’s an exciting premise, but there’s always the lingering fear that products could arrive damaged or in very unappealing form when shipped. This apprehension can lead to abandoned carts, hence loss in sales.

Put your customer’s minds at ease by putting a lot of thought into your packaging design. Make sure your packaging is sturdy enough to protect items as they’re shipped out and being delivered. Items that are delivered not damage and beautifully package make for happy customers.

2. Good packaging encourages repeat buyers

The moment a buyer holds the delivered item in their hands, they’re already forming an opinion of your brand. As such, user experience extends to the real world and not only residing online. A pleasant experience throughout the sales funnel will earn you points and a loyal customer-base.

Design the packaging in a way that’s not only safe and attractive, but also eco-friendly and sustainable. The goal is to get buyers excited as soon as they see the item, even if they haven’t opened it yet.

With unboxing increasingly becoming a crucial element to the buying experience, if you nail your packaging design, there’s a good chance you’ll secure loyal and repeat buyers, as well as more referrals from happy customers.

3. It’s part of your branding

For small- to medium-sized businesses, one of the major goals is to establish your company as a recognized brand, ideally even a household name.

When a user searches for something and your company or ecommerce store pops up, your brand should be easily recognizable and trusted.

Branding is what imprints your business in the minds of consumers and keeps it top of mind. To do it effectively, be consistent across all channels, including product packaging. Your website, physical store, and yes, your product packaging must have the same branding personality.

The best kind of product packaging is one where customers can immediately tell it’s from a given brand without glancing at the logo or company name. More than the fonts and colors used on the box or wrapping, the overall “feel” should be distinct and impactful to raise brand awareness.

4. First impressions can make or break sales

eCommerce websites don’t always include photos of product packaging on their pages, but if you do, you’d better make sure it’s on-point.

Think back to the number of times you’ve passed on products on grocery shelves because of poor packaging. The same thing happens online.

If your boxes have certain creative designs to catch attention, feel free to flaunt them on your website. If not, just see to it that the wrapping is decent enough to be photographed and posted in your reviews tab as is.

At the very least, your customers should receive items in packaging that says they’ve been handled properly and with care.

5. Product packaging design helps you stand out

Many industries and niches are already saturated with businesses offering similar products. To set yourself apart from the crowd entails not only having quality goods, but also delivering memorable packaging and experiences to your consumers.

Product packaging is one of the best ways to set yourself apart from the competition. Something as simple as a thank you card inside an item’s casing can go a long way in helping customers see you in a good light and have a pleasant buying experience.

Also, many online influencers these days create content that centers on unboxings experiences. Consider how your packaging fares in terms of the experience of getting it out of the cardboard and bubble wrap for the first time. It should leave a positive and memorable first impression.

The key here is adding value. Customers should think to themselves, “This is more than I expected.” The more sophisticated (or minimalist) your design is, the more it will stand out in people’s minds and the more likely they are to remember your brand, and visit your store again and again, while also referring your business to their friends and family.

6. It communicates your brand’s message

Every time your company’s name is on something, you want it to evoke positive feelings and meaningful connections.

Your brand shouldn’t merely be a logo or a name, or else it can be easily forgettable. It should communicate what your business offers, unique selling points, and company values.

Product packaging allows you to do that effectively by thoughtfully selecting your wrapping’s product information, messages, and themes.

For example, you can use rustic containers that are commonly associated with organic products, or opt for minimalist designs that speak to elegance and luxury, depending on your brand goals.

7. Beautiful packaging designs are shareable on social media

If your product packaging is striking enough for customers to snap a photo and share on social media, you’ll ultimately be getting free advertising. This can be better than partnering with online influencers to promote your product.

That’s because with organic leads, a whopping 87% of consumers trust product recommendations from people they actually know personally.

Even without elaborate product designs, you can encourage user-generated content simply by using the right colors, icons, and messages that will captivate your target audience and prompt them to share about your product with their friends and family on social media and in person.

In conclusion

Coming up with the perfect product packaging design takes time and a whole lot of effort. But the next time you’re at the drawing board, remember even the smallest details affect first impressions and customer experience. It could mean closing or losing a sale.