Any business owner has a product or service to sell, and in the case of a product, you need to ensure that you select the right packaging. In fact, the packaging may be just as important as the product itself. It has to catch the eye of your potential clients, give sufficient information about the product, protect the product, and be easy to open. There are a host of factors to keep in mind when selling your product, but remembering to avoid these packaging problems can make it much easier.
Not Understanding the Market
One of the biggest issues is not understanding your market, and that refers mostly to the type of environment that you are selling the product in. Online retailers won’t need their products’ packaging to necessarily call as much attention as those aiming to sell in stores. It can be helpful to have slightly different packaging for your various markets or niches.
Incorrect Sizing
Generally speaking, you don’t want your product’s packaging to be too large, as this will take up extra room. Larger packages may take up too much space in your warehouse and in stores and can increase your shipping costs. They even have the potential to annoy your customers, as most prefer something that is easy to carry. That doesn’t mean, however, that your package should be as small as your product, particularly if you have a very small item, such as earbud headphones. In that case, a package the size of the product would be overlooked. Instead, you have to find the right balance.
Difficult to Open
One of the biggest packaging problems is difficulty in opening the products. It is common for certain products, such as expensive ones or those that you don’t want to be tampered with, to be well-wrapped and challenging to open, and to some extent this makes sense. The thing to remember is that if your package is too difficult to open, you won’t get any repeat customers, as they will find a similar product that they can easily open.
Generic Packaging
Some companies have a packaging problem in the form of creating an item that is too generic. They may be trying too hard to appeal to multiple audiences at the same time and in the end only include the information, images, or features that all enjoy, leaving them with the product name and nothing else. Be sure that the package tells people what the product is, what it is for, and how to use it. If you need to appeal to different markets, do short runs of slightly different packages. Just be sure that you don’t put too much information on the package, as this can lead to confusion and lack of sales.
Doesn’t Work in Retail Outlet
When designing your packaging, you need to carefully consider not only whether it will be sold online or in stores and who the target market is, but also which stores you will sell it in. If you plan on selling your product in a particular store, take a look at its other products so you know the types of packages its customers enjoy, including their sizing and style. Otherwise, you will find yourself with a packaging problem when your product doesn’t sell due to the wrapping.
