Creating a product that will sell is more than just designing and producing the product itself; you also need to be careful with the packaging. While any box or container can hold a product, not all will have the same reception among the public. That means that as a business owner or product designer, you need to pay careful attention to your packaging designs and layout, as even the smallest mistakes can have dire consequences in terms of sales.
Be Smart with Design
The very first thing you have to do to avoid packaging problems and losing sales is to be smart about your design. Remember that you don’t want your packaging to be generic. If it looks just like everything else out there, clients will have no reason to pick your product over the others. At the same time, don’t try too hard to make it interesting. If the packaging has too much information or claims or is long-winded, customers may see it as confusing. Instead of spending the time to figure out your product and its package, they will simply pick a competitor with clearer packaging.
Make It Easy to Open
One of the most recognized complaints in the packaging industry is when a product is too hard to open. The classic example is a pair of scissors that is sealed in plastic so tightly that you need another pair to open it. If customers notice that they won’t easily be able to open your product, they probably won’t buy it, unless they know for a fact that it is significantly better than the competition. While it is possible that you will sell a hard-to-open product to a particular client once, he or she isn’t likely to buy it again.
Pick the Right Size
It may seem simple, but packaging that is too large or too small can impact your sales. Some customers want compact packaging that will fit in a bag without a problem. Others prefer large packaging that is hard to lose or easy to open. To know which is right for your item, conduct some research. Either survey your potential customers, do a short packaging run to test your ideas, or take a look at the competition’s packaging. If you plan on doing a test run, first think about your market and carefully consider what consumers will be looking for, then select a design.
Make It Appropriate for Retail Outlets
Making your packaging appropriate for a retail outlet is important whether you sell your item only in stores, only online, or in a combination of locations. This means that you want the package to work with the place where you plan to sell it. It should be the right size to fit on the shelves of the store and contain the correct amount of products. Bulk packaging, for example, will work at big box stores, but not at smaller grocery stores or convenience stores. If your packaging doesn’t match the retail outlet, storeowners are less likely to put it on their shelves or may just put smaller quantities up, hurting your sales. Do your research ahead of time and scope out the stores when planning your packaging.
