The impact of E-Commerce packaging on customer satisfaction and brand perception. In this piece, we’ll discuss how packaging impresses and influences customers. How you can make it better and how it can act as a free marketing tool for you.
Best of all? Most of the tweaks or tips mentioned here do not even need a ton of expertise. Whatever expertise may be required is covered by the tools or companies mentioned here.
Point being, by the end of this piece, your packaging will look way better than it does now. That should translate to more sales and conversions.
Let’s get started then?
Table of Contents
1. Create a lasting first impression
The first-ever interaction your consumer has with your product isn’t with the product, but the box. A cheap box may permanently diminish their perception of your product while the vice-versa is true as well.
A survey even proved that customer satisfaction and brand perception may change and be entirely different for the same product, depending on the packaging!
Hence, your boxes must tick more than just one boxes to even start to build a perception that your product must later deliver on.
2. Use it to market your brand.
The packaging boxes can actually be one of the best ways to market your products! You can include customer reviews on them (use speech bubbles to make them look better), use the right colours (e.g. green = safe/good/eco-friendly) or get more creative by using boxes that can be cutout and used for different purposes.
E.g. Some cardboard boxes with motivational lines can be used as desk-decor, some boxes can be twisted and turned into new containers and so on.
If possible, try to personalise the boxes as best as you can for each individual order. Yes, more work for you but this also means less brands doing it. This is almost the #1 reason why Starbucks went viral on social media and not their $5.00 coffee.
Point being, the box needs to be retained and remembered longer by the end-user.
3. Use eco-friendly signs
Some people actually care about the planet, some care only to look like they care. Either way, people love to shop from brands that seem to care about the planet. This leads to increased brand loyalty.
While everyone should do that, it’s important you make it clear that you’re a Earth-loving company.
Now there are a few ways you can do that:
- Perfect-sized boxes to reduce void: Remember how it feels stupid when you get a 3x sized box for something small that you ordered filled with plastic/paper or other cushions? Well, companies like Sparck Technologies let you create the perfect-sized boxes for every single order. This helps you avoid the void. You wouldn’t have to fill the boxes with these cushions which look good on you, and save you money.
- Green: Sure, black may look more classy but green signifies eco-friendly!
- Material and recyclability: You may either use material that can easily be recycled,and if that’s not possible, include eco-friendly tips on your packaging. This tells your customers that regardless of your packaging, you’re trying to extend Earth’s lifeline.
4. Ask for reviews
This actually has three-fold benefits for you. On your box, you can ask your customers to either review your product, or the box itself.
Chances are, most users will keep the box for later as it’ll have instructions on how and where to review the item.
Moreover, asking for reviews lets them know you care about them which of course builds more trust and may get you a returning customer.
Final words
I hope the impact of packaging on customer satisfaction and your brand as a whole is somewhat clearer by now?
Well, while packaging may not suddenly skyrocket your sales, you should potentially see at least some positive feedback. It may be in terms of user reviews, ratings, lesser returns or anything else in general.
Do note that simply the packaging isn’t enough. It wouldn’t do miracles for you. You also must pay attention to your product quality, timely deliveries, good support and many other factors.
That’s about it folks, go get yourself some better packaging then?
