The packaging design of any product can be considered just as important as the product itself. Besides protecting its contents from damage during shipping, the packaging can also perform a number of essential functions that can easily affect how well the product in question sells among its consumers. This, in turn, directly affects how much profit a company can derive from stocking the product in their inventory for sale.
If you’re new to the world of product design or retail, then knowing about the importance of product design can benefit you significantly. This is because such knowledge will help you become adept at identifying effective product packaging designs from ineffective ones.
As such, you’ll be able to come up with great packaging designs of your own or pick out products with great packaging designs for your eCommerce store. The latter will be especially important to the business owner since, besides choosing the best eCommerce fulfillment services to handle your orders, you also need to be picky about the products you sell because the profitability of your store depends upon it.
With that said, here are the reasons why packaging design is important.
It attracts buyers.
Effective packaging design attracts the attention of potential buyers and entices them into buying the product. To put it more simply, the packaging adds an element of eye-catching visual flair which can appeal to interested buyers and increase the chances of them making the purchase. Without this visual flair, the product may not sell well, especially if it looks unremarkable or plain when presented on its own. Examples of such products include detergent powder, toothpaste, or dental floss.
It sets the product apart from its competitors.
Any product currently available in the market today has its own share of competitors. These competing products may offer the same kind of benefit or features, or even have the same form factor. As such, it’s important for a product to have a strong visual identity of its own, so that it won’t be mistaken for other brands.
Packaging design offers manufacturers an opportunity to further distinguish their products from their market rivals. Moreover, it also allows them to make their product stand out more in the locations it’s being sold, such as in a supermarket aisle or on an online shopping website’s inventory page.
It makes the product recognizable to its loyal customers.
Having an eye-catching and pleasant packaging design makes a product more recognizable and identifiable to its loyal consumers. As such, its consumers will have an easier time picking out the product and purchasing it, whether if they’re doing so from a brick-and-mortar store or from an eCommerce website. This adds to the consumer’s convenience and positive user experience with the product, which will make them stay loyal to the product as a result.
It delivers important information about the product.
The packaging of a product can also help deliver important information that the consumer may find essential for their purchase. Examples of such information include nutritional information for edible products, item features or specifications for appliances, as well as consumption warnings for potentially poisonous items like rat poison or detergent.
Without the packaging to deliver this information, potential buyers may not be given enough knowledge about the product to make a judgment.
It facilitates the effective use of the product.
Finally, a product’s packaging may also help consumers in the easy and convenient use of the product itself. For example, a plastic shampoo bottle designed to provide an ergonomic grip means that it won’t be frustrating to use in the shower, increasing its appeal to buyers and for repeat purchases. Meanwhile, the packaging on snacks allows them to be brought outdoors without the need for other containers. This is convenient especially for hikers and campers who need to pack light.
Packaging design: more important than you may think at first
While it’s always good to focus on a product’s features, quality, and price point, its packaging also warrants serious consideration. This is because it has a very discernible effect on how appealing the product is to potential consumers. What’s more, it also performs the important functions listed above, all of which can also enhance a product’s long-term popularity and profitability. Knowing this can help you distinguish between a product that will likely sell well and one that will have difficulty finding a customer base.
