Have you ever thought that how your favorite products end up on store shelves? Well, it all starts with retail packaging. Retail product packaging not only keeps the product safe inside but also gives an eye-popping look to attract viewers.
Interestingly, it also contributes to boosting repeat purchases. According to a survey, 52% of consumers repurchase from the same brand if they like the product packaging and presentation.
Thus, you can also excel in the retail market with custom retail boxes as attractive packaging is a powerful differentiator of brands nowadays. To help you make a switch, we offer a detailed packaging guide for your retail products to make them stand out on shelves without spending a lot.
Understanding Retail Boxes
Retail boxes are custom packages that businesses use to pack their products for shipping and selling. The main function of this packaging option is to protect the products from the effects of rough handling and transit during shipping.
However, these are also great marketing tools when designed creatively. An ideal retail box has a brand logo, product graphics, usage information, custom texts for consumers, and an intelligent promotion of relevant product lineup.
In short, retail packaging is the only way to make your brand and products stand out from the competition. Since the days are gone when businesses sell their products in plain boxes, it's time to customize both your product and packaging uniquely to generate sales.
Purpose of Retail Packaging
Packaging serves both consumers and businesses alike. For businesses, retail boxes are perfect options to look different, appeal to consumers, and influence purchasing decisions. With so many brands available out there, custom retail packaging gives identity to brands and lets them grow in the competitive world.
On the other side, retail packaging helps customers find exactly what they are looking for. The vibrant graphics and product details instantly grab the attention of viewers which ultimately leads to conversions. It also makes sure that customers receive the intact product without any damage directly enhances consumer satisfaction.
In short, opting for retail boxes instead of plain ones is a win-win situation for businesses and customers.
Packaging Materials
Packaging material makes a big difference in determining the overall quality and functionality of products. Imagine if you have customized all your retail boxes but using low-quality or less durable material, what will happen? The product can be damaged during shipping or lose its premium look just because of the less sturdy material.
The common ones are cardboard, paperboard, kraft paper, plastic, and metallic sheets. All of these materials are pretty common in the retail packaging industry but the most popular ones are eco-friendly materials.
But how to choose the right type of material for custom retail boxes? Well, it often depends on your brand values, product needs, and customer preferences. However, if you are looking for an ideal solution, contact our team and we'll guide you the right way. We Print Boxes is a USA-based printing company dedicated to serving businesses like you with our advanced packaging services across the USA.
Packaging Design Elements
Now, you have selected the type of material you are going to use for retail packaging. It's time to go for the designing step in which certain elements help you create the packaging solution apart from the competitors.
For instance, graphics, logos, typography, color combination, product representation, and labels all are effective ways of customization.
You can also design your product packaging on your own and work with our design team to end up with attractive retail packaging. We'll also help you decide the right shape, size, and additional features of retail boxes to upgrade your product packaging uniquely.
Types of Retail Packaging Based on Product Protection
Retail boxes come in three different types in terms of the level of protection they provide to the product. They become the first point of interaction between product and the consumer.
These are primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging.
Primary Packaging
A layer of packaging that remains in contact with the product is primary packaging which keeps the product safe during transportation, storage, and display.
It's the smaller unit of retail packaging that you can also call unit packaging. It contains the necessary product information and essential branding labels.
Examples of primary packaging:
- Food wrappers
- Pharmaceutical blister packs
- Beverage bottles and cans
- Fresh produce packaging
- Meat and dairy packaging
- Confectionery wrappers
No matter which type of product you are promoting, you can always use custom retail boxes to upgrade user experience.
Secondary Packaging
As the name shows, secondary packaging doesn't come in direct contact with the product. Rather it packs one or more primary packages to provide additional safety to primary units.
In general, secondary retail packaging is more functional than its primary counterpart and also comes into play to serve as multipack retail packaging.
Examples of secondary packaging are:
- Cartons or large containers
- Paper bags and trays
- Shrink-wrapped packs
Secondary retail packaging facilitates shipping multiple items in one place and makes it easier for consumers to buy in bulk.
Tertiary Packaging
Tertiary packaging is an outer layer of packaging that covers multiple secondary packs of products. This type of retail boxes serves bulk transportation, warehouse storage, and palletization.
Examples of tertiary packaging are:
- Pallet boxes
- Shipping containers
- Cargo boxes or crates
- Stretch-wrapped boxes or sacks
Though tertiary packaging doesn't interact with consumers, it protects items from the moment it is dispatched from the warehouse.
Types of Retail Packaging Based on Product Presentation
In addition to safety of the product, it's also important for brands to present their products in a way that appeal viewers. So, there are many types of retail boxes in terms of product outlook and customization.
For instance, these are rigid packaging, custom packaging, and eco-friendly packaging options as per your product details and presentation requirements.
Custom Retail Packaging
Custom retail boxes are trending nowadays because they have been an essential element of product presentation and differentiation as well.
Since the retail industry is flooding with emerging brands, it's almost impossible to generate sales with plain boxes.
Therefore, custom retail boxes set the products apart from competitors and stand out on the shelf on their own.
Customization options include distinct shapes, sizes, colors, and functionality that make any product and brand one-of-a-kind.
Rigid Packaging
In terms of quality of material, rigid packaging is an ideal retail solution for brands. They prove to be handy and multifunctional when used to transport bulk products or heavier items across long distance.
Not only this, but rigid retail boxes are also perfect to deliver premium products with a sleek presentation and fascinating outlook. The best part is that it's extremely friendly to customization and personalization at the same time.
Eco-friendly Retail Packaging
Eco-friendly retail boxes are another trending type of packaging that solely deals with consumer preferences. They reduce environmental impact as well as packaging waste. It's the best way to represent your brand values and concern for the safety and health of the ecosystem.
You can not only deliver organic products in eco-friendly retail packaging but also present routine items in a responsible way.
No matter what kind of packaging you are going to implement for your retail products, let us know your design and material requirements and we'll make it for you within budget.
Step-by-step Guide to Your Retail Packaging
As you see, retail boxes make a big difference in enhancing brand visibility and recognition in the market. But at the same time, it can also ruin your budget or brand image when planned wrong.
To help you in this regard, here is a guide to retail packaging that's easy to follow and practical to implement.
Step 1: Know your Retail Packaging Needs
It's the first step you have to take to get better results in the end. You can also consider it as a planning stage of your packaging which plays an important role down the road.
So, decide what type of packaging you want to implement. For this, know your products in detail and calculate how many units you need to order for the first batch to carry out an experiment.
Step 2: Establish your Packaging Budget
After you have a clear calculation of how many units of packaging you need and what type of customization you will consider, it's easier to estimate the total budget for retail packaging.
It's important to estimate the total cost as it will help you track the profit and ratio of sales you will generate through retail packaging instead of the previous one.
Step 3: Designing your Custom Retail Boxes
It's an important step since it will decide the success of your packaging switch. So, determine your product size and dimensions, shape, protection requirements, and need for additional functionality ahead.
During this step, not only design the outside of retail boxes but also the interior to surprise your customers.
Step 4: Choose the Printing Style
The printing style impacts the overall outlook and appeal of the product. So, it's important that you choose a printing style after conducting detailed research.
The most common types of printing are lithography, digital printing, offset printing as well as flexography. Each of these is perfect under certain conditions. So, make sure that you choose exactly what suits your products the best.
Step 5: Preparing Artwork
Now, that you have all three prerequisites of retail packaging, it's time to prepare your final artwork ready to work on. In this case, you can always ask our professional team members for additional help or any creative ideas to improve your design.
We Print Boxes would be more than happy to work with you in preparing the final artwork and working on it to turn your dream packaging into a real masterpiece.
Pros and Cons of Retail Packaging
Not everything works the same for all. The same goes for retail packaging as well. Although effective packaging enhances the functionality, sustainability, and aesthetics of the product, it also has cons you need to consider. However, it's pretty obvious that the benefits of custom retail boxes always outweigh the cons.
Take a look at the pros and cons of retail packaging back-to-back in the following:
Pros:
- Product protection throughout shipping
- Perfect opportunity for marketing and branding
- Highly convenient option for consumers
- A great way to stand out in the market
- Better unboxing experience
- Effective for generating massive sales
- Drives the success of a business
- Reduce waste and promote sustainability
Cons:
- Costs higher than plain packages
- Risk of counterfeiting
- Over reliance on packaging
- Design limitations
Though retail packaging has some disadvantages, many businesses became successful using this as an effective tool. So, it's not a bad idea to give it a try and see the difference.
So, plan your packaging switch now, and let us work with you to create your dream packaging in the way you want.
Final Words
Retail packaging is a great differentiator of most of the brands out there. It not only protects the products but also influences the purchasing decisions of customers. In this regard, custom retail boxes take the packaging game a step further and help your brand stand out and build trust in the market. So, if you want to give a try to retail packaging, We Print Boxes is here to help you from start to finish within budget.