Brand Your E-Commerce Business Better with Custom Printed Tape

E-Commerce is the wave of the future — and increasingly the way most Americans shop. The pandemic accelerated trends that were happening anyway, hooking many shoppers on the ease, convenience, and sheer enjoyment of online shopping.

According to the Harvard Business Review, based on data from thousands of US shoppers, "sixty percent [of US shoppers] are currently visiting brick-and-mortar stores less than before the pandemic, and 43% shop more often online for products they would have previously bought in stores." These changes will not go away any time soon, particularly since retailers themselves have invested billions of dollars in e-commerce capabilities during the pandemic.

Some industries have particularly robust outlooks, but no matter what business you're in, e-commerce opens up a world of possibilities. There's no more being tied to your local market's offerings when global shipping gives you easy access to the best goods from around the world.

Now that everyone's competing in the e-commerce space, though, how can you position yourself for success? Where do you concentrate valuable advertising and packaging resources? The aforementioned Harvard Business Review article frames the question this way: "To be successful in e-commerce, you need to think bigger than e-commerce. The core question retailers must ask themselves first is not, 'What e-commerce investments do I need to make?' but rather, 'What consumer experience do I need to offer?'"

With that in mind, here are a few ways to help your business stand out in the burgeoning e-commerce marketplace.

What Every E-Commerce Store Needs

Hopefully, you have a great product, a catchy name, and an appealing brand identity. But when it comes to sticking in your customers' minds while they scroll through their phones and laptops, you may be surprised to know a lot of valuable marketing can be done through the packaging your customers see. Take a moment and think about the essentials when shipping e-commerce products.

Sturdy, Attractive Packaging

You need to keep your product secure. Tampering (as well as theft) is a real possibility, and customers aren't happy when their packages arrive in rough shape.

Your product needs to sit securely in its box (possibly requiring extra shredded paper or other insulation). The packaging also needs to be as eco-friendly as possible, not to mention user-friendly. More and more packages are ingeniously designed to be (for example) compostable or easily reconfigurable for returns.

A Clear Invoice

Sometimes, it can be weeks before your product reaches its destination. A clear statement of what's in the box is helpful, so your customers know they're getting exactly what they ordered and being charged appropriately.

Fun Extras

Coupons or brochures advertising your other offerings, maybe with discount options, can help create future business and brand loyalty.

But what about the first impression your box makes when your customer sets eyes on it? Are they happy to get it? Does it make a great first impression, standing out in an ocean of brown cardboard boxes?

Think about some of the really big brands you're familiar with. You probably don't have to think long before realizing that their boxes are covered with their logos — often with attractive colors and dynamic designs that encourage customers to get excited. The reason for all this additional effort and attention to detail — it works. Consistent and omnipresent branding helps keep customers excited and engaged.

The Power of Customizable Packaging

Your package will likely sit in an apartment building lobby for a few hours before its owner picks it up. Using packaging that trumpets your brand lets you advertise your products to others. With effective branding on your packages, you're effectively getting extra advertising without needing to make another big media buy.

However, designing your box is out of reach for most small businesses. The solution lies in custom printed tape. Custom printed tape can keep your package secure and help imprint your brand on the minds of both existing and potential customers.

Post-purchase dissonance has been widely studied. It is the phenomenon in which a consumer reflects on a purchase they made and comes to regret it. Post-purchase dissonance doesn't just affect e-commerce, but it does create a lag period after the purchase is made, but before the package arrives, in which a consumer may come to doubt their purchase.

Post-purchase dissonance is a major reason companies invest in billboards advertising expensive cars by the side of the road. They're not just advertising to new customers; they also make owners of prestige vehicles feel justified in having made such large purchases.

Marketers are always looking for ways to minimize post-purchase dissonance and avoid order returns and cancellations. Making the unboxing process enjoyable and entertaining can play a major role in easing post-purchase dissonance and retaining your customers, helping you to compete with the world's largest companies.

When it comes to existing customers, a stylish and secure customizable tape featuring your logo and brand makes your brand look more authoritative. It lets your customers know you've designed the package with care and helps make it an exciting experience for them.

That's important, as it's better business to retain customers who have already bought from you than to find new ones. Studies quote figures saying it's anywhere from five to 25 times more expensive to acquire a new customer than keep an existing one.

Customizable tape cheerfully sealing your box gives you your best chance to make an impression on your customer by keeping your logo front and center on their purchase.

To sum up, adding delight to the process of buying goods online is very much in your interest as an e-commerce brand, both to advertise to other potential customers and to keep your customer engaged. If you haven't thought about customizable tape, you should consider it a great, affordable way to help your product stand out.

The Best Tape Customizer

Tape Jungle has thought a lot about how to customize tape so that it's secure, attractive, and memorable. They make it supremely easy to upload your logo to their site and come out of the process with tape that puts your brand first, letting you make a striking, immediate impression on customers. With Tape Jungle custom tape, your logo is the first thing customers see.

The tape at Tape Jungle is designed with safety and strength in mind. It reinforces your package to secure your precious goods, as well as reducing injury, error, and tampering in transit.

You can customize your tape to include your company's contact information, reducing customer friction and potential irritation.

Working with Tape Jungle is very cost-effective. You can make packages look professional and stylish for less than $0.05 a box. That's a lot more affordable than any ad buy. It's also truly economical, in the sense that it accomplishes a few important aims at once: security, attractiveness, and brand visibility, all for a low price.

Leading brands including Blue Apron, Budweiser, Awake Chocolate, and Mitsubishi rely on Tape Jungle. These companies understand the critical importance of putting their best foot forward and trust Tape Jungle to make it happen.

Tape Jungle custom tape comes in a variety of materials:

Standard Polypropylene: the most popular, versatile, and cost-effective of the options, with a glossy look and 85-90% opacity
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC): works better in cold climates or in adhering to irregular surfaces than standard PolyPro, has a softer texture, and more opaque look
Water-activated paper: adheres to the fibers of nearly any cardboard material, is tamper-evident, matte, opaque, and composed of 100% recycled material

All of these options are sturdy and reliable. Which material you choose depends on your project's needs and style. Tape Jungle's helpful customer service reps are always happy to send samples or answer any of your questions.

Thanks to the range of options Tape Jungle provides, your tape will look as unique as your brand. You can customize details like your tape's:

Thickness, ranging from "general purpose" to "industrial" grade
Colors, both background and foreground
Level of Detail, depending on the resolution of your designs
Size, depending on your packaging needs

And of course, the design itself, which is easy for you to upload via the Tape Jungle site.

The Tape Jungle Process

The easiest way to understand the Tape Jungle process is to check out the Tape Jungle site. There, you can preview different styles and specifications and see what your choices look like in 3D. Within two to three days of submitting your design, you'll receive a digital proof from Tape Jungle's designers for you to consider and approve within three business days. You can cancel or edit your order any time until then.

Once you've approved a final look, your exciting new custom packing tape will arrive four weeks later (with free shipping), giving you the opportunity to start making a mark with your e-commerce packaging and make sure your customers can't wait for their next delivery!

Ultimately, don't you want your packaging to be as exciting as the product inside? Tape Jungle is the premier site for great custom tape. Custom tape will immediately boost your brand’s visibility, enhance your customers' experience, and keep your product secure. Get started on yours today!