Why E-commerce Packaging Matters

E-commerce stores are at a slight disadvantage when it comes to customer interaction compared to physical stores. Throughout the purchasing process, from being enticed to visit your online store to selecting a product based on images and marketing copy, there is not a time when a potential client is physically interacting with you, your staff, the product, or your brand in general. That first interaction is saved for the package delivery and unboxing.

When a customer receives their purchased product in the mail, it is an important first impression of your brand. Neglecting presentation and the unboxing experience is a missed opportunity to wow the customer, get them talking about your brand, and keep them coming back for more.

There are a few ways e-commerce companies can easily and inexpensively make their packaging stand out to make the first impression a positive and memorable one. Read on to learn more about why your packaging should stand out, how to design effective packaging, and where to get the supplies you need for effective packaging.

Why Your E-Commerce Packaging Should Stand Out

There is no physical interaction or personal engagement when shoppers shop online. This can lead shoppers to feeling like their shopping experience is less personal and disengaged compared to physical shopping where they can see and touch merchandise and be physically present in a store.

When an e-commerce customer finds a product they like online and purchases it, the first time they come into physical contact with your brand is when they receive the package in the mail.

Packaging and your brand’s presentation on and in the package is an integral part of the buying experience. It’s the first impression the customer has of your brand in their hands. It is crucial to take advantage of this first impression to let the customer know that they chose the right product and their money was well spent.

Ignoring packaging may be a wasted opportunity to differentiate your product. There are many reasons you should pay more attention to your e-commerce packaging. Here are a few ideas:

Take advantage of the space on the box to share your branding and your story, which can help form a connection with your customers.
Durable packaging is reusable and can increase your brand’s visibility as it gets reused.
Good packaging improves the customer’s shopping experience and satisfaction.
Attractive and well-presented packaging can make your product appear luxurious.
Package inserts allow you to communicate with your customers and thank them for their purchase.
Special offers and coupons can be part of the packaging, which can increase sales.
Making your branding visible on packaging can ensure your brand is visible when customers make and share unboxing videos.
A memorable unboxing experience can lead to brand loyalty and repeat business.

How to Make Your Packaging Stand Out

E-commerce stores can take advantage of the unboxing phenomenon and make their customers feel like they are opening a gift when their package arrives. This can be accomplished by making the packaging stand out, both on the outside surface of the box and the inside of the package after the box had been opened.

This is a special experience for buyers who may feel as if they are receiving a gift in the mail. The experience starts when they receive their package, continues as they open, or “unbox” their package, and then continues further until they hold the product in their hand. At each step in this process, there is a chance to communicate with your buyer and leave a lasting impression through your packaging.

Ways to Make Your Packaging Effective

E-commerce stores have some ways to make their packages more distinguished, eye-catching, and overall more effective at grabbing a customer’s attention and leaving a lasting impact.

Custom-Designed Packages

If your budget allows for it, custom-printed and custom-designed packages can set your packages out among the competition. A bright, unique, and eye-catching custom box can make a great first impression on the customer as they receive and open their package. Logos can be emphasized on and in the boxes to further imprint your brand during this crucial part of the shopping experience.

Boxes can catch the eye when they are bright, colorful, or uniquely shaped. Custom-printed and designed packages may be a pricey option, as standard boxes will be cheaper. You can test them out to see if custom-printed boxes bring a worthwhile return on investment.

Colorful Packages

Color tape is one way to enhance a box’s otherwise bland appearance without the high cost of custom packaging. Colors can be used to tag and categorize packages and can also be used to make packages brighter and stand out more. At Tape Jungle, some colorful options for carton sealing tape include:

Red
Green
Light green
Orange
Yellow
Light blue
Dark blue
Dark green
Fluorescent orange

This tape also comes in clear, tan, black, and white for less colorful applications. Widths for PVC carton sealing tape go from 1/2” to 4.” Get your color tape at Tape Jungle.

Custom Printed Tape

Custom packing tape is an economical way to get your messaging across to customers when they open up their packages. Rather than getting your boxes printed, which can be costly, or stamping your boxes with a custom stamp, which can be time-consuming, you can use tape to include your brand and make your packages stand out.

Digitally-printed tape offers a way for brands to put just about any image on their packages, including their logos and the colors of their brand.

Tape Jungle’s custom tape can come in a variety of materials such as PVC, polypropylene, duct tape, and paper. Printed tape can come in patterns, colors, and custom designs. Use it for marketing and messaging to share your brand’s identity.

The affordable pricing for this kind of tape makes printed tape the perfect economical option to make your packaging unique and effective, increase brand visibility, promote brand loyalty, increase customer retention, and ultimately boost sales.

Package Inserts

Don’t neglect the interior of the package as part of the customer’s unboxing and unwrapping experience. Inserts can continue the conversation with the customer, get them talking about your brand, and can make them repeat customers when they take advantage of the offers and coupons you provide to them.

Make your customers feel like valued VIPs and give them a great unboxing experience as if they are opening a gift. Thank them with inserts such as coupons and special offers to keep them coming back for more.

Various forms of inserts can be added to packages that allow a conversation to continue between the brand and the customer. Inserts can be used to send a message of thanks or can include marketing copy to get the customer to return to your store.

Inserts can include:

Thank you notes
Business cards
Gifts
Coupons and special offers
Messages from the owners, company officers, or other company team members
Magnets and stickers with your branding

How Branding Can Create Repeat Customers

As mentioned in the sections above, your packaging can be a great place to include your branding and your messaging. Part of that messaging is your company’s story. Take advantage of all the space on the package to communicate with your customers and improve their purchasing experience.

When you connect with your customers, it helps them feel closer to your brand and can foster loyalty. Loyal customers then share the brand's messaging on social media and through word-of-mouth advertising. When you take advantage of packaging and make your brand highly visible during this part of the shopping experience, you can improve your brand's visibility and increase loyalty. Making your loyal customers feel valued can keep them coming back to continue the cycle.

If your store’s packaging is durable, your loyal customers will reuse the packages. This is not just good for the environment, but good for your brand, as your brand’s visibility increases each time someone reuses a package. Making your packaging durable and attractive has the bonus of getting your brand more visible, can foster loyalty, and can keep your valued customers coming back.

Where to Get Custom-Printed E-commerce Tape

Among the options for improving the buyer’s experience with their package and making a package stand out, packaging tape is one of the easiest and least expensive. Color tape and printed tape can increase the perceived value of a standard cardboard shipping box into a high-class presentable package.

Rather than getting boxes custom-made and custom-printed, e-commerce stores can use packaging tape to make their regular shipping boxes more eye-catching. Custom branded tape allows you to get your logo, messaging, and branding onto your packages and can make your packages distinguished without having to get boxes specially printed or stamped.

You can get your custom-printed tape and many other kinds of tape and taping supplies at Tape Jungle.

Tape Jungle — Your Taping and Packaging Superstore

Numerous tapes are available from Tape Jungle in a range of sizes, and colors, and for a variety of applications. At the Tape Jungle superstore, you can find tape for every project and industry, including e-commerce stores.

That includes custom-printed tape that can be printed with just about anything you want on it. If you’re unsure what to print on the tape, our experts can help you decide how to make your tape attractive and effective.

Tape Jungle offers tape and taping equipment such as:

Digital printed tape
Paper tape
Custom tape
Safety tape
Adhesive tape
Foam tape
Tape dispensers
Glow-in-the-dark tape
Hundreds of other tape and taping materials

To learn more about all of our printed tapes that can help you provide the ultimate unboxing experience to your e-commerce customers, get in touch with Tape Jungle today.