The transition from brick-and-mortar, in-person buying experiences to e-commerce left a gapping hole in the pleasure center of shoppers’ brains. In the early days of e-commerce, the convenience factor won over many buyers, but over time it was apparent that something was missing. It was presentation.
Like a fine meal in a trendy restaurant, or fashion items in a storefront that glows with elegant design, it’s the presentation and atmosphere that often sells and usually brings people back. Presentation is the final factor in generating brand loyalty.
Custom packaging has become the single most crucial ingredient in elegant presentation. Delivering your goods in a sophisticated, memorable, and on-brand package is a powerful e-commerce marketing strategy.
The unboxing experience has become so vital to the e-commerce industry that online brand-review sites, like ThingTesting on Instagram (which has over 73,000 followers), actually report on the packaging and presentation of products and build it into their e-commerce company reviews for customers and venture capitalists. And, another recent survey indicates up to 72% of consumers will make decisions about purchasing products based on the design of the packaging.
Custom packaging is no longer just a nice add-on, it’s mandatory to satisfy the needs of on-line shoppers.
Keep your customers coming back.
Cultivating brand loyalty and bringing customers back is harder in the e-commerce world than it used to be in physical stores. According to a Bain & Company study, even most customers (between 60-80%) who are satisfied with products may not come back. Only after numerous purchases, or an unforgettable experience, does real brand loyalty start to take hold. Memorable packaging and a great unboxing can help stimulate that strong brand support.
The unboxing will be the first physical touch point you have with your new customers, and the last chance to enhance their impressions. When it comes to competing as an e-commerce company, this is critically important because you won’t have the same potential points of contact that a retail brick-and-mortar business will.
Custom designed shipping boxes with your brand are the most creative way to differentiate your business from the bland brown-box crowd. They make a statement, and enhance the anticipation and fervor for everything that comes next in the unboxing experience. And, up to 40% of e-commerce shoppers will often post an image of what they bought if it has custom branded packaging!
Beyond images, the latest trend is unboxing videos, and connecting with the power of on-line influencers.
The Power of Influence.
Getting influencers excited about your products is a surefire marketing strategy. As more traditional marketing techniques have started to fail, the influencers have become a more trustworthy source for many on-line shoppers.
Rather than costly “celebrity endorsements” of products, influencers are often thought of as authorities in particular industries, and their word is trusted. Get influencers interested in your goods and you’ll find a cheap, highly market-targeted, and credible voice for your brand. It’s word-of-mouth promotion at it’s very best.
Influencers are careful about promoting only products they believe in, and have had a good experience with themselves. A memorable unboxing experience with beautifully branded packaging can set the stage for a strong relationship with the right influencers, and bring a lot of positive exposure to your brand.
The Rewrap Pack Connection
At Rewrap Pack, we make extraordinary custom packaging that will connect with industry influencers and help make customers loyal brand ambassadors.
Our stylish and innovative packaging can be created in any size, dimension, or unique design to match your needs and leave a lasting “first” impression.
—ReWrap/Pack