The ‘unboxing experience’ might just be the best part of the ecommerce shopping process.
There’s a little pang of excitement that comes with clicking “place order” and hearing the courier rock up a couple of days later with present just for you.
The rush of your customer’s package delivery moment is supercharged by exciting and beautiful packaging. A little bit of personalisation can lift the ecommerce experience with your brand to the kind of level that keeps them coming back for more and more.
Ecommerce logistics partner, Dotcom Distribution, found 52% of customers are likely to make repeat purchases from a business offering unique, branded gift box packaging and 83% would share a picture of the packaging on Facebook.
Branded packaging is one of the most underutilised (and relatively inexpensive) opportunities in the ecommerce industry. We’ve packed up three of the most effective ideas we could find to show you how you can use a few simple packaging tactics to boost your repeat sales and those all-important lifetime customer value rates.
1. Turn your ecommerce packaging into a gift box
The unboxing experience conjures all the most heartwarming feelings, emotions and memories of our childhood. The very action of opening a package brings your customer back to the many birthdays and holidays of times past.
Why not take advantage of this unboxing exhilaration and literally gift wrap your customer’s purchases?
The little additional expense can be built into the price of your products, or you can reap the reward of your loss with the multitude of repeat sales generated by associating your brand with those precious feelings of surprise and delight.
Source: Cece & Grace
Mecca gives you an effective ecommerce example of using gift boxes as an alternative to standard shipping.
The online beauty boutique has recently revamped their packaging so customers receive their products in small, sleek gift boxes crammed full of tissue paper and beautifully arranged goodies.
Opening up a gift box package like this heightens those emotions and memories of receiving presents but Mecca shows us how to take the excitement one step further.
Mecca throws in a surprise freebie for their customers if they spend over a certain amount – a sneaky but smart tactic to encourage customers to spend more. You can increase the average order value and convince shoppers to add multiple products to cart in order to trigger their little freebie surprise. Much more effective than relying on a margin-crippling, product-devaluing generic X% off discount.
2. Add a short, bold message to your ecommerce packaging
A striking, bold, personal message on your ecommerce packaging is bound to make your customers smile.
The more quirky and fun the better.
You can even give your gift recipient the nudge to share their message across their social media profiles and generate some unpaid referral marketing in the process.
Fashion e-boutique, Princess Polly, has this tactic nailed. Their packaging is brilliantly minimalist in plain white (which saves on printing costs too).
Apart from this striking aesthetic, Princess Polly consistently win over new customers and generate tribes of loyal brand advocates with the simple (but genius), black -on- white compliments and greetings slapped across the front of their gift bags.
Source: Pinterest
“Hello darling.”
“Obviously you have great taste.”
The casual, super affectionate language and strong, bold print makes the customer feel like they’re receiving a package from a friend.
This packaging tactic probably cuts costs for Princess Polly, especially compared to the extravagant packaging designs proliferating the women’s fast fashion industry. But a little love, character and humour can turn your customer’s unboxing experience into a genuinely personal connection with your brand.
Princess Polly has schooled ecommerce retailers in the art of branded packaging. An average four out of five rating on consumer ranking websites like ProductReview and Trust Pilot just serves to provide the proof you need to reconsider your packaging strategy.
3. Create an eye-catching colour scheme for your ecommerce gift packages
Source: Fashionista
Colour has a significant effect on how customers feel about brands, products and packaging.
Marketing website, Insights in Marketing found an astounding 85% of customers are heavily influenced by the colour of a product and 95% agreed visual appearance is the most important factor.
These learnings should inform your ecommerce packaging strategy.
Bold colour schemes work just as well as the minimalism of Princess Polly – so long as you know your way around a colour wheel (and what you want your packaging to say about your brand).
Your customer’s first impression of your product starts with the appearance of the packaging.
The unboxing moment doubles as your ecommerce customer’s first physical interaction with your brand. You oughtta make sure you’re conveying the right message to your target audience if you want to generate loyal repeat customers.
- Cool colours create a sense of serenity, calmness and the feeling of making positive decisions. Navy, purple, light pink and blue are all perfect for telling customers they’ve got a friend in your brand
- Warm colours can go either way. Be careful how you combine them. Bright colours like yellow generate happiness, but fire engine red and orange symbolise danger or heat when used together.
Don’t be afraid to be bold or unique, but do use your packaging for a purpose.
Colour can convey the personality of your ecommerce business. Make your brand instantly recognisable with the design and colour scheme of your packaging – but make sure you are consistent with the remainder of both online and offline communications.
Ask yourself: does this look like my business?
Then ask yourself: would our target customer be excited to show this off to their friends?
Check out our article 10 ways to pimp your ecommerce packaging for more amazing ideas.
See your customers coming back for more with unique ecommerce packaging
You can tailor a seriously cool reputation for your ecommerce business with personalised, unique and thoughtful branded packaging. You have a rare opportunity to create a physical interaction between your ecommerce brand and your customer.
Create a memorable, unique experience for your customers.
Capitalise on the excitement of the unboxing moment and conjure up those childhood memories of gift-opening delight.
Associate your brand with those emotions and feeling to convert your gift packaging into customer loyalty and repeat sale after repeat sale.
The next best thing in generating repeat sales is offering flexible shipping options.
Check out our article 3 shipping services you need to create loyal customers to learn a couple of simple and effective tactics you can use to improve the shipping experience of your customers and generate even more repeat sales.
Want more reliable shipping options for your business? Get in touch with Transdirect today.
