eCommerce packaging can do more than just protect your product during shipping. It can also be a way to tell your customer that you care about them. It's a great way to leave a lasting impression, encouraging them to shop with you again in the future.

"Unboxing" is simply the moment when someone gets a package and opens it to see what's inside. Thanks to social media, it's become a trend to film or photograph the unboxing process and share it with friends and followers.

Surprisingly, many people find the unboxing experience exciting, as it adds a more personal touch to online shopping. People love receiving beautifully packaged parcels, and if it's creative or unique enough, your brand can get some love on your customer's social media profile.

Given that your business has the opportunity to get some brand awareness through social media, unboxing is a great marketing opportunity that you should use to your advantage!

Elements of a good unboxing experience

While creative packaging designs always earn you extra points from the customer, making sure your product is securely packaged remains the number one objective.

Still, here's what you should consider when choosing material for your unboxing experience.

  • Ease of use. The materials used for product packaging should be easy to unwrap. For example, ribbons should not be too tightly tied.
  • The box should be the right size. Items inside should fit snugly and not move around too much. It's best if all items are neatly placed so they can be viewed all at once.
  • Make it Instagram-worthy! The packaging design, materials used, and the layout of the items in the box should create a picture which will look good when shared on Instagram.

Tools required for creative packaging

Here's a list of items you can choose to focus on for creative packaging:

  • Box
  • Tissue paper
  • Filler
  • Sticker
  • Promotional material
  • Receipt
  • Custom note
  • Tape
  • A small, free gift
  • A sample products


Consider getting your brand logo printed on all the above to make it special and unique.

Also, adding promotional material like brochures and leaflets introducing other products you offer can be a useful for marketing purposes. If it's within your budget, you can even throw in a free small gift or sample of your other products to encourage repeat purchases.

eCommerce packaging tips for new businesses

It's understandable if custom packaging may not be in your budget at this time.

However, if you are on a tight budget, there are definitely some affordable packaging ideas you can try out.

Wrapping paper with a fun design, colorful ribbons, and handwritten notes are a good way to start.

If you don’t have branded tissue paper, you can always use a plain one in a bright, colorful shade.

It's easy to get these materials at cheap prices. Try buying them in bulk and stock them in your packing station.

You don't need to overthink the idea of a small gift. You'd be amazed at how happy clients can feel after receiving something like a sheet of stickers for free.

Conclusion

Some may view packaging as trivial. Still, investing in the unboxing experience can be a wise marketing move for your business.

Branded boxes, tapes, ribbon, tissue and more add a special touch to your customer experience and can make your brand more memorable to even the most fickle consumer.

The best part is that if you do it right, you'll get free, user generated content from happy customers who are willing to share their experience of your brand with their followers.

It can't get any better than a successful sale followed by positive, free press!