How Product Packaging Influences Buy Decisions

How Product Packaging Influences Buy Decisions

Thu Apr 30, 2015

How does packaging influence the buying decision for consumers? It may seem like an obscure matter, but packaging does influence whether a consumer will buy a certain product and furthermore if they will be a returning customer and buy again. If packaging does have some power in influencing the consumer, what are the factors to consider when deciding on your product’s packaging? Here is a list of 3 things to remember when choosing the packaging for your product.

1. The Marketing or Brand Team Must Be Involved

The marketing team’s role is to ensure that consumers are aware of your products and that you have an opportunity to convert that awareness into a loyal customer. The appeal of a product to a consumer is created by the brand or marketing group.

Always remember how you want your customers to feel about your brand and your product throughout your marketing efforts, and don’t forget to incorporate it into the packaging. The colors, logo placement, and the size and shape of the package should all align with the vision of the brand.

When a customer sees your product on the store shelves or orders it online, they immediately have a strong response. Make sure you are focused when creating and designing your packaging, so the response is exactly what you want.

2. Practicality

We have all been there when a child gets a new toy, and you need a pair of good scissors to open the package. The packaging is so difficult to open to reach the toy, we quickly become frustrated. Well, the practicality of that packaging isn’t very consumer friendly. When considering your packaging’s design ask yourself the following questions:

• What is the most useful packaging design for the consumer?
• How will they use the product and how often will it be used?
• Is the package design cost effective and will the package provide the proper barrier to keep it shelf stable or protected until it reaches the end consumer?

An example of design practicality from Sonic Packaging, was the creation of an easy to use individual unit dose Blister Package for a topical medical ointment where the end-user needed to apply a specific daily dose over a period of time.

These individually packaged blisters are filled with the correct dosage labeled for daily use. This packaging allowed the user easy application, with the assurance they were always getting the right dosage and applying it for the prescribed period of time.

3. Added Value

Adding value to a product or package can help you boost brand loyalty. When developing a package that provides value added features, here are some questions to ask during the design phase. Is the packaging environmentally friendly? Does it have an easy to use delivery system? Is it child resistant or senior friendly? Does it have an aesthetically pleasing design? By incorporating some or all of these things, consumers will remember your brand. When people recognize added value, they are more likely to be a loyal and returning customer.

Have a special packaging need? Contact us at (201) 666-4744 to discuss how Sonic Packaging can find the best solution for you.