There is only one marketing channel with a 100 % open rate – the parcel you deliver.
Packaging stopped being purely protective and logistical long ago. In the past the goal was to get the product from A to B undamaged; today’s customer expects more. They expect an experience. This is where the phenomenon called unboxing comes in – one of the most powerful tools for building loyalty and increasing sales in e-commerce.
What is the unboxing phenomenon and why does it matter?
Picture this: a parcel arrives. The courier hands over a plain, creased brown box sealed with cheap clear tape. The customer cuts it open, digs through a pile of plastic bubble wrap and pulls out the product. Dull. No emotion at all.
Now a different scenario: the courier hands over a sturdy box with your e-shop’s logo printed in full colour, visible from across the room. The customer knows instantly who the parcel is from and looks forward to opening it. Inside there is no burst of plastic, just beautifully arranged goods. The inside of the box surprises them with a witty greeting, and a personal thank-you card sits on top.
What does that experience do for your customer?
- It increases the likelihood of a repeat purchase: People love the feeling of receiving a gift. If you turn a purchase into an experience, the brain links that positive emotion to your brand. Next time, they come back to you.
- It generates free marketing (UGC): Customers happily photograph beautifully packed products and share them on Instagram or TikTok, giving you free – and the most credible – advertising in front of their friends.
- It justifies a higher price: Premium packaging subconsciously raises the perceived value of the product itself.
Stand out from the competition: practical, affordable tips
You may be thinking that personalised packaging is the preserve of huge, wealthy brands. That is a myth. Personalisation can be done affordably, and to great effect, by small and medium-sized e-shops too.
Here are ways to take your packaging to the next level:
1. Full-colour printing straight onto the box (first impression)
Forget dull brown cardboard. Printing your logo, slogan or brand artwork in full colour directly onto the surface of the box turns your packaging into a premium item at once. The customer takes a genuine piece of your brand from the courier’s hands and knows something special has arrived.
2. Printing inside the box (the WOW effect)
This is the current favourite. On the outside the box can stay elegantly minimal, but on opening it the customer is surprised by artwork, your brand colours or a personal message. It is a moment of surprise that works every time.
3. Thank-you cards and discount codes
A piece of card costing a few cents can work wonders. Thank the customer for their order, briefly explain who is behind the shop (building a personal relationship), and put a discount code for their next purchase on the back.
4. Thoughtful void fill instead of "air" and plastic
The way the goods are arranged says a lot about how much you value the customer. Avoid excess plastic. Eco-friendly solutions are what people want today – from custom-designed cardboard inserts that hold the goods in the centre of the box to wood wool or tissue paper.
A box is not a cost, it is an investment
A change of mindset is key. If you see packaging material only as a necessary evil and a cost line in a spreadsheet, you are missing a huge opportunity. Try moving part of your marketing budget from online ads into improving your packaging. The results – returning customers and great reviews – will not take long to appear.
Curious what the unboxing experience for your e-shop could look like? Get in touch. Together we will look at your products and design a full-colour printed packaging solution that not only protects the goods completely but also puts a smile on your customers’ faces as they open it.
