Ultimate Guide to Product Packaging Design

The world of product packaging design can be confusing and overwhelming for newcomers. After all, as a small business owner, odds are that you already have enough on your plate in terms of product development, customer service, marketing, etc. Do you really have time for product packaging design? Probably not. 

The good news is that this is one area that you really need to make some time for as it can be extremely beneficial to your business. You also don’t have to do it on your own! BoxGenie is here to help you design the perfect custom packaging for your business. That’s why we have created this ultimate guide to product packaging design. 

Why Do You Need To Design Your Packaging?

If you don’t know much about product packaging, you might be wondering why you even have to worry about designing it in the first place. Why can’t you just use a basic brown box? Won’t that get your products where they need to go without the hassle of an involved design process? And while it’s true that you can most certainly transport your products in a basic brown box, this probably isn’t the best route for a new business to take. 

New or small businesses are always trying to reach new customers, whether it’s through marketing or word-of-mouth. But what if you could reach out to potential new customers through your packaging? Just think about how you shop when you’re out and about. 

If you know nothing about a brand in general or a product specifically, are you more likely to purchase a bland-looking product with basic packaging or an exciting-looking product with high-quality packaging? In most cases, the answer is clear—you go with the better packaged product. 

Consumers will make decisions based on your packaging alone—so set yourself apart with well-designed product packaging that will entice and appeal to consumers when it’s on the shelf or simply being shipped out. 

What Types Of Packaging Are Available?

Even once you’ve decided to invest time and money into designing your product packaging—that isn’t the end of the process! You also have to consider all of the different packaging options out there. Unfortunately, there isn’t one type of packaging that stands above the rest in all scenarios. Instead, you really need to consider the needs and budget of your business and then choose the right packaging based on those considerations. 

That being said, here are some different types of packaging options as well as scenarios that they would work well for:

• Paperboard boxes are ideal for retail items that are already on the shelf. Paperboard boxes are lightweight and easy to assemble, but they don’t offer a lot of protection or insulation. For this reason, it’s usually not recommended for shipping items that may be fragile or require special handling. 
• Corrugated cardboard boxes are ideal for shipping items, especially within the eCommerce sphere. Corrugated cardboard offers more protection and insulation than simple paperboard boxes since they contain multiple layers of material—a liner and a medium. Even though corrugated cardboard boxes are thicker than regular paperboard boxes, they are still lightweight and economical in the right circumstances. 
• Rigid boxes look like paperboard boxes, but they are much stronger and thicker. In fact, they are called “rigid” boxes because they are not collapsible and come totally assembled. For this reason, they are more expensive to store and ship since they take up more space. However, rigid boxes are usually considered “premium” packaging by consumers and are ideal for packaging high-end or luxury products. 
• Plastic boxes are ideal for businesses who want to show off their product appearance to potential consumers without them having to actually purchase the item and open a cardboard box. Plastic is still lightweight, flexible, economical, and environmentally-friendly—making it a solid option in many different scenarios.  

What About Printing On Packaging?

Many people assume that you have to be stuck with a totally plain box for your products—but that’s not the case at all. In fact, it’s totally possible for you to print custom designs onto your packaging for an eye-catching and cohesive effect as it relates to your brand or other products. That being said, there are a few different ways that you can print onto packaging—and some tend to work better than others in different scenarios. 

For example, flexographic printing essentially works by stamping each different color onto the box to create the picture or design, but only allows you to create simple designs with very few colors. Another type of printing is lithographic printing, which is generally printed onto labels rather than the box itself. This type of printing quickly adds up, as it’s quite expensive. Finally, there is digital printing, which is the most efficient form. It’s ideal for short-run or tester packaging because it’s quick and easy to set up while still producing quality results, but it works well for larger batch jobs as well. Not only that, but with digital printing, you have nearly unlimited access to the colors that you’d like to use and you’re still have to keep costs low.  

Can You Design Totally Custom Packaging?

All of this information may leave you wondering if it’s possible (and realistic) for you to design totally custom packaging for your business. The answer is a resounding yes! 

At BoxGenie, we believe that everyone can design custom packaging that will help them show off and grow their business while protecting their amazing products all at the same time and are considered the best corrugated cardboard box company. When you design custom packaging, you can easily choose the best type of packaging, size of packaging, colors, thickness, printed designs, extras, etc. 

How To Design Custom Packaging?

Now that you know you can design completely custom packaging, you’re probably wondering how you can go about this. After all, you’re not a designer! The good news is that you don’t have to be, thanks to experts like BoxGenie. BoxGenie can help connect you with designers to create your ideal custom packaging based on your brand and products. That being said, here are some things that you may want to think about and consider before you begin the design process: 

• Determine your brand values, mission, and purpose so that you can create packaging that goes along with that.
• Determine your ideal customer so that you can choose packaging that would appeal to that group specifically. 
• Determine your sales channels so that you can choose packaging that fits well into each different option. For example, retail packaging is different from eCommerce packaging. 
• Determine your budget and how much you want to spend on your packaging. Remember that higher-end products often require higher-end packaging as that’s what the customer is expecting by paying a premium price. 
• Determine your brand components such as logos, colors, fonts, slogans, etc., so that you can incorporate that into your packaging to create a seamless line of products that promote your brand and spread the word without needing to pay for actual advertisements. 
• Work with design experts so that you can include all the necessary information on the packaging in the best possible way. 

How To Find The Best Custom Packaging Provider?

While it’s totally possible for you to create amazing custom packaging, not all packaging providers are created equal—so how can you find the best ones? Well, for starters, look for a company that’s dedicated to understanding you and your needs rather than making it all about them. A good packaging partner will listen to you more than they talk back. A great packaging partner understands the needs of small businesses and is willing to troubleshoot packaging problems with you and answer all your questions along the way. 

BoxGenie definitely hits the mark in all of these categories. They have been around for almost 50 years, so they know what they’re talking about—and their online 3D designer will allow you to create the packaging of your dreams. If you’re not sure what you’re looking for yet, their design showcase can give you some inspiration.  

Even though they work with big brands like Canon, Bose, and Black+Decker, they also understand the needs of small businesses because they have been family owned and operated throughout their lifetime. Overall, if you’re looking for a packaging provider to partner with you and help you grow your business—you can’t go wrong with BoxGenie. 

Final Thoughts

As you can see, product packaging design is definitely not an area that you want to neglect or skimp out on. That being said, it doesn’t have to totally take over your life either! By working with the experts at BoxGenie, you can rest assured that your product packaging design is top-notch, promotes your brand, and impresses your customers all at the same time. So what are you waiting for? Reach out to BoxGenie today to start working on your perfect packaging. 

Sources:

1. https://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-product-packaging-marketing-648.html
2. https://www.inc.com/joshua-conran/why-your-product-s-packaging-is-as-important-as-the-product-itself.html
3. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2020/03/04/vision-mission-and-purpose-the-difference/?sh=b0a4ef0280ed