By Andrew Greissman

“Don’t judge a book by it’s cover”, goes the old adage, but when it comes to an ecommerce purchase, what’s on the outside might count more than you think. The perceptions that consumers have of their ecommerce shopping experience are increasingly aligning with the best aspects of what they might expect from an in-store experience. Now that online shopping is entering into a state of ubiquity, the products that will continue to set themselves apart from those of the competition will need to bring something extra to the table. With this in mind, there are a few reasons why ecommerce professionals should be thinking critically about how to raise the bar in terms of the packaging that they are using to ship their products.

1) It can save them money. 

An upgrade to your packaging might not be one of the areas that you would think would have cost saving potential, but in fact, it might be the case that that is exactly what you uncover. The reason why this is possible is because of the concept of “package fit”, an area where many online retailers have room to improve, according to a post from PackWorld.com. When a product is shipped without a proper fitting package, it allows the contents of the package room to move around in the shipping process, which can potentially lead to crumpled, bent or broken products being delivered. By contrast, when a product is shipped in a proper fitting and sturdy container, there is a much higher likelihood that it will arrive in one piece. In addition, retailers aren’t paying for any wasted space.

2) It’s an overlooked branding opportunity. 

Without having a customer purchase something in a brick and mortar location, the experience of opening a box containing their product is the first physical brand interaction that your customer will have after making their purchase. Treating this moment with the care it deserves is a good way to demonstrate commitment to customer experience from your brand, as well as differentiate your branding from competitors who may be slower to adopt upgraded packaging. According to a post from Packaging Digest,  two of the big trends that will figure heavily into ecommerce package improvements in 2015 will be external branding on physical boxes as well as the inclusion of personalized notes within them. These both contribute to a heightened experience when unwrapping a product, making it feel more like a personalized gift from a brand as opposed to a generically shipped item.

3) It can stop loss related to damaged products. 

While a package that is damaged en-route to a final delivery point might not technically be the fault of an ecommerce brand, receiving a damaged product is the kiss of death to a positive relationship with the end customer. Apart from choosing the right service provider who can guarantee a minimum acceptable standard for fulfillment, investing in packaging that not only looks nice, but is sturdy enough to ensure that products arrive in one piece can play a major role in cost saving by significantly reducing loss through damage.

Whether you have already made plans to improve your shipping, or are planning the rollout of new and improved features, ecommerce executives should strive to provide a level of excitement to their customers through the creation of innovative and personalized packaging that expresses the personality of their brand.

Author Bio

Andrew Greissman is a digital content manager for WBR Digital. Andrew’s writing background spans genres and formats from poetry and magazine writing to website copy and press releases. When not writing, Andrew enjoys travel, good food and reading books. 

Photo Credit: SOCIALisBETTER

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