All that brilliant product innovation, research and development, marketing and advertising is lost if your customer passes by your product without giving it a second glance. The critical decision to buy or not to buy is made at the point of purchase.
Maximize your impact
You have three seconds to
capture your customer’s interest.
It’s a battle on those shelves
If your product is shelf-competitive, it’s most important sales advantage may be the package it comes in. The average consumer gives your product’s package less than three seconds to capture his interest. And once noticed, the decision to buy or not to buy can be determined by how compelling your package is. A superior product may not be enough if the competition has a superior package.
If your product is shelf-competitive, it’s most important sales advantage may be the package it comes in. The average consumer gives your product’s package less than three seconds to capture his interest. And once noticed, the decision to buy or not to buy can be determined by how compelling your package is. A superior product may not be enough if the competition has a superior package.
Don’t let your product die on the shelf
Never underestimate the value of your package. Often, all the end user knows about your product is the design and information on the package. Sometimes the customer can’t even see or touch the actual product. Persuasive package design is an important factor in the purchaser’s decision-making process. Misjudging it's importance can hurt your overall sales.
Packaging design is an investment, not a cost
Packaging expense can be quickly recovered through improved sales and the increase in brand equity. Think strategically, and treat package design as part of your product development. When possible, develop product and package together, as one item. If you treat the cost of packaging simply as a cosmetic afterthought, your bottom line may suffer.
Stand out from the rest
Always consider what your competition is putting on the shelves, then aim to blow them out of the water. Be sure your package doesn’t get lost in a maze of color and shapes. For example, at one time, packaging food in black was thought to be a terrible idea; black was considered gloomy and heavy. But the Breyer’s Ice Cream people looked at the freezer section and saw dozens of ice cream boxes in washed-out tones. So they designed their ice cream packaging in black. Psychologically, black evokes notions such as quality, glamour, nonconformism, empowerment, and being “worth more”. It worked. The black boxes leapt out of the freezers – both visually and into consumer shopping carts. And people gladly paid more for it. Look in a grocery freezer these days and you'll see lots of black and deep rich colors.
High volume retailers often call the shots
High volume retailers often dictate the look of your packaging as well as strategies that will help move volumes of product. They are going to be looking for high visibility packages, point-of-purchase displays, end-cap displays, multi-packs, counter display units and other floor-ready merchandising. High volume retailers are always looking for the maximum impact with the minimum effort.
