When you think about products made by Apple or Tiffany & Co., you’re just as likely to envision the brand’s iconic packaging as the product itself. We can all name brands that have gone above and beyond to create a memorable unboxing experience through presentation and packaging.
You will get efficient and thoughtful service from Ecobag.
In the past, providing this level of brand recognition and customer service through custom packaging was available only to major corporations that sell hundreds of thousands of units a year or luxury brands with high price points.
Now, it seems like everyone is getting in on the custom packaging game, from subscription services such as BarkBox and Ipsy to artisans selling handmade goods on Etsy. Thanks to web platforms that allow anyone to design packaging online in 3D and order in small batches, custom packaging has become accessible and cost-effective for small businesses too.
Here’s how your business can get in on the affordable custom packaging revolution and reap benefits like greater brand loyalty and more secure product shipping.
The best way to describe custom packaging is to compare it to the more traditional alternative: stock packaging.
Stock packaging, or standard packaging, is the generic type of packaging that you can pick up at Staples or the Post Office or order online in bulk. These unmarked brown (or sometimes white) corrugated cardboard boxes are easy to manufacture and come in a limited number of sizes and styles. While stock packaging is cheap and makes a lot of sense for personal shipping needs, it doesn’t do much for you if you’re trying to build an ecommerce brand. Customers have come to expect more stylish, refined packaging when they order goods online.
Custom packaging, by contrast, is tailored with the product specifications, the brand, and the end user in mind. The inside of the packaging is designed to fit the product perfectly, while the shipping box itself can be designed to mirror your brand’s colors, display your logo, or even include additional copy that conveys your sense of humor or company values. With custom packaging, the options are limited only by your own creativity and imagination.
The end result of custom packaging? Customers get a memorable unboxing experience, get the wow factor they’re looking for, and are more likely to choose your brand in the future. In fact, according to a recent study by Ipsos, 72 percent of American consumers are greatly influenced by packaging design when they make their purchases.
There are many ways that custom packaging can benefit your business. Here are our top 5 reasons for choosing custom packaging for your shipping needs:
Think about how much you would typically spend to put something directly into the hands of a potential customer. Packaging and shipping speed are two factors that can initiate a physical and emotional connection between customers and your brand. Still, there are many companies that readily spend thousands of dollars going to trade shows, handing out pens and other swag — but balk at spending a few cents more per box for packaging for their small business — even though this packaging is going directly to people who have already proven they’re willing to spend money on your products.
Why is this? Many ecommerce sellers don’t fully understand how important quality custom packaging is to the future of their business. A recent study by the GWP Group confirmed that customers relate the quality of the packaging to the quality of the brand, form an initial impression of your brand within 7 seconds, and are more likely to buy from a company again if they like the packaging. In most cases, the initial impression a customer forms will not change without a lot of effort, which means you’ll be spending much more to win and retain customers in the long run if you make a poor impression with your product packaging.
Customers expect great packaging designs. Don’t throw away a golden opportunity to impress and engage your customers for mere pennies on the dollar.
Custom packaging can also be a wise investment because it gives your product the protection it needs. Unlike standard packaging, where any box will do, custom packaging only uses materials that fit the product in terms of size and durability.
Custom packaging gives your product that inner protection to keep it in a fixed position in transit and the outer protection that it needs to remain intact before it gets to the customer. For example, if you’re shipping glass or other fragile merchandise, a custom shipping box that incorporates a rigid cardboard with a foam insert can ensure your products make it in one piece, every time. Hydrogenated water brand, HyVIDA, found that when they invested in a custom packaging solution for their product, they eliminated damage complaints and dramatically improved their reviews on Amazon.
Protective packaging is especially important for small businesses, as inventory is often their company’s largest investment. As a bonus, opting for well-designed custom packaging that fits your inventory to a T can save your company money on package fillers such as bubble wrap, shredded paper, and packing peanuts.
In theory, 100% customer satisfaction is the goal of every product package, but in reality most product packaging leaves customers disappointed, which is dangerous for your brand. According to Forbes Magazine, 60 to 80 percent of consumers do not go back to the same business if their packaging is poor, even if they are satisfied with the product.
Don’t let poor packaging undermine a great product. Instead of losing customers because they feel disconnected from your brand, let Arka ensure that your customers are satisfied by the product and what the product is shipped in.
With the help of a sleek design, visually appealing colors, modern prints, beautiful package inserts, and personalized messages, you can give your customers what they crave and increase customer satisfaction. These personal touches are particularly important when choosing packaging for a small business. Changing consumer shopping habits have led 55% of Americans to make a purchase from a new brand. This is a big opportunity for small businesses to make a big impression on these new customers.
Perhaps one of the biggest (and sneakiest) benefits of custom packaging for small businesses is its ability to turn customers from one-time purchasers into brand ambassadors. This is especially true for ecommerce businesses, since waiting for the package to arrive and then unboxing the product are such a primary part of the customer experience.
In fact, according to Dotcom Distribution, 35 percent of customers report regularly watching unboxing videos, 55 percent of customers report buying a product after watching an unboxing video, and 40 percent of customers say they’ve shared a picture or video of a product’s packaging before.
That’s a lot of opportunities to get your brand in front of new buyers without spending any additional money on advertising or social media campaigns. When you look at the statistics, custom packaging begins to feel less like an extra, unnecessary expense and more like the most efficient and cost-effective way to reach new customers.
Finally, custom packaging is a great way for small businesses to get customers to return again and again. Selling to an existing customer is so much easier than getting a new customer, yet many companies spend all of their marketing money trying to attract new customers and don’t give much thought to keeping the customers they already have.
Custom packaging can help your company build loyalty over time and earn repeat business not only by making a solid first impression, but also by giving repeat customers something to look forward to. You know this is true if you think about your own favorite ecommerce brands, the excitement you feel when you see the instantly recognizable packaging in your mailbox or on your doorstep, and the pleasure you experience opening a beautifully-presented product.
In addition, creating custom packaging gives you the opportunity to design memorable seasonal or event-based packaging and to include coordinating stickers, tissue paper, packing tape or package inserts advertising an upcoming sale —anything that will help you build a cohesive brand image and forge a highly personalized connection with your existing customers will help you retain those customers.
For these and many other reasons, ecommerce businesses should give serious consideration to custom packaging as a way to create a big impact with a small investment.
Kraft Paper Boxes are one of the earliest forms of custom packaging designs. Before the advent of luxurious and colorful designs, Kraft boxes have been the ring leader in the packaging sector because of their simple, cost-effective, and easy-to-make nature.
Designing a Kraft paper box requires simple techniques, but there are little considerations you must keep in mind while you opt for this kind of box or packaging.
We will look into all your pain points in this article and give you some of the best tips for choosing the perfect design for your kraft paper custom boxes. Let’s get started.
Image Source: ArkaA kraft box or paper is a natural kind of material/ paper. You can tell a kraft paper from its distinct brown color, coarseness, and toughness like cardboard paper.
Like any other paper, kraft papers originate from that part of the tree known as the pulp containing the major wood fiber concentration.
They are natural because they still possess the features of the natural tree and less purification or bleaching procedures. However, the white paper you know and use daily was thoroughly bleached with chlorine.
Using kraft paper implies you’re using environmentally friendlier paper. Using other materials such as bleached papers may pose some health risks, not to mention the less environmentally friendly they become.
Kraft paper boxes come in different types, and they are:
Straight tuck kraft boxes are the most commonly used box for packaging. They come with similar flaps at both ends, which fold directly into the box.
The box comprises two pairs of winged supports and two major flaps at both ends designed parallel. This box is commonly used for packaging beauty products like creams, foundations, etc.
You can distinguish a lock bottom kraft box by its underside. Its bottom flaps lock to form a shape like a mail envelope.
Lock bottom kraft boxes hold heavier products like glass cups and ceramics. Its locked flaps provide support and durability for the materials it carries.
The reverse tuck kraft boxes are similar to straight tuck boxes. The only difference is that their major flaps are placed in opposite directions.
Bathing soap and cosmetic cartons or packages are use cases for this box.
The base flaps of a Crash bottom kraft box overlap and are glued to provide more strength and durability than the lock bottom kraft box.
The introduction of glues in crash bottom kraft boxes makes it a good recommendation for stronger items and goods. Crash bottom kraft boxes are used for luxury and fragile items with high breaking potentials.
This box is often called a half box. It comprises a cut-off top that often reveals the content in the box and a bottom with flaps like a lock bottom or straight tuck kraft box.
We usually use this box for packaging flat-top devices like Keyboards, monitors, TV sets, etc. It has a fully locked underside and top closing panel with small-width flaps that fit into the box to form a perfect cuboidal shape.
A kraft sleeve is a kraft box that opens at both ends. It is used as a temporary cover for goods.
Kraft sleeves have no tucks: just two simple openings at both ends. This box is common with ceramic products.
A two-piece kraft box has a tray structure comprising a bottom tray and a lid covering the tray. The lid and the tray are almost indistinguishable and provide durability and support to the box’s content.
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Due to its tray-like nature, we use two-piece boxes for packaging jewelry and edible products like Pizza, cakes, etc.
Image Source: Arka PackagingIn an era of glitz and colorful packaging, kraft boxes still have a lot of benefits to be proud of. Here are some of them:
Kraft boxes or papers are natural, especially when uncoated in ink. Uncoated kraft boxes are biodegradable and can decay.
While you can make virgin kraft boxes from unbleached wood fibers or pulp, many kraft boxes you see were recycled from previously used materials.
Using kraft boxes is a plus to your business and the environment, especially now that there is high demand for eco-friendlier packaging solutions. This means you’re part of the good movement for a better earth.
Apart from recycling kraft papers, you can easily reuse kraft boxes. For example, you may use a kraft box to package your household materials to build a bird nest or as eggs baskets.
The durability in kraft boxes makes this possible, hence saving you the cost of buying materials from scratch. This is to say that kraft boxes are cost-effective and last longer than most paper bags used in packaging.
Uncoated kraft boxes give you more rooms to make amends. Although it is classical to use kraft boxes without coating, marketing demands may require you to add little ink or coatings.
Kraft boxes are customizable. We will look at how to design/customize a kraft box later in this article.
Kraft boxes are biodegradable, natural, and eco-friendly. Some agro-companies may recycle it to fit into their manure needs.
Kraft boxes are organic and are the closest to the natural wood fiber gotten from trees.
You’re reducing carbon footprints in the ecosystem if you use kraft boxes, which greatly contribute to the environment.
No one wants to have bad reviews about their products spoiling along the supply chain. Many manufacturers and retailers are using kraft boxes to reduce the risk of spoilage.
Kraft boxes are strong and last longer than most packaging. Using them provides additional trust that your goods are in safe hands.
Generally, kraft boxes are perfect for almost all goods, especially delicate or fragile goods like glass or ceramic cups and plates, cosmetics, beverages, etc. However, this depends on the toughness, density, or the type of kraft box you use.
Since kraft boxes do not require longer processing/refining procedures like coated or bleached papers, they are cheaper in the markets.
Making kraft boxes out of kraft paper is also easy and may require just a little skill to craft them. Many people may rather opt for weak kraft papers to wrap or package instantly. That is to say, kraft-centric packaging may not require a lot of technicalities.
The nature of kraft papers makes designing a bit challenging, and its brownish and coarse natural design leaves you with lesser customizable options.
But there are solutions. There are other ways you can beautifully add great designs to your kraft paper custom box. We’ll walk you through that step in this section.
You may customize your kraft box with custom labels.
The custom label is usually for marketing purposes. It should bear your brand logo and additional message or information you need to pass across to your customers.
Choosing the perfect color match while adding your custom label should not bother you. A mixture of white and black designs should give you a perfect and readable label.
If there is a need to, you may subtly use additional colors like red or dark blue that may show your product information visibly.
Image Source: Damn Handsome Grooming CoMany brands love to design their custom boxes fully. They do not want to leave customers with a box of brown, monochromatic colors; they would want to add sauce and icing to their packaging. One way to do this is through custom printing with inks.
There are basically four ways to add imprints to your kraft paper custom box:
1. Full-color printing: In this case, you apply a full CMYK color ink directly on the kraft paper. Full-color printing allows you to harness the organic nature of the brown kraft paper, giving you a bleached paper print experience.
2. Printing in an all-black color: Many brands prefer to design their kraft boxes in all-black colors. Inking the kraft paper in bold black gives you a classic design and allows you to capitulate on calligraphy and typography.
3. White ink printing: In contrast to the all-black color printing, you may add only white inks on your kraft paper custom box. This type of printing requires expertise, and you should consult the services of professional printing companies.
4. Vivid color printing: Like full-color printing, vivid colors add spice to the kraft paper. You may add colorful images and designs like actual graphics and direct imagery in this category.
Image Source: Arka PackagingDesigning your kraft box doesn’t end with random colors; cutouts are another way to add icing to the cake. They are stylish and provide additional advert for your products.
Here are some reasons you may want to use cutouts for your kraft paper custom box:
This custom design is very classic and most suitable for luxurious products. Hot foil stamps use embossing to add designs on kraft paper boxes.
However, it requires high expertise to effect successfully. You may want to try hot foil stamps on your next packaging campaign. You’ll love it!
Image Source: Happycentro Design StudioBefore action, it is very important to plan. Here are some things to consider when you decide that kraft paper custom boxes are what you should be using for your packaging needs:
So long it’s business-related, there would always be prices flying here and there. A budget is what you need to plan ahead of the situation.
You must pay attention to pricing details to help avert circumstances that may discourage you from having the perfect designs for your kraft box.
A budget should also help you choose the design you may want to apply to your kraft box.
You must be precise in your choice of design and the information you need to pass across. The kind of design you pick for your kraft box may affect the amount of information to put on it.
Understand when and what information you need, those you need your consumers to see, and those less trivial, to help you cut down unnecessary time-wasting.
The type of product you package influences its design structure. In that case, the shape of the kraft box may determine how the design and information spread across the kraft paper.
Also, a luxury or beverage retailer may wish to add more style or embossing to his design, unlike soap or men’s cosmetic brands. This shows how much the brand can affect the design of the kraft box.
The nature of kraft papers makes it difficult to choose the perfect color for designing your kraft box. But a good understanding of color theories should help you design your kraft box perfectly.
A good thumb rule would be to choose simple yet bold colors like black or white or both. Using vivid color would require the services of experts to give you an optimum design experience.
Image Source: Arka PackagingYou’ve learned about kraft paper boxes, how they come about, and how to design them. You have also seen some of the possible tips to consider before designing and customizing your kraft paper custom box.
Designing a kraft paper custom box requires little skill and technique, and that is if you use an uncoated kraft paper box. However, the case will be different if you need a different style and decor for your kraft box packaging.
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