As the marketplace for physical products continues its inexorable transition online, eCommerce companies have to get creative about customer interaction. You can connect with your customers through your social media and marketing efforts. Consumer experience with your website is another vital point of contact. However, the point where you can touch your customers most directly is with a memorable unboxing experience.
According to Small Biz Trends, the probability of selling to an existing customer is between 60 and 70 percent, while the likelihood of selling to a new customer is between 5 and 20 percent. Improving your website’s conversion rate is very important and gains a lot of attention in the eCommerce industry. Creating a great unboxing experience is an excellent way to delight that valuable existing customer.
What is an unboxing experience?
Receiving packages can be a bit impersonal. Your customer opens their door to find a plain brown box on their doorstep. The packaging experience is often just as bland inside the box. They remove the product and chuck the box. Unless a product was damaged during shipping, they probably don’t give another thought to your brand.
Worse yet, your customer might have negative feelings when they open their order. You should avoid a negative first impression at all costs. According to Zendesk, 95 percent of consumers will share a bad experience with other people. The customer may have a negative packaging experience, for example, with an unnecessarily large box that has lots of infill. Instead of a fun unboxing, you’ve created a chore since they have to dispose of the excess packaging. Wasteful or environmentally insensitive packaging can create a negative feeling for the consumer as well.
The goal of an unboxing experience is to make even the act of receiving and unpacking the box fun. It should be more like opening a gift and less like unloading stock for a warehouse.
You can create a memorable unboxing experience with tools like eco-friendly packaging, branding, box inserts, and colorful tissue paper infill. When you provide this for your customers, you start to earn a positive review the minute they receive their order.
Many eCommerce businesses have come to recognize the importance of unboxing. The competition to create the best unboxing experience is fierce. In today’s eCommerce environment, you can’t afford to neglect the customer experience of receiving a package. Fortunately, there are many different ways to create an excellent first impression. You can pick and choose the items that work best for your business.
How to create a memorable unboxing experience
Small but noticeable improvements, such as branded packaging and handwritten notes, can turn an otherwise standard box into an event worth sharing on social media. You don’t have to be Amazon to create a memorable unboxing experience. Many of the suggestions on our list are inexpensive and well-suited for small businesses. Plus, when it comes to adding a personal touch, small businesses have the advantage.
Here are some tips for creating the best unboxing experience for your customers.
The box
The box is the first thing your customer sees. A few small touches can make it more memorable. Branded boxes are an opportunity to promote your brand as well.
Branded packaging
Boxes printed with your logo aren’t a huge expense. Or include artwork on the outside of the box. An appealing box is the first step in a great unboxing experience. And branded boxes put your brand front and center with your customers.
Branded packing tape
A simple way to put your brand name front and center is branded packing tape. A design on the packing tape can make a package pop. It’s also a great way to build brand recognition.
Print inside the box
A printed design on the inside of the box is a lovely surprise. This added touch shows you thought through the unboxing experience. Printing on the inside is also a great choice if you need to use discreet shipping. High-end items may need to be shipped in plain packaging to discourage theft. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t spruce up the inside of the box.
The infill experience
Custom packaging doesn’t end with a branded box. The next layer of a memorable unboxing experience is the infill. You need packing infill to keep your products safe during shipping. But they can do double duty as a way to promote your brand and show your customers the value of the items they just bought. Give your customers a complete branded packaging experience with these simple touches.
Branded tissue paper
Print your logo, brand name, or other artwork on custom tissue paper. Use this to wrap or pack your items. Someone who unboxes a sweater wrapped in lovely tissue printed with your brand name is more likely to make repeat purchases.
Crinkle paper
If it matches your brand aesthetic, consider crinkle paper infill. The crinkle adds a pleasing texture and sound element to the unboxing experience.
Get creative with packing materials
A great unboxing experience isn’t just about the look and feel of the packaging and infill. Eco-friendly infill made from recycled cardboard is a great way to build customer loyalty. That is particularly true if environmental consciousness is part of your brand identity. The bottom line is to choose packing materials that fit with your brand voice.
Product presentation
The packaging serves one fundamental purpose: to highlight your product. The unboxing experience should present your product well. Make sure that any accessories in the box are tucked away so that the main item can take center stage.
Extras that make a difference
Unboxing experiences are about more than packaging. Here are some extras that can contribute to a positive first impression for your customers.
Free samples and free trials
Throw in free samples of other products your customer might like. Or include coupons for their next purchase or referral vouchers. Invite the customer to join your brand in a charity drive. Anything that encourages customers to get back in touch with you enhances brand loyalty.
Return shipping label
This simple item is more important than you might think. Your returns policy is a big selling point. Including a return shipping label lets your customer know you have thought through the process and want to make it easier for them.
Social media promotion
Include an insert encouraging your customers to share their experience of your product on social media. You can even encourage them to post unboxing videos.
Important inserts
Thoughtful inserts are another way to create great unboxing experiences.
Thank you note
A thank you note can add a personal touch and build brand loyalty. If you can include a handwritten note, that’s even better. Your thank you note should reflect your brand voice. Bonus points for addressing the customer by name.
Marketing materials
Marketing materials, done right, can enhance unboxing. Invite your customers to be one of the first to try a new product or get special offers. Use package inserts to turn customers into brand ambassadors.
As the marketplace for physical products continues its inexorable transition online, eCommerce companies have to get creative about customer interaction. You can connect with your customers through your social media and marketing efforts. Consumer experience with your website is another vital point of contact. However, the point where you can touch your customers most directly is with a memorable unboxing experience.
According to Small Biz Trends, the probability of selling to an existing customer is between 60 and 70 percent, while the likelihood of selling to a new customer is between 5 and 20 percent. Improving your website’s conversion rate is very important and gains a lot of attention in the eCommerce industry. Creating a great unboxing experience is an excellent way to delight that valuable existing customer.
3 unboxing experience mistakes to avoid
Now that you know what you should include in your packaging, here are three things to leave out.
- Oversized boxes. Putting a small product in a big box may seem like a good way to protect a fragile or high-end product. Don’t do it. There are better ways to ship delicate items safely. Plus, you’ll pay extra for shipping a larger box. Your packaging might even result in dimensional weight charges.
- Foam peanuts. Everyone hates them. They blow away in the wind. Static cling makes them stick to everything. They aren’t recyclable. They will create a bad first impression and could ruin the unboxing experience. If you want to use packing peanuts, use compostable ones made from cornstarch.
- Complex packaging. Unboxing experiences should be a pleasant peeling away of layers. If opening your packaging is more like hacking through the jungle, you’ve done too much. Don’t add frustration to your unboxing by using excess tape. Use a minimal amount of strong tape, so the packaging is both secure and easy to open.
Unboxing videos
Unboxing is about more than the box. A great unboxing experience can expand the reach of your brand in unexpected ways. The unboxing video phenomenon is a perfect expression of our social media-driven age. Among the most-viewed content online are unboxing videos. Customers film themselves taking products out of the box. If you provide an exciting unboxing experience, you increase the chances that your brand will appear in one or more unboxing videos. Your unboxing experience can be a tool for viral brand marketing.
Custom packaging isn’t just for small items
There’s nothing worse than opening a package and finding that the contents were damaged during shipping. That’s a bad unboxing experience and a bad look for your brand. Choosing the right eCommerce packaging is especially important for large and fragile products.
If your brand includes items that are vulnerable to damage during transit, your packaging needs to be protective. You will want to consider using thicker, double-walled boxes with reinforced H-tape and more substantial infill. Pro tip: Work with an eCommerce fulfillment company with expertise in shipping large and fragile items (like Red Stag Fulfillment).
A positive unboxing experience can have a significant impact on your overall customer satisfaction. The first step in the unboxing process is having your orders picked, packed, and fulfilled. You don’t have to sacrifice the personal touch when you outsource your fulfillment. Professional order fulfillment can improve the unboxing experience and enhance your brand. When you choose a top-notch 3PL like Red Stag Fulfillment, you get a partner who treats your packages and customers as if they were our own.
Sources
The Atlantic | Ask Your Target Market
