The Complete Guide to Custom Retail Packaging

The retail landscape is competitive, with the competition for attention tougher than ever. Custom retail packaging is your secret weapon. You’ve heard at least one of the many classic adages about ‘first impressions’. They really do count! Our retail packaging experts here in Melbourne share their complete guide to catching the eye of your ideal customer. 

What is retail packaging?

We might be stating the obvious, but retail packaging means packaging designed for use in retail settings. This includes anything from retail displays, boxes, shelf displays, counter displays and printed product packaging.

If you’ve found your way to this PPI article, you probably already understand the power of packaging and its many functions. Custom retail packaging can have many purposes, including attracting attention, telling your brand or product story, protecting your product and informing your consumer and so much more. Successful custom retail packaging will do all these things, and more! Your options are (almost) endless when it comes to custom retail packaging design.

Here’s some more info about your essential retail packaging functions.
 

Attracting attention
 

The retail landscape is busier than ever, meaning that consumers are spoilt for choice. Having more options than ever means that customer loyalty can be hard to come by – but also creates opportunity emerging brands to attract their piece of market share.

That’s where the power of retail packaging comes to the fore.

Attracting the attention of customers can be influenced by things like visual merchandising, product location in-store and shelf context (like having your product at customer’s eye level in the supermarket). These factors may or may not be in your control. The factor that is in your control is your custom retail packaging.

Beyond copyright rules, there are no guidelines on how different – or similar – your packaging should be from other products in your category. It’s important to consider the limitations of your product and then how you will stand out within those limitations. Think: colour, artwork, size, shape and materials. Which brings us to our next point.
 

Informing customers
 

Custom retail packaging should inform customers about your product, but – arguably more importantly – it should tell your brand story and evoke some emotional response from your audience.

The beauty of custom retail packaging is that you’re in control of what is likely to be your customer’s first interaction with your product. You’re also in control of the design, which means it can be a complete extension of your brand properties. For example, a glossy display stand in dark colours could help invoke a luxurious feeling in consumers whereas a matte raw cardboard product box with coloured accents could paint a picture of a down-to-earth or organic brand.

When telling your brand story through custom retail packaging, colours, copy, finish, shape, size and iconography are all important – and able to be integrated into your packaging solution.

From a more functional point of view, it’s also important to include essential details about your product. This could be instructions, nutritional benefits, contents or legal requirements such as ingredients.

Thanks to technological advances – and the resurgence of the humble QR code – there are simple yet effective ways to inform your customers even further. By sending your customer to your website or social media pages via a QR code printed on your custom retail packaging, you’re offering a value-add to your consumer while also leveraging your brand’s digital assets.

Sharing your brand’s story and information is vital. And hey, if your product lives up to what is says on the label, then you might have just won yourself a committed customer.
 

Protecting product from damage
 

Being buried at the bottom of grocery bag, shipped across the country in a truck, or having to withstand many browsing hands. These are just a few reasons why your custom retail packaging needs to have the power to protect your product.

Protecting your product in transit and ensuring your product is securely displayed within your custom retail packaging is important. Both challenges can be overcome by robust packaging design and by using a high-quality cardboard material.
 

Different types of retail packaging

Now that we’ve covered the essential functions of custom retail packaging, it’s time to talk options. The retail world is a battlefield, and knowing what your options are can really help crystalise your retail packaging strategy.
 

Printed Product Packaging

Custom retail boxes printed with your own design mean that the options are endless. Depending on your product needs, inserts and other protective elements can be included to keep your product secure and in one piece. Printed product packaging is easily branded and ready to be discovered by your ideal customer.
 

Retail Floor Displays

A tried and tested method of retail merchandising. Floor displays, floor stands and dump bins can be designed to display most products. The beauty of custom retail floor displays is that it gives you an extra element of control within the retail environment and allows you to extend your brand message even further. Retail floor displays are also easy to distribute and assemble, making them an economical marketing solution.

Retail Shelf Displays

Shelf displays are a practical way to incorporate custom retail packaging into your brand. They’re designed to group your products together on a shelf and are used in retail environments of all sizes.

Here at PPI, our retail shelf displays are integrated with logistics packaging. A logistics box with a tearaway piece reveals your custom shelf display – so your product can be both transported and displayed within one solution, and with your branding.

Retail Counter Displays

Custom retail counter displays are generally designed for smaller items at or near the point-of-sale. Like our shelf displays, our retail counter displays are designed so your product can be both transported and displayed – with control over how the product is presented.

Don’t forget about Ecomm!

Ecommerce is very much part of the retail landscape – so it wouldn’t be right for us to not include. You can find hints and tips on your custom retail packaging for your Ecommerce brand here.
 

Now what?

If you’re ready to level up your custom retail packaging – reach out to our friendly team at Production Packaging Innovations in Melbourne. Our team of dedicated packaging experts can help you create a sustainable and smart solution from the ground up. With our state-of-the art software and printers, the sky’s the limit!

Get in touch here.