• How old are they?
• Where do they live?
• What are their values?

You want to try to replicate a real-life shopping experience with your packaging. No matter if it’s a ten dollar order, or one worth several thousand dollars, you want to make it feel personal.

A recent study by Epsilon, found that 80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase when brands offer a personal experience. Some people may expect a little pampering when they interact with a brand.

Take a store like Design Within Reach, for example, which is a high-end modern furniture store. When I recently visited their showroom, I was offered a bottle of water as I entered. This is a store that sells $6,000 tables (something I’m not in the market for, but they don’t know that). The bottle of water probably cost less than a quarter, but this small gesture made me feel welcomed and encouraged me to take my time exploring their store.

Now obviously, you’re not going to send your customers a bottle of water with their online order, but you can still make them feel acknowledged.

It’s important to include some sort of personal greeting with your orders. This can be as simple as a handwritten thank you note, or even writing a quick greeting with the customer’s name inside the box flap.

You can also offer tailored discounts that reflect your customer’s previous purchases to promote customer loyalty.  A study by LoyaltyOne found that 76% of customers thought that receiving personalized discount offers based on their purchase history was important.

#4: Use Killer Design Elements

The design elements of your box and other packaging materials can really set you apart from the crowd.

Use colors and pattern – but not too much. Patterns can be used as a branding element, either on the outside of the box, or inside on tissue paper or paper wraps. You can try a custom pattern, or something timeless like polka dots or stripes. Some companies cover the entire box in a wrapping paper-like pattern to make it look like a gift.

Colors are another great way to reflect your brand. Think of the vibrant orange packaging that just screams Shutterfly, or the sophisticated robin egg blue color that lets everyone know their gift box is from Tiffany & Co.

Consider fonts in your box design process. You want something easy to read, but with some style. Placement and proportion are important elements. You don’t want your customer straining to read undersized writing, or trying to decipher an overly ornate font.

The inner fill that protects the product and holds it in place is also part of the overall experience, so you want to use consistent brand colors throughout your packaging – whether it’s tissue paper, ribbons or merchandise bags.

Using design elements that reflect your brand is fun, but don’t go overboard. Be sure to leave some white space. Too much color and too many graphics and fonts can overwhelm your packaging and be perceived as unsophisticated.

If done right, your customers may even save your box to store other items. This will serve as a reminder of your company long after the package is opened.

#5: Make it Social and Fun

People love to share, so make it easy for them.

Take Kylie Cosmetics, for example. Their cosmetic boxes for the brand’s lipstick boxes and eyeshadow packaging is oozing with sharability. Encourage your customers to share their shopping experience on social media by adding social media handles, QR codes, or hashtags to your packaging.

You can’t beat the free advertising that comes from a happy customer excitedly sharing your product on their social media channels. And word of mouth sharing is arguably the most powerful form of marketing. So hop to it.

#6: Include Little Extras

It’s undeniable. People love getting free stuff. It doesn’t have to be something extravagant.

So, in your beautiful product box, throw in a few little extras. Here are some things to consider:

• Product samples
• A publication with relevant articles
• Stickers
• Magnets
• Bookmarks
• Candy

You might also want to include a review request – with a thank you note, of course. You can even incentivize your request by giving your customers a chance to win a gift card by submitting a review.

#7: Keep in Mind the Overall Experience

No one wants to receive broken or missing merchandise.

Who knows what happens to your carefully-packed package when it leaves your hands?

It may be casually flung onto a conveyor belt, or have heavy boxes piled on top. You need a strong box to protect whatever’s inside. You may also want to consider using tamper-evident barriers, to further protect your goods.

And, finally. After your customer has excitedly ripped open your package, you don’t want to leave them stuck with getting rid of extraneous packaging. Make it easy for them to dispose of by using recyclable or biodegradable materials.

Conclusion

Traditional retail and eCommerce competition is tight.

To get an edge up, you need to pump up the presentation of your product.

Unique packaging is a great way to make a memorable experience for your customers – and keep them coming back for more.