First things first, consider the products you’ll be sending
Before anything else, you need to think about what will work best for the products you’ll be using the packaging for. If you’re sending lightweight things like jewellery, you may opt for padded mailers, or if you’re selling coffee beans, a standing pouch may work best.
It’s also important to think about how your products will be transported. Will it be sent via post? Does it need carry handles? Is it fragile? Once you have considered these points, you’ll be able to choose the type of packaging that works best for your product.
Think about the message you want to send to your customers
Your packaging is one of the biggest opportunities to convey your values and who you are as a brand to your customers. Think about the values you’d like to get across to your customers and use your packaging space to your advantage.
Make sure it aligns with your branding
Although packaging design has room for more creativity, it’s best to make sure that you keep some consistency with your other branding elements, like your colours and fonts. It’s important to keep some synergy between your packaging and for instance your website or social media channels, as it means you’ll be more easily recognisable to customers.
Try to consider the ‘unboxing’ experience for your customer
A key thing to think about is how the customer will first perceive you as a brand, especially if you are e-commerce-first. There is great value in consumer ‘unboxings’, as it can create a lasting impression of your product and brand in their mind, building a connection between you and them.
Plus, if the packaging is social media ‘shareable’, it means that your product is much more likely to be put in front of a wider audience, leading to new potential customers.
Include your social media channels
The world of social media is bigger than ever, with it only growing by the day. So why not take advantage of your packaging space and include your social media handles? It can lead to your audience growing, plus builds a deeper connection between you and the customer, meaning they’re much more likely to stay loyal to you as a brand.