So, in last week’s blog, we looked at how science and psychology are helping to shape packaging design online. But what about the more tangible aspects of packaging for e-commerce?

For many consumers, the first time they will have any physical interaction with your brand is when they receive that first delivery. Brands, retailers and online stores are all discovering the increasing importance of that final leg of the journey, what has been coined as the ‘unboxing experience’.

What is the unboxing experience?

Unboxing experience videos have taken the internet by storm. With over 6 million results in YouTube alone. According to a survey by Dotcom distribution over 36% of respondents admitted to watching an unboxing video. Why? Because it’s an insight into the quality of the product that helps the consumer make that crucial purchasing decision.

So why do consumers love ‘unboxing’ so much and why is it such an integral part of the e-commerce shopping experience? Our team take a closer look…

Meeting Expectations

Customer satisfaction is cemented by the physical quality of the product. It’s not enough to make the packaging sing on screen, bag the sale and move on.

Aligning the digital aesthetics with the tangible product is key to driving positive shopping experiences. Poor quality packaging, damaged products, missing items can have extremely negative repercussions, quickly escalating into PR nightmares on social media.

Building Trust

Online shopping has to encompass the social elements of the traditional shopping trip. Even if you’re a solo shopper, there’s probably been a time where you’ve asked a friend’s opinion, took advice or inspiration from a shop assistant or made an impulse purchase based on great visual merchandising.

Well, online shopping has to in some way capture this experience and bring it to life. The rise of the unboxing experience is a classic case of consumers seeking a peer’s point of view, like a customer review in video form, that can excite, educate and entice you to purchase.

Telling your story

Including elements into e-commerce packaging such as a personalised message, a brief history of the company or how the product was made can deepen the connection between consumer and brand.

The most notable market to take unboxing to the next level is luxury brands and retailers. Many of whom create beautiful story led experiences that have bloggers, influencers and consumers sharing videos and images with their online network. They become social brand ambassadors, doing the hard marketing work for you.

If anything, the unboxing experience phenomenon is the digital take on word of mouth. Harnessing such a powerful experience-driven marketing tool and sharing your story with millions on social media can be a great way to reach potentially tribal consumers.

It’s clear that the importance of this final consumer touchpoint shouldn’t be overlooked. If your brand is focussed on driving e-commerce growth then the unboxing experience should be crucial to your digital strategy. Our team can help unravel your brand story and give you the tools to create the perfect unboxing experience.

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