The Christmas season is just around the corner, and as expected, the Philippines—with a booming e-commerce market–will experience an avalanche of online shopping activities.
Consumers are expected to flock to online marketplaces and brick-and-mortar shops to do their holiday shopping. The gift-giving goes into high gear during November and also December as Filipinos rush to go all-out shopping to send gifts to their friends, relatives, and loved ones.
As early as September, brands, and retailers have begun preparing to cash in on the Christmas bonanza as they anticipate a huge spending spree among consumers.
Packaging for the holiday season becomes important for e-commerce companies to retain customers and win new ones. In this piece, we will look at the importance of packaging and how companies can use it to win more customers and generate more sales.
The Importance of Packaging
Aside from the online and offline promotional campaigns and advertising drives, developing a very solid packaging program is important for the brands and the retailers to attract the buyers of their respective products.
According to one research report, 7 out of 10 consumers consider packaging as a major factor in their shopping. A good packaging strategy also creates a certain “bond” between customers and sellers. Holiday packaging can be used to amplify this special bond, which will hopefully translate to long-term customer loyalty.
Developing attractive packaging is not only confined to the retail giants and big brand players. Small, and medium enterprises (SMEs) can also benefit from a great packaging strategy. Individual sellers too can enhance their brands with unique, personalized packaging that can appeal to certain demographics, such as millennials, Generations Y, and Z.
Aside from aesthetic purposes, getting quality packaging is also practical and can protect goods during their transport.
Use Holiday Themes
It is a no-brainer that this coming Yuletide season, packaging should be aligned with the themes and colors of the holidays.
As an online seller, you can flex your creative muscles to come up with quirky, witty, and fun season-themed packaging. It is a great branding strategy, and a well-packaged item can surely make customers visit your online store again and again.
One remarkable thing about seasonal selling is that sellers can come up with limited-edition packaging that many customers find fascinating. Reusable limited-edition packaging can also be marketed as “collectibles,” which can appeal to many customers. If you can, take a crack at tried-and-tested holiday hits such as collectible mugs, cans, and even boxes.
Add a Personal Touch
Brands and retailers are expected to put up their messages or holiday greetings in their packaging hoping to attract the attention of shoppers. Perhaps you can add a handwritten note or customized stickers to your outgoing packages? One good thing about handwritten notes is that customers will hopefully see that even during a busy season, you as a seller still value every customer.
You can also add a few more personal touches such as easy-to-open boxes or wraps to make the customers relish the unboxing experience. Holiday packaging need not be stressful, and your primary aim should be to delight your customers. Keep in mind that the unboxing experience can also serve as your way to promote your brand or store
It is expected that companies will try to win the hearts of shoppers during Christmas. In terms of packaging, a brand must explicitly make the shopper feel special when he or she is buying the product. When the customer feels he or she is given special treatment by the brand, this in turn will result in brand loyalty.
Developing customized packages for Christmas is a sure way to boost branding and sales. Furthermore, putting short but meaningful messages near the logo will also endear a brand to the shoppers.
Use Sustainable Packaging and Go Green
According to an industry report, most (about 3 in 4) consumers are more inclined to support products that espouse a “green” lifestyle. Customers tend to buy products packaged in paper or cardboard rather than plastics because these materials are beneficial to the environment.
Since we are living in the age of climate crisis, retailers and brands can also inculcate the importance of sustainable development by creating sustainable packaging, for example, using recycled materials.
You can also tap reusable materials. You are not just promoting a sustainable lifestyle; you can also subtly expand your branding efforts with reusable materials containing your logo.
Industry insights point out that customers care about sustainability, particularly millennials and Gen Z.
One concept store called the ECHOStore (Environment & Community Hope Organization STORE) is said to be the first concept store of its kind in the Philippines. The company always puts “green” messages in its packages stressing that we all must do our part in saving the planet. As they say, there is no “Planet B.”
Furthermore, ECHOStore’s packages during the Christmas season also promote diversity, consistency, and empathy. In their packaging, the store tells the roots of a product. For example, you would see camote (sweet potato) chips that were made by a community of women workers in a province.
Highlight Traditions
You can also highlight traditions in your packaging. Local fast food giant Jollibee Food Corp for instance introduced “Noche Buena” offerings for Filipino families to celebrate Christmas. The packaging was done in the traditional bold colors of red and orange which ensures a warm acceptance among Filipinos, especially children,
In a society where strong family ties are common, a touching story attached to the brand will make people happy and bring good memories during Christmas. Companies need to focus not only on developing quality packaging during Christmas but throughout the entire year.
Conclusion
Packaging remains a major component of e-commerce. Through packaging, e-commerce businesses (individual sellers or more established companies) will be able to remain focused on major points such as brand recognition, values, and positioning on the market.
No doubt using Christmas-themed packages adds value and appeal to shoppers. Whether you’re an individual e-commerce seller or a well-established company you must ensure that your packaging is aligned with your identity or brand.
