How Bad Packaging Affects Your Business

Does a customer’s shipping experience really affect your business’s reputation? Ask Ea-nasir, the man whose copper business nearly 4,000 years ago was the subject of the world’s oldest customer complaint on record. Ea-nasir’s customer was so frustrated with getting the wrong type of copper ore and dealing with shipping delays that he engraved his complaint into stone. “I shall exercise against you my right of rejection because you have treated me with contempt,” the customer seethed.

Almost four millennia later, little has changed in the world of customer satisfaction when it comes to shipping. Good protective packaging can make a great first impression that your customers will remember. Bad packaging, on the other hand, may not result in a complaint engraved in stone, but it could result in a negative online review, which may be even worse these days.Research indicates that up to two-thirds of consumers are swayed by online reviews.

Our protective packaging manufacturers have years of experience in matching businesses with the right packaging for their needs. Here are just a couple ways that wrong packaging can negatively impact your business.

Inconsistent Packaging Looks Unprofessional

Brand loyalty is more important than ever these days. Customers return to brands they recognize because they know what to expect. 

If your packaging is inconsistent, you’re denying customers the experience of interacting with something they know, like, and trust. Using packaging that is too generic does nothing to set your brand apart in the customer’s mind.

Create an Unboxing Experience

Consistent packaging helps create an unboxing experience that leaves a good impression with the consumer.

Consider Apple’s packaging design. Whether you’re purchasing a phone, tablet, or computer, Apple’s packaging is consistently professional. Your experience with the company begins not when you first interact with the product, but instead when youfirst interact with the package.

If you don’t have a cohesive method for shipping your products, then customers may perceive you as disorganized and unprofessional. Customers who order from you more than once should have a consistent packaging experience every time.

Emphasize Your Brand

The aesthetics of your packaging is also important. Think about Amazon’s shipping boxes — no matter the size or fragility of your purchase, products from Amazon always arrive in distinctive, branded boxes or envelopes, with similar protective packaging inside each time.

Purchase protective packaging in bulk so you can package and ship your items the same way every time. By keeping your shipping process consistent, you can establish your brand among your loyal customers and can use brand recognition to your advantage.

Ill-Fitting Packaging Can Result in Damaged Goods

If your packaging doesn’t properly fit the items you’re shipping, you’re in for a world of complaints from your customers. Packaging your items incorrectly leaves them vulnerable to damage that may occur during the shipping process.

Even durable items can become cracked or scratched during transport. Make sure your items are securely wrapped and fit snugly in their boxes so they’re not unnecessarily jostled while en route to your customers. To secure your products correctly, you’ll need to invest in various types of protective packaging such as bubble, packing foam, and bubble bags.

You’ll also want to pay attention to the size of bubble you’re using. Certain sizes are meant to wrap around your product to provide protection; other sizes are meant to fill voids in boxes to cushion your already-wrapped product during shipping. Our protective packaging manufacturers can help you determine what types of packaging can best meet your needs.

Protect Your Reputation with Quality Protective Packaging

Our Grand Rapids, MI, protective packaging manufacturers can help you protect your business’s reputation with quality protective packaging. We use state-of-the-art technology to create custom protective packaging that meets your business needs. We’ll work with you to create packaging that suits your brand and protects your products, all for an affordable price.

For more information or to request a free quote, call Premier Protective Packaging at (616) 791-7400, or contact us online.

This blog post has been updated.