No matter how much advertising you do. No matter if your product is featured on radio, TV or the internet. If it doesn’t have attractive packaging, it won’t sell in retail locations.
Manufacturers tend to think that quality and performance of a product is all that matters for sales, but the simple truth is people buy things that are attractive. Forgetting that one important idea can mean the difference between a best-selling product and one that lies forgotten on retail shelves.
- Functionality. Product packaging is designed to protect the product from damage. During shipping and while the product is being sold, the packaging needs to keep the product from normal wear and tear as well as more extensive
- Attraction. Extensive work has been done on which colors and designs are more attractive to consumers. Your product may be much better than the competitions, but if they have a better designed package, theirs will sell better.
- Sales. The information that is included on your packaging – whether it is a list of ingredients or the uses that the product can be put to – is important to help the customer make a decision between two or more products. Well done packaging can eliminate the need for sales people in moving your product.
- Differentiation. Identifying your brand in a sea of competitors is important for all manufacturers. Think about sodas, for example, and visualize a can of Coca-Cola. The bright red package with white lettering and an iconic design makes it different than any other can in the store. This differentiation between it and all other sodas is part of the appeal.
Don’t fall into the trap of throwing packaging together after you have completed all the other aspects of product creation. It is an integral and marketable part of product optimization.
