6 Killer Product Packaging Ideas to Stand Out & Sell More
Packaging makes more of a difference than you might think. When customers are browsing online or in-stores, a product’s packaging is often the first thing to catch their eye.
In fact, consumers make a judgement about a brand in just seven seconds. In the ecommerce world, this means people have already sussed you out long before they’ve actually held your product in their hands.
The right packaging can make all the difference. It’s the first thing new customers will see, helping carve their opinion of you early on and ensuring you stand out amongst your competitors. It can also help persuade consumers to purchase your product, even if it’s a little more expensive than others on the shelf.
Choosing your packaging is so much more than the outer design. There are many packaging options available, from mailer boxes and pouches to packaging sleeves and hanging displays. Here, we break down what packaging options are available to ecommerce brands and how to get started.
The 4 Key Elements of Killer Product Packaging
Consumers have come to expect a certain standard from brands. This, combined with complex consumer rules and regulations, means your packaging needs to incorporate four key things:
- Your logo and branding
- Artwork on the packaging
- Product documentation and extras (included inside the box)
- Barcode and country of origin markings
While the second two elements are absolutely necessary, it’s the first two points that are the most fun. Standing out in today’s crowded market means creating product packaging that’s on-brand, relevant, and highly in tune with your customers’ needs.
6 Packaging Ideas for Every Type of Product
The packaging you choose to use will depend entirely on the product you’re selling. You wouldn’t send a bottle of wine in an unpadded tote bag, just like you wouldn’t send a pair of earrings loose in a giant mailer box.
Luckily, there are plenty of packaging options suitable for every occasion. Here are some of the most popular.
1. Mailer Boxes
Mailer boxes are the go-to for ecommerce packaging. They are simple, elegant, and highly customizable for every industry – in fact, you’ve probably had a lot of these drop through your letterbox if you’re a keen online shopper.
They tend to come in three different varieties:
- Standard mailer boxes with wings
- Mailer boxes with a sticky tear strip
- Mailer boxes without wings
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Big Little Things uses the winged variety here to give their products a safe and secure home during delivery. What are mailer boxes best for? Mailer boxes are great for most ecommerce companies, from food and beverage brands, cosmetics and jewelry, to skincare, petcare, clothing, and even B2B brands. They can be used for a wide variety of products as they’re ready-to-mail and can also often act as the primary product packaging.
2. Product Boxes
The unboxing experience has become incredibly trendy over the past few years. In many ways, the more layers you have the better. After all, you don’t want the fun to end once a customer has torn through the outer packaging. Product boxes allow you to keep the brand experience going with product-sized boxes and cases. They also offer additional printing space to add important product information when shipping multiple items at once. These boxes come in paperboard and corrugated varieties depending on your individual needs.
Gossamer’s dreamy-haze inspired branding makes their product boxes pop and is a great reflection of their CBD and THC products.
What are product boxes best for?
Product boxes are best for individually wrapping items and small products, like skincare, cosmetics, chocolate, candles, mugs, jars, or perfume.
3. Packaging Sleeves
Wrap your products in a branded packaging sleeve for an extra dose of brand recognition. They are made to be custom-fit to wrap around your mailer boxes or product boxes and offer more information about the product, additional brand content, or simply an extra layer of branded packaging to wrap your box and keep it closed.
What are packaging sleeves best for?
Packaging sleeves are great for wrapping around mailer and product boxes and giving any generic packaging a branded and informational boost.
4. Hanging Displays
Don’t forget about your in-store packaging. Even if shoppers are able to touch your products in-person, they are still expecting a full brand experience. Hanging displays let you hang your products in a curated retail setting.
What are hanging displays best for?
Hanging displays are most frequently used in a brick-and-mortar setting and are ideal for displaying confectionery, toys, or cosmetics.
5. Custom Pouches
Custom pouches provide an alternative way of packaging your products, whether you want an easy outer layer that’s ready to be carried or you want to package individual items in a handy-to-transport way. Think about the promotional element too – some pouches can also be reusable, which means they can quickly become a part of everyday life for customers.
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Custom pouches can be used in a variety of different ways with reseal-ability, pouring capabilities, and childproofing depending on the closure selected. What are pouches best for? Pouches are typically used for small, loose products like snacks, mixes, pet foods, soaps, and alcohol-free liquids but can be used for a variety of reasons. Some pouches can even be used for hanging retail displays if they have the proper configuration.
6. Custom Product Packaging
Got a unique product that doesn’t fit the most common forms of packaging or needs a more customized solution? Custom packaging is your friend. Create product-shaped boxes, interactive packaging, and an entirely unique brand experience. Create a more custom and thoughtful unboxing experience with inserts, dividers, or unique void fill options. 
Sweet Nothings ships out their miniature smoothies in litho-label printed mailer boxes that feature a custom insert for their custom cups of each individual flavor.
What is custom packaging best for?
Products that don’t fit the mold, need extra positioning or placement, or that have a unique selling point altogether and can be reflected in a custom package style. These types of packages are perfect for a brand moment or as media-based projects that are designed to capture your audience for a PR opportunity, or as a way to build the hype for a new product or service you’re launching. Alternatively, custom packaging can simply be a great way to differentiate your products from competitors. One-off custom designs can be done via Packlane Plus, our large volume, custom packaging concierge.
Stand Out and Sell More With These Top Product Packaging Tips
Align packaging with your in-store experience: keep branding the same in-store and out by using the same design elements as your brick-and-mortar store
Bardo Lounge and Supper club’s packaging reflects the vintage tones of its in-person bar.
Don’t forget the copy: the text on your packaging is just as important as the visuals – make sure you show off your brand personality in the copy
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Vowed Boxe Co gets cheeky with its copy. Make it practical: use packaging that’s appropriate for your products and the people buying them
Vox Intra’s latest set of playing cards are perfectly packaged.
Consider your unique selling point: stand out against competitors by avoiding repetitive color schemes and too-similar branding
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Shop Healthy Hair Gang stands out from other pastel-inspired beauty brands. Think inside the box: don’t stop with the outer packaging. Think about what will go inside your boxes to accompany your products: Void fill? Tissue paper? Documentation? A handwritten thank you note?
Pressed By P uses stickers, tissue, and bubble wrap to make up her packaging.
Make Your First Impression Count
Use the inspiration here to choose the right kind of packaging for your product – remember to consider the purpose of your product and the needs of your customers if you want to make a good first impression.
Packlane has a number of different box options depending on the look you want to achieve.
Are you ready to put your ideas to use? Get started today and discover the options available.
Founder & Former CEO
Miriam Brafman is the founder and former CEO at Packlane. Miriam founded Packlane in 2015 and was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in 2018. She is passionate about packaging, sustainability, and design.
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Founder & Former CEO
Miriam Brafman is the founder and former CEO at Packlane. Miriam founded Packlane in 2015 and was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in 2018. She is passionate about packaging, sustainability, and design.
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