Anyone who has ever started a new business can tell you that advice is freely offered, but sometimes it’s not the advice most needed. Most business owners and directors are more than willing to share a few tips with you and that is good, but typically they will offer you financial tidbits such as where to procure loans and how to run a lean establishment. Does anyone ever think to tell you that packaging your product is both an art and a science, and both extremely important at that? If not, here are a few tips that will make a huge difference for any product line whatsoever.
1. Structural Issues
Hopefully, you will be working with a packaging engineer but, if not, it pays to know that one of the biggest mistakes startups make when designing packaging for their products is the wrong kind of packaging material. One structural design flaw can leave your products vulnerable to breakage at a cost you will need to absorb. It’s not the customer’s fault, after all, that the packaging material was not strong enough to hold the weight, for example.
2. Coding Errors
Then there are coding errors on the packaging that make it all but impossible to scan and look up that particular product. Those bar codes are there for a reason and if not coded correctly, they could be shipped in the wrong order, scanned at an incorrect price and sometimes it will look as though inventory is depleted when you have carton after carton on the shelves in the warehouse. The solution to this one is easy. Simply check out diagraph.com to see that there are options that allow for coding within your facility, or wholesale boxes that can be coded and shipped in bulk.
3. Skewed Artwork
Visual appeal is essential, especially when introducing a new product. Another big mistake many startups make is in design flaws. The artwork is off center or skewed in some way. Just as in the restaurant industry, presentation is the name of the game. Chefs go the extra mile to plate an entrée with artistry and so too should your products be packaged with artistry.
4. Incorrect Size
You would be surprised at just how often this happens. It isn’t always that the outside measurements are wrong but rather that any inner packaging material doesn’t fit correctly in the box. It is extremely important that everything be measured several times to ensure the contents will fit in the box snugly without being smashed in.
5. Difficulty Unboxing
How many unboxing videos have you watched on YouTube this week alone? The ease at which products can be unboxed is a big thing right now and vloggers have no problem calling out brands that can’t get the packaging right. Sometimes there are so many twist-ties holding a product on the backing that the reviewer simply wants to throw in the towel. Yes, you want enough support to hold the product in place so it doesn’t get damaged in the shipping, but two dozen twist ties on a 12-inch Barbie is a bit extreme.
Chances are you won’t get startup advice on packaging but, if you do, you will probably see that one of the above packaging errors will be mentioned. They are that common.
