Packaging design and consumer buying decision process
Every day, we encounter all kinds of products, and each and every one of them is in different wrapping. Have you ever wondered, What is the influence of packaging design on making purchase decisions?
Does design top quality?
Nowadays, competition is fierce, so producers are doing everything they can to beat others off and make their product more interesting and closer to shoppers. They organize promotional events, consummation, they give discounts, coupons, etc. Nevertheless, in the end, the package is what communicates their message to the consumers.
“Everything has already been produced, said, and invented; so now everything needs to be wrapped in nicely.” Goran Babić
No matter if it is for cookies, milk, or if it is wine label or some other product, original packaging will draw attention to the product standing on the shelf next to other competitive products. It is not just the price that attracts the target group, but the wrapping as well.
When it comes to the design process, the designer has to think about the price of packaging, product quality, and the competitors on the market.
If your product is of medium quality and if it does not outrun competitive products, then you need to pay attention to profitability of its package.
If the designers you hire create packaging that is going to cost much, the price of your product will not be competitive. Based on the price, the consumers may assume that the product is expensive and top quality, but only after the shopping was done will they realize that the product is of medium quality. They will, then, be disappointed and the odds are that they will not make another shopping decision.
This example portrays outstandingly how the design and quality packaging influence your decision to set the price much higher than expected and, therefore, leave a bad impression on the consumers.
If you do not want this to happen, you are going to have to think about the following things before you start the designing process:
- Research your target consumer group and market
- Research your competition’s products
- Determine the price of your product
Packaging design prices
Even if the price of the package itself is not high and the price on the market not competitive, the design can be both professional and good as well.
Still and all, you can communicate with your potential buyers and send them the message that the product is good even when the design price for the wrapping, box, bag or label is not pricey.
Moreover, the price of your product can be competitive even when the price of package production is a little higher if your producer opts for reusable wrapping (a.k.a. returnable packaging).
Packaging and visual identity
When it comes to packaging design itself, what is also important, next to the aforementioned, is to define the colors of the product and quality of the photos/images, if they need to be used in the design process. The color needs to be in accordance with the product itself. For example, it would not be good if a milk bottle would be all red.
Another important aspect of the design is visual identity. If you have a series of similar products, make sure that their overall design matches, and only the image, illustration of the product or some other detail is different from other designs.
For example, if you plan to sell four kinds of cookies and every package is very different from another, the consumers will be confused and not understand that they belong to the same product line.
Shoppers like when they can find the product easily and see who the producer is clearly.
You can achieve this if you define your visual identity, which you will stick to later during the production process. This visual ID should follow a style, in accordance with the target audience and market, and it should be applied equally on all future products.
Uniform appearance and visual identity are as important as the difference between products. You can achieve this by using quality images/photos, clean illustrations or some other details which contribute to the overall appearance of the product within the packaging.
You can make an exception from visual ID in old products, such as limited editions, special series, or in a new line of products. Even in this case, you should make sure that some of the elements of visual identity are visible on the new product or in a new series.
Design + quality = success
A well designed packaging which took a lot of effort to be made and research to be designed is going to be recognized on the market and the product will, thus, find its target audience easily, even via design. What is important and what producers need to do is not betray the consumers’ expectations when they try the product.
If the production, design and market research are done properly, success is guaranteed.
According to research, the majority of shoppers who choose between two similar products choose the one with the more appealing visual design. Now it is up to you to choose a professional design studio to pack your product.
