Is Luxury Packaging Worth The Cost?

No matter what you’re selling, it’s critical to make sure your product stands out in today’s highly competitive market. High-end packaging can help by lending a premium feel to what’s inside. But is it worth the price tag? In this article, you’ll learn how much luxury packaging costs, how to weigh the expense against the possible benefits, why premium packaging matters, and how to make your packaging look next-level. Let’s dig in.

How much does premium packaging cost?

If you’re considering investing in luxury retail packaging, you’re probably wondering just how much it will set your business back. Let’s start with the basics: how much does packaging cost for a product? Generally speaking, product packaging should account for between 10-40% of your overall product costs. Luxury packaging may cost more. Here’s an example: a standard medium-sized corrugate box might cost around $1. A premium version of the same box made with higher-quality materials and a gloss finish could cost you between $2 and $6.

It’s important to consider both your costs and the likely benefits before investing in a high-end packaging solution. If you’re not sure where to start, the Ernest team can offer extensive insights gained from working with clients across industries. We’re always ready to help.

Is custom packaging worth it for retailers?

So, what kind of return can you expect if you invest in luxury packaging, and is it worth it? That depends on a variety of factors, including your budget, marketing strategy and target audience. If you’re selling a premium product to an affluent audience, you should absolutely pay for a luxury brand packaging design. Whatever the cost, cutting corners on your packaging solution after investing heavily in the products could cost you a lot more. But even if you’re not selling luxury goods, high-end packaging can make a huge difference in capturing the attention of potential customers, turning browsers into buyers and making sure they keep coming back.

Why is premium packaging important?

Premium packaging offers a number of important benefits in today’s crowded market. For starters, it gives your product visual appeal that can make it pop on the shelf (or online), making a great first impression. It’s also a proven way to elevate the customer experience, especially during unboxing. This can boost your reputation by showing customers you value them and care about how they see your product and your brand. A design that looks high-end can even help to justify a higher price point for your product.

Luxury brand packaging is a strong lever for telling your brand story, helping to build value and reinforce your brand identity, which matters to shoppers today. Elevating the customer experience in store, off-the-shelf and during unboxing can increase sales and build customer loyalty, driving long-term success. Investing in a luxury packaging solution is a smart way to enhance your marketing strategy and differentiate your brand.

How to make packaging look luxury

Premium packaging can take many different forms, so here are a few high-end packaging ideas to get you started. From a design perspective, premium packaging tends to be simplistic and sleek, for a clean, chic feel. It’s also essential to invest in high-end materials like heavier paper and cardboard, or even deluxe options like leather, glass, cloth or wood. Adding a sleek finish or embossing your logo and graphics can add sophistication. Paying attention to small details, like magnetic closures, specialty printing effects, customized interiors or high-grade accents can also add a luxury feel to your product.

Anything that elevates the overall aesthetic will elevate the customer experience. To see how high-end packaging makes a difference, check out the luxury brand packaging solution we designed for Leatherman Tools when they teamed up with a luxury Swiss watch-maker to launch a stylish and high-quality multi-tool watch.

Luxury packaging solutions from Ernest

If you’re looking for high-end packaging ideas, Ernest can help. Trust our team of design specialists, with a vast network of suppliers and extensive experience helping clients in just about every industry, to find the perfect solution for your needs.

Whether you want to refine a design, upgrade an existing solution or are starting from scratch, we’ll help you design premium brand packaging that stands out and keeps customers coming back. Contact us today for a consultation.