Stop Underwhelming Customers with Overpackaging

Bigger is better when it comes to certain situations. Namely, airplane legroom and the size of a piece of cake.  When it comes to packaging, however, looks can be deceiving, and there is no doubt that there is room for improvement when it comes to overpackaging.

What many retailers will say is, “I can’t be drowned out by larger products on the shelf.” Well, that is only part of the battle for consumer attention. The size of packaging can play a role in perceived value – but not always the way you think it may.

As we Buzzed about before, excessive retail packaging can make your product look smaller or can violate brand trust.

See the full “What Packaging Size Says About You” infographic

There is also the fact that people don’t like excessive packaging because it A) no one likes being wasteful and B) it clogs up their home with fiberboard. Consumer complaints dating back to the early days of companies like Amazon have pushed the company to find ways to reduce their packaging and void fill.

The Nutty Packaging Solution

Don’t worry. We are here to help you! We’re the masters of thinking small by imagining new ways to get big results. Take, for instance, Poindexter Nuts who needed a packaging refresh, a clean design and wanted to stand out on the shelf as well.

Instead of simply blowing up the size of the bag and calling it a day, we went another route to get more attention on the shelf. We went up! This solved the challenge of highlighting the product without resorting to needlessly expanding the footprint.

The new bags—in addition to having a window and QR code for customer interaction—are custom designed to stand upright on the shelf. Being upright is known as an “advantage” in the retail world. Read more about our solution in Ernest to the Rescue: Custom Bag Transforms Nut Brand.

The lesson is this: Your packaging needs a consumer-first mindset. And the first thing they think when they see overpackaging is “Ughhhhhh.” Plus, you’ll be paying double the freight thanks to shipping surcharges. It’s lose-lose! (But don’t worry – we have a DIM weight app to help avoid that!)

Instead, find innovative ways to connect, convey and create an experience with your packaging. Need help with that? Contact Ernest Packaging Solutions today to learn how we can custom design a package that packs a lot of punch regardless of the size!