The Shopping Bag: The Hidden Marketing Potential of the Secondary Packaging

Product packaging has gone from being simple containers to actual brand enhancers. The trend today has gone beyond conventional boundaries of thought with components such as electronic support units (Example: RFID) and functional elements such as pizza boxes that help to keep the pizza hot for a longer time. It is these changes that are defining the nature and trend of packaging which has brought out its hidden potential and it clearly indicates that the secondary packaging has a lot to it than what meets the eye.

It’s All in the Looks!

No one ever considers Shopping Bags as creative advertising and marketing tools when in fact it is the packaging that affects the buyer’s decision. When people underestimate the power of the shopping bags as a powerful marketing tool, they are not wrong. The trend of using interactive, functional and visually appealing shopping bags has surfaced rather recently with the packages themselves serving an important purpose of enhancing brand image as well as generating value for the brand. 

Customers Relate Better to Visually Attractive Shopping Bags!

It does not take heavy investments or super creative geniuses to figure out deigns that not only convey effective messages but convey information with a certain humour that everyone seems to cherish. Take for example the image where a shopping bag is depicted as having a digestive system replication. When people use the shopping bag to carry vegetables, it only exemplifies the message that has been printed on it – “Help Cure Hunger in New York”. Now this is a message that everyone can relate to.

Appealing Shopping Bags that Are Functional!

It was but evident that the growing trend of creative and appealing gift carry bags would require an edge to be able to stand out from the crowd. So, manufacturers came up with a functional aspect of the packaging bags that allowed them to be used to serve the products in a better manner. Consider this image depicting a creative shopping bag for carrying coffee. When you open the bag from its latch, it opens up into a beautiful tray so that the coffee can be served right from its package. This is indeed a very useful way of making optimal utilization of secondary packaging.

E-Packaging – The Next Step in Smart Packaging Solutions

With electronic integration being evident in almost all spheres of life, packaging solutions have also taken the next step towards digital enhancement wherein smart additions have been made. The global demand for e-packaging (electronic devices for smart packaging) is expected to rise from approximately $0.028 billion (current worth) to $1.7 billion by the year 2022. A large part of this great demand would revolve around consumer packaged goods (CPGs). So what does e-packaging have in store for us in the future?

What is E-Packaging?

 

E-packaging refers to the integration electronic devices and printing of conductive circuit right onto the substrate of the Packaging Material. RFID and EAS are the most commonly used electronic components in e-packaging wherein it becomes really convenient to track specific products in a large storage facility. It also helps to digitally acquire the data about the products by simply moving the product within the range of the scanner. There is no need for physically scanning it. Moreover, the addition of such electronic facilities helps to enhance the overall presentation as well as the brand value of the product.

Benefits of Using E-Packaging:

E-Packaging helps to improve merchandising by allowing people to digitally keep track of its usage and movement. A good example of this is the use of e-packaging for tablets and specific drugs where the removal time and date is stored to know exactly when it was removed from its intended location. This really helps to monitor the products in an effective manner. Some of the most creative applications of e-packing include talking pizza boxes, winking logos which add a personal touch to the branding of the products by making them interactive, etc. Another important aspect of this integration is the use of anti-theft mechanisms where products may be traced in case they stolen. 

What Does the Future Have in Store for Packaging Material?

There have been various developments in packaging materials with some innovations focusing on the “green” aspect of the product while others focus on increasing the overall efficiency of the packaging. There is stiff competition in the packaging market today for which manufacturers need to focus on using as less raw materials as possible without compromising on the safety of the contents as well as the durability of the package’s design. Check out some of the developments that have been going on in the packaging world.

Packaging Material Used in Transporting:

Innovations in packaging design coupled with the increasing trend of recycling products has enabled businesses to come up with economic packaging solutions that not only provide great cost benefits but they also help to take innovative progressions to the next level. Hybrids Pallets and Hybrid Containers are great examples of this trend. Pallets are usually made from wood but it is easily destroyed. Plastic, the next popular consideration, is durable but it can be expensive to bear. Innovators have come up with a unique solution that combines the best aspects of wood and plastic to create a hybrid container / packaging wherein wooden frames are combined joined with plastic remoulded bumpers. Less plastic means the package will go easy on the pocket. The use of wood would ensure higher capacities that what is made possible with the use of plastic alone.

Material Used in Product Packaging:

More than a defined manufacturing process segment, product packaging has evolved into an intrinsic art form which relies on science for feasible implementation while creative inclinations help to get valuable inspirations. Necessity is indeed the driving force behind innovation. Product manufacturers, especially edible products, in the EU are imprinting brands and other labels directly onto the skin of the produce to save up on packaging requirements.

Using Secondary Packaging for Enhanced Safety:

Secondary packaging usually refers to the use of cushioning material that is put inside the main packaging to protect delicate contents. In order to understand the implications of this component, take the example of large consignments of products that are already packed in individual packages. In order to transport them with maximum space utilization, the individual packages are further packed into larger boxes. These boxes are discarded after use and they do not even make it to the hands of the consumers. In a way, these secondary boxes are an avoidable addition to the overall packaging process. Businesses today are working towards eliminating the use of this secondary layer completely to save up on costs and contribute towards maximizing the correct utilization of resources. 

$244 Billion – That’s the Expected Worth of the Global Sustainable Packaging Market by 2018

Smithers Para have come up with a report which states that legislative forces, increasing developments in material technology and the dynamics of consumer demand will drive the market for sustainable packaging to such an extent that the net worth would become $224 billion by 2018. One of the major reasons behind this drive is the increasing awareness of environmental protection and the interest in reducing the carbon footprint of a region.

Packaging Materials are being focused for encouraging sustainability because they are the most commonly used products in our daily life and due to the usually high requirements of safety from these packaging, they are made with plastic, paper and other materials which may be required. While paper and wood based products can be reused and recycled, it is the plastic component which causes the major issues. Materials such as bubble wrap are quite beneficial as padding for delicate items, but since they have the composite substance as plastic, their recyclability is limited. 

Sustainable packaging is a relatively new term approach that has become part of the major environmental considerations done for packaging. This involves careful and detailed analysis of the overall design, composite materials, recyclability, end product usage and reuse potential of the Packaging Material. The ongoing research into sustainable packaging practices is just the tip of the iceberg as compared to the actual efforts which would be required to achieve the success that is expected by scholars and experts in this industry.

If you consider the overall benefit of the use of sustainable packaging to the global economic factors, then it would provide major cost benefits, the market trends would also be dictated by the presence as well as demand for such materials, the environment would be given a major boost as the depletion of the natural reserves would be delayed and the overall carbon footprint could be reduced to a certain extent. All of these factors would contribute in making this market a really profitable and successful market in a span of just 4 years. 

Things To Consider Before Buying Stationery & Office Supplies Online

With immense developments being witnessed in IT and Communication technologies, every business operation has now incorporated eCommerce. The online shopping experience has provided high degrees of convenience to clients who are now able to get products and services anywhere, anytime and in accordance with their preferences. In keeping with this growing trend, manufacturers of Stationery and Office Supplies in India have made their products available online which not only gives corporates as well as individuals to order their required resources from the convenience of their offices / houses, but they are also provided round the clock services wherein they may place orders anytime. However, before you make a purchase on the online platforms, it is good to check out certain points to ensure the safety as well as effectiveness of the transaction(s).

Never Compromise on Quality:

It is difficult to gauge the quality of the products by simply viewing its image. But you could check out its specifications and find out more about the general quality metrics of such features. This would help you to arrive at an almost accurate estimate of the quality of the product. No matter how attractive the description or the image may seem, always trust on user reviews and the specifications of the product.

Research the Product, Especially By Using Reviews, Before Purchase:

User reviews are the best ways of identifying the actual performance capabilities of a product, especially in the Stationery and Office Supplies industry. While some may argue that reviews include biased opinions but there are no other sources which could offer performance reviews of the products. The best approach in this situation would be to go through as many reviews as possible to arrive at your own deductions to find out if the product is able to satisfy your requirements perfectly.

Perform the Cost-Value Benefit Analysis:

Online ordering may offer several benefits but it is always a good approach to perform a cost-value benefit analysis so as to identify whether the overall costs justify the value of the product’s use. Another perspective involves the comparison of costs when purchasing the product from a physical outlet to the total costs (including shipping and delivery charges) of the same product when ordered online. This is a crucial step which should be included before arriving at a purchase decision.

Read Up on the Return and Shipping Policies:

The most common mistake that customers make while making online purchases is to skip the fine details of the return / refund and shipping policies. Despite the precautions that are taken for ensuring the safety of the product during transit, the risk of damage is always present. There is also the risk of getting products that are different from the one that had been ordered. In such cases, customers are either compelled to keep the product as it is or they can return the product while waiting for a long time before some action is taken. Reading up on the details of the return and shipping policies would go a long way in hedging your amount as well as your purchased product.