Over Packaging Can Make Your Customers Really Unhappy

Are you using excessive packaging that can be avoided? If this is the case, then might be making your customers very unhappy. Most businesses make the mistake of ignoring the views of the customers with respect to packaging. The times have changed today and the average customer has become more sustainability conscious than ever before. People notice every aspect of the product, including the packaging and without proper adherence to sustainable practices, you would only lose your customers. 

One of the most important areas that people often evaluate when they get a package is the amount of packaging material used. Too less or too much material can deter a customer from approaching the business again. It creates a negative perception in their minds about the sustainability of the package’s design. While under packaging may bring about issues in protection of the contents, excessive packaging would results in increased costs (shipping costs, packaging costs, etc.) in addition to frustration which is an obvious outcome if excessive materials are used. It would make packing as well as unpacking quite cumbersome. 

An example of excessive packaging which fails to justify the packaging needs of the product. (Source: sustainableisgood.com)

It only takes some effort and careful evaluation of the needs of the customers to come up with a packaging design that is not only sustainable, but also attractive and durable. Even if you provide excessive packaging materials, the customers will somehow find a way to put it to good use. For that matter, consumers today are capable of putting any packaging to use by using their creativity. For example, people clean up plastic containers to keep other stuff that you might require in the kitchen. Other use them as pots. I am not sure whether plastic containers work out well as pots, but if it works out, then it’s good. 

As a business, you need to understand the needs of the customers and address their concerns appropriately. While it is possible to reuse extra packaging materials, no one wants to have them in the first place. Investing in a good packaging design might appear to be a bit expensive initially, but in the long run, it will provide more benefits (including intangible benefits such as enhanced goodwill, increased brand value, etc.).