Hong Kong, SAR China
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How to Make Your Product Packaging Stand Out: 4 Key Tips to Success

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The internet has undoubtedly become an integral part of our daily lives. Consumers can now buy clothes online, order food to be delivered straight to their doors, and even get their groceries without heading to the store. It is no wonder that many businesses have found success by offering products or services exclusively on the web.

In Hong Kong alone, e-commerce sales have been steadily increasing - with the number of shoppers projected to reach 6.6 million by 2027, as found by Osome. Spearheaded by the Covid-19 pandemic, more have turned to the convenience of online shopping for their needs. In fact, Hong Kong’s e-commerce market is forecasted to see a 9.9% increase in compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2019 to 2024, estimated to reach HKD 226 billion by then, according to GlobalData

Consider including e-commerce in your business strategy to continue building your customer base. To explore how your organisation can deliver value, it is also worth optimising your current environmental footprint.

Shorr’s The 2022 Sustainable Packaging Consumer Report showed that 76% of shoppers have intentionally purchased more sustainable products in the past year. 86% of them also prefer to buy products from brands and retailers utilising sustainable packaging.

Businesses, big and small, can thus stand to benefit by first realising the full potential of product packaging. Besides creating a responsive website and developing a return policy, it would also be useful to take some time to plan your packaging design for shipping. 

Here are some packaging design tips that will get you on the right track to converting your first-time customers to long-term brand advocates.

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Packaging design ideas to get inspiration

1. Differentiate yourself with a custom box design 

In order to increase brand awareness, you can take it a step further with custom box packaging unique to your brand. The design and colour of a package can be extremely important in terms of how a customer perceives a brand. Combined with your brand guidelines, custom box packaging can play a part in brand recognition. When you go the extra mile, a thoughtful and unique packaging design can make any recipient feel special. This will further contribute to the overall customer satisfaction. You can also offer gift wrapping, which your customers will find incredibly useful during special occasions like Valentine’s Day and Christmas. 

Even for small businesses, there are cool tips to add a personalised touch to your product packaging design. From a handwritten card to express your thanks to a multilingual instruction booklet to cater to a diverse target audience, these are many ideas worth considering to make your customer feel valued and establish a strong relationship with them.  

2. Take a look at your competitors’ packaging

If you’re unsure where to begin, why not take a glimpse at what your competitors are doing? Do your research to uncover their weaknesses and tap on areas of opportunity in the market. This will give you an idea of how much you should be investing in your packaging design in order to appeal to your target audience. 

By speaking to your customers, you can also gain more insight into what your prospective buyers might like to see in your own business packaging. 

3. Use eco-friendly materials

As mentioned earlier, one key trend you’re bound to see is the focus on sustainability. Based on a 2022 joint survey by KPMG China, GS1 Hong Kong and HSBC, over 80% of shoppers said they prefer to buy from brands that share the same social values as they do, while 24% indicated that they wanted the option to offset their carbon impact.

As a brand, it can go a long way to use eco-friendly materials and do more to reduce your carbon footprint. By incorporating renewable materials like biodegradable packing peanuts and recycled cardboard or paper, you can reinforce yourself as an environmentally responsible business in Hong Kong. 

4. Don’t compromise on product protection

On top of the above packaging design tips, do take extra precaution to care for delicate and fragile items as you prepare your shipment. Consider an additional layer of protection in the form of bubble wrap and air pillows to cushion your product. Depending on your choice of courier service, you’ll want your product to be well-protected throughout the logistic chain and delivered safely to your customer. 

With DHL Express as your trusted shipping partner, you can have the assurance of secure and reliable delivery services to your customer base - regardless of location. Our customer service team will support you as you focus on expanding your business in the online landscape. Open a DHL Express business account today.