Omnichannel Packaging: Adapting to E-commerce and Brick-and-Mortar Retail
In recent years, omnichannel commerce has been hailed as “the future of retail”. And the data backs up the claim. Studies have shown that omnichannel marketing can help a brand retain up to 89% of their customers, as opposed to only 33% for businesses that don’t use omnichannel initiatives. And according to one study, 9 out 10 consumers say they prefer an omnichannel experience. And while this opens up exciting new opportunities to reach customers at a whole new level, it does present some challenges. Namely, how can you create consistency across every touchpoint? One major piece of the puzzle lies in omnichannel packaging.
What is Omnichannel Packaging?
Omnichannel packaging is just what it sounds like: it’s packaging that’s designed to provide your customers with a consistent experience across all potential touchpoints.
In an omnichannel commerce landscape, consumers have more options than ever when it comes to how they interact with your brand. Some may prefer to visit a brick-and-mortar store, while others may prefer to shop online or visit a mobile app. And still others might prefer some combination of all three depending on their needs.
Packaging, in that case, acts as an invaluable bridge between your online and offline presence, and can help create an experience for your customers that feels holistic and genuine.
How Omnichannel Packaging is Adapting to the Changing Commerce Landscape
As of 2023, 20% of all retail transactions take place online. But with younger generations trending toward a preference for online shopping, it’s likely that this statistic will continue to change.
While some businesses still opt to maintain either a brick-and-mortar or an online presence, the best solution for most brands will likely be a merging of the two in the near future.
For instance, buy-online-pick-up-in-store (BOPIS) and experiential showrooms are becoming increasingly popular for retail businesses specifically. But it does present challenges when it comes to order fulfillment, inventory management, and data tracking.
Omnichannel packaging, again, is an invaluable asset. Not only can custom packaging support blended shopping experiences by accommodating various customer expectations, but with custom design services, your packaging can be created to work for both online and in-person shopping displays. You can also label your packaging for easy tracking and data gathering.
Design Considerations
So what does it take to design effective omnichannel packaging? For retail businesses, or any business looking to interact with their customers through more than one channel, omnichannel packaging design should follow a few key principles, including:
- Flexibility and Adaptability—Omnichannel packaging needs to work for you, your customers, and your products. Flexible packaging sizes, for instance, can accommodate various product dimensions while minimizing the need for specific designs. Protective packaging, such as corrugated boxes, is also essential when shipping products, either to a store or directly to customers.
- Aesthetic Appeal—When it comes to omnichannel packaging, consistent aesthetics is incredibly important. Branding elements such as logos, messaging, and colors should communicate your brand clearly. Visually appealing packaging is also valuable both in-store and during unboxing experiences for online customers.
- Sustainability—Eco-friendly materials like corrugated cardboard are becoming increasingly important in packaging. Omnichannel packaging should lend itself well to being recycled or reused in order to create a more circular economy that your customers can easily participate in.
How Omnichannel Packaging Enhances Customer Experience
The primary benefit of omnichannel packaging is that when it’s done right, it can significantly enhance the customer experience. Packaging is one of the first touchpoints people have with your products and it’s important to meet or exceed their expectations from the beginning.
Including branding and personalization elements on your omnichannel packaging is an excellent way to ensure consistency across all channels. It can also help form deeper, more emotional connections with your customers that will increase loyalty and repeat business.
When it comes to the unboxing experience, custom omnichannel packaging that is easy to open and pleasant to interact with can encourage your customers to share your brand via word-of-mouth marketing. Adding personalized messages and reusable packaging elements can elevate this even further.
Get Custom Omnichannel Packaging from Axis Corrugated
At Axis Corrugated Container, we deliver custom corrugated packaging solutions for businesses in the retail and e-commerce industries and beyond. If you need omnichannel packaging that makes an impact and functions as well in-person as it does during shipment, our team of experienced designers can help you conceptualize and execute a packaging solution that is tailored to your exact needs.
Between that, our custom graphics and printing capabilities, and our JIT-shipping services, we offer a full range of services to meet your packaging needs. Connect with our team today to learn more about what we can do for you.