Do you know that packaging design influences up to 72% of Americans’ buying decisions, per Meyer’s 2024 research? This shows the role of packaging such as custom two piece boxes in driving your sales. So the question is how does design affect consumer behavior?
The thing is that the buyer of today’s world is quite picky and selective in terms of making their purchases. However, using the right and targeted strategies, you can shape his opinions on how they will perceive your product. To understand this aspect, we’ll take help from this user guide. You will learn about the evolution of packaging with respect to the buyers, the role of perception as well as how to design a box that attracts the user. Let’s get to the nitty-gritty of the topic:
Evolution of Packaging
The role of packaging has been quite crucial since the time of sale and purchase. It is not only used to protect the items but also helps in safely carrying the products.
In the beginning, packaging was just thought of as a nuance that is just used to pack the items, with no role in psychology and human behavior. The initial evidence of using packaging was found in the prehistoric era when things like animal skin or cloth were used to keep and deliver items.
As human history advances, new materials are used for the purpose of packing. For instance, parchment and waxed paper were used to make seals and labels. In the era of the Industrial Revolution, machine-made items such as paper boards came into existence.
However, packaging saw a real boom in the 20th century, when companies such as NABISCO and Kellogg brought cardboard cartons for their candy and popcorn boxes. This stock has been revolutionary as this was not only green but also led to the formation of more useful materials such as Kraft and corrugated.
In the late 20th and 21st centuries, companies started conducting studies and research on custom boxes and leveraged them for their benefit. This is where the packaging was used to target the users for the purpose of driving more sales.
The Role of Perception in Consumer Behavior
Before diving and studying how packaging is used to attract buyers, we need to understand the psychology of human purchase and buying. Let’s have a look:
- The Psychology of Color
Visual appeal is the major influence in presenting a product to the user. In fact, a study published by Color Psychology shows that the right use of color increases brand recognition by 80%. On top of that, it uplifts the visual look by 93%, leading to an increase in sales by 85%. Hence, to make your name in the market and be a top seller, you need to understand how to attract buyers with the right use of hues. Here is a brief explanation:
- Red: Red color is linked with passion, energy, and excitement and it also increases the feelings of urgency and danger.
- Blue: Blue color is associated with calmness, trust, and security. It also shows reliability and professionalism.
- Yellow: The yellow tone is used to relate to happiness and optimism. It stimulates mental growth and cognitive function.
- Green: Brands opt for a green hue when they are interested in showing harmony, peace, and growth. Studies have shown that green color is also used to improve stress.
- Purple: The purple tone is correlated with luxury and wisdom. It is also linked with mystery and royalty.
- The Power of Typography
Typography on custom packaging is used for various purposes, such as to convey branding, product details, or custom messages. However, it goes beyond just the mere text; it also helps in shaping the perceptions as well as conveying meaning. A well-designed box with proper formatting appeals to the users, improving their first impressions.
Let’s take the example of serif fonts which are used to give a classical look. On the other hand, sans-serif fonts are used to exude a modern look. On top of that, an easy-to-understand font also refines cognitive processing as it reduces the stress of understanding the text. However, you can also go with stylish fonts to give a unique look to your packaging.
- The Importance of Imagery
A study, published in 2020, with the title “Without words: the effects of packaging imagery on consumer perception and response” claimed that imagery on the boxes has the potential to modulate the way buyers perceive and consume a product. However, misleading graphics can also hurt a brand’s image, leading to a decrease in sales.
To appeal to the users, the role of imagery can’t be ignored. There are various examples of graphics that can be added to the box. For example, beauty brands can go with the picture of models. In the same essence, service brands can feature graphics to show their relevance. Thoughtful imagery promotes brand identity and also impacts the users emotionally.
How to Influence Customers with Your Packaging?
In order to influence the buyers with your packaging, you need their psychology, buying patterns, and behavior. Optimal-arousal theory describes the psychology of the users in a quite great way. As per this theory, the buyers are likely to engage in an activity when they are satisfied and have achieved an optimal level of arousal. This approach can be applied in terms of packaging to make it attractive for the users. For example, create a balanced box that is neither too catchy nor too simple, catching the user’s attention without any stress.
Similarly, offer simple yet informative labels on the boxes. These should contain all the required details about your item, such as its name, brand, ingredients, and other directions. You can also take help from emotional storytelling, where you share the brand’s mission, history, or any inspiration behind your product.
Other elements such as textures and finishes can also be added to make the boxes tactically appealing and visually more engaging. Not to mention sustainability – using green materials in the build of the custom boxes will attract clients who are conscious about the planet. Nonetheless, market research and understanding the patterns are more crucial than anything to achieve an optimum arousal level and help the users make purchases from your brand.
Role of Custom Two Piece Boxes in Customer Engagement
Two piece boxes or two piece setup packaging are one of the most common use boxes. As the name indicates, they have 2 parts: the bottom is called a tray which is used to place the items and the top one is known as the lid, which is used to protect and present the products. Owing to its distinctive shape, this type can be used to engage the users as well as shape their buying patterns. There are various ways these boxes can help you achieve this deed, as given below:
They have a different shape than the usual boxes, such as tuck end boxes. A different unboxing experience impresses the users and they are more likely to get attached with your brand.
- They can be customized as per your needs. Having said that, you can add colors or graphics of your own to attract buyers.
- Many types of interactive features can also be added to these boxes. This brings an interactive engagement from the user’s side.
- The innate perk of this packaging is that it offers sustainability as it is made of green materials such as cardboard, paperboard, and Kraft stock.
- Owing to its uniqueness, these boxes also promote free word-of-mouth marketing. In this way, you will have more sales as well as brand recalls.
If you are interested in buying custom two piece boxes in order to shape the user’s behavior and get their attention, contact Packaging Mania and get up to 10% off on same-day orders.
