What Impact Does Product Packaging Designs Have On Purchasing Decisions?

Packaging designs have a huge impact on the psychology of consumers. People are drawn to certain colours and designs, and well-packaged products are more appealing than simple cellophane wrapping.

The quality of the packaging design can affect the performance of a product in a retail environment. When products are stocked on the shelves against competitor products, it is often the packaging that stands out to buyers.

The packaging design you choose for your products should reflect your brand identity and be consistent with the colours of your logo. You also have to consider the structure and size of the packaging together with the information you include on the outside.

Why is packaging design important?

Consumers resonate with colours, shapes and patterns. They are typically drawn to products that have packaging that is most agreeable to their tastes. The features of your product packaging should therefore reflect your brand image and the audience you want to attract.

For example, if your product is at the higher end of the market, the packaging design should exude an air of sophistication, elegance and style. The look and feel of the outer layer projects the perception a buyer will have of your product.

If you wrap a product in packaging design that suggests it is expensive, but the product is intended for customers at the lower end of the market, you will lose faith in the buyer and they will not trust you as a brand.

What information should packaging designs include?

The packaging of a product should also reflect the type of product that is inside and what purpose it serves. Most packaging states exactly what the product is, and often includes an image to give customers a visual aid.

The visual images can also affect purchasing decisions. As part of the design, high-quality images can catch the attention of customers and compel them to make a purchase on the basis they like the box the product comes in.

Other than information that has to be included on packaging as a legal requirement, you could also add a tagline. This can be a statement or play on words that suggests a benefit or feature of the product.

The detail you include on your packaging can appeal to impulse buyers that like the design, and careful shoppers that are looking for something specific in the product. How the information is presented is important as you need to catch the eye of customers so your product stands out above the competition.

There also needs to be a balance. Too much information can negatively impact a buying decision because the box is too busy and shoppers are unable to work out what the product is at a glance. On the other hand, you may have an exclusive product that is packaged with a plain, unassuming design which raises curiosity.

Given the number of similar products available on the market in the modern age, product packaging designs have an extremely vital role for attracting customers. So make sure your product packaging appeals to your target audience.

Need help with your packaging, check out our Branding page and see how we can help you.

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