Why Your Product Packaging is Missing the Mark (And How You Can Fix It)

Posted August 22, 2022 Packaging is Missing the Mark

Your product packaging is the first thing potential customers see when encountering your product. It’s your chance to make a great first impression and convince people to buy your products. But if your packaging is missing the mark, you could lose sales.

And that’s not something you want!

So, what are some common packaging mistakes that could cost you sales? And, more importantly, how can you fix them?

1. Your Packaging is Boring

Let’s face it: most custom product packaging is pretty dull. It’s usually just a plain box or bag with the product name and some basic information printed on it. That won’t do much to grab people’s attention or make them want to buy your product.

If you want your packaging to stand out, you must make it more interesting. Use bright colors, exciting shapes, and eye-catching graphics. Make it something that people will want to pick up and look at.

If you can not develop something, create harmony and beauty and use the correct fonts that go with the product. So, use colors that can impact your customer’s minds and not something that would fall flat. Try out the best images and the finishes that make it stand out, and care about their quality.

2. Packaging Design Should Have These

You should have a theme for every design you print on your product, and they should have some elements. Try to add

  • Make sure you have a great border for your print job if it suits you.
  • Use patterns your customers would love to see; learn about your audience well before printing anything.
  • Try out minimal patterns and experiment with others to find the best one suiting a specific print job.

If you want to perfect things, do not add irrelevant elements or designs to your packaging.

3. Your Packaging is Confusing

Your packaging should be easy to understand. Potential customers shouldn’t spend much time figuring out your product or what it does. Make sure your product name and description are clear and concise. Use easy-to-understand language and avoid jargon. And make sure the most important information is prominently displayed.

Typos are a huge mistake you must omit before publishing your printing product. It would take away your brand’s professional impression, which people are so concerned with nowadays. Also, avoid text that no one can read or is too badly printed.

Your text will always be essential to your printing as it communicates several things about your brand. You can not inform your customers about product ingredients, instructions, and even brand names if it is not easy to read.

Unfortunately, Your brand will have a heavy toll if you add the wrong information on the labeling. Adding the wrong ingredients or allergy info can ruin your brand’s image.

4. Packaging is Inconsistent

If you’re selling multiple products, it’s essential that your packaging is consistent. That means using the same colors, fonts, and overall design across your products. This will help create a cohesive brand identity that people will recognize and remember. Also, your brand must go high in the market air, so make sure you use designs with the overall brand theme.

Look for a color scheme, patterns, and other elements that never change with your brand, and you can rely on them for a long period. People expect one type of packaging from a particular brand, so you need to stick to your brand voice on all advertisement platforms.

Packaging is nothing different, so you need to perfect your results there as well consistently. Your brand is your most important asset, which you can not deny, so build it as strongly as possible. One of the rules of building this asset is using branding on every product you produce. So, use your branding signals like logos, color themes, and others for your products.

5. Your Packaging is Poor Quality

If your packaging looks cheap, people will assume your product is affordable. That’s why it’s essential to use high-quality materials and printing techniques. Your packaging should look like it was made with care and attention to detail.

Using the right amount of blank spaces can help your printing look more appealing. So, go for a design that suits your brand and has no excess printing that seems too difficult to read or figure out the brand’s name.

Go for a balance between design and blank space, which can help you create a better impression your brand would always crave. Also, you should never rely on bad packaging materials and try the ones your product needs. So, ensure you take care of the styles you create with blank space and use it with the best proportion the design would deserve.

6. You’re Not Utilizing All of the Space

lip balm boxes

Space on your packaging is valuable for real estate. Please don’t waste it by leaving blank areas or filling it with unnecessary information. Use it to your advantage by including coupons, discounts, or special offers.

7. Packaging is Not Environmentally Friendly

More and more people are looking for environmentally friendly products. If your packaging is not eco-friendly, you could lose sales. There are several ways to make your packaging more environmentally friendly.

Use recycled materials, choose biodegradable options, or ditch the packaging altogether. The facts and stats clearly show how eco-friendliness is a critical factor that impacts packaging purchases. 70% of consumers will always believe in sustainability when purchasing products.

8. Keep It Simple Stupid

Keeping it simple can completely change how your customers think at first glance. The simpler it is, the better your customer will understand what the product packed in it is about. If they do not even figure out what the product is about, you have zero chance of getting sales.

If they do not know why they need the product or what it does, they will never be interested in buying it off the shelf.

9. You’re Not Thinking Outside the Box

We hope you’ll pardon the pun, but don’t be afraid to think outside the box regarding your packaging. There are endless possibilities for creativity and innovation. So don’t be afraid to experiment and try something new. For instance, you could use packaging that doubles as a product (like a reusable shopping bag). Or, you could use packaging that can be reused or recycled.

10. Not Testing Your Packaging

Before you launch your product, it’s essential to test your packaging. Make sure it’s durable and can withstand the rigors of shipping. Do a mock-up of your packaging and send it to friends or family for feedback. If possible, do a small run of your packaging to ensure everything is correct before you go into total production.

A mock-up can be a vast difference between perfect packaging and something that looks like it was killed by a car crossing a road. Some factors that can always be vulnerable and cause issues without a mock-up are:

  • Misspelling is a common one
  • Labeling issues
  • Problem with colors
  • Wrong sizes can always be an issue
  • Your product may not be printed according to the plan

Manual checking is one of the best ways to check your packages before sending them to your clients. At the same time, you should raise your standards to meet top-class international standards. Ensure that you go with levels that top certifications carry to ensure your success and better results.

11. You’re Not Keeping Up With Trends

Packaging trends are always changing. What’s popular today might be outdated tomorrow. So, it’s essential to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and incorporate them into your packaging.

12. Avoid Wasting Material

You must use the perfect packaging material when producing what is right and does not waste your resources. So, ensure you try using materials as much as they can to help you add some value to your customers. Just look for the amount of packaging material that provides rough protection, uniqueness, and beauty and does not cause material waste.

Your packaging size can make a huge difference when saving material. So, paying close attention to package size can save your packaging material and provide the proper protection. Try to know your box measurements right to have the best possible size box.

Try to create unique and perfect sizes according to the product to give an ideal unboxing feel to your customers. Also, it would help if you were sure you didn’t fall for the providers with old methods in the game. Always go for those with the proper knowledge of the latest trends to perfect your packaging products.

Know your users; it is the best policy any packaging provider can ever have. If your user does not like your packaging products, there is no way you can succeed.

Packaging Materials

So, learn what your audience is looking for and try to achieve what they would be most interested in. You must figure out how to ensure the safety of your product and how impressive the packaging is if you are shipping overseas or something locally.

Emotional touch in packaging can go a long way and will help boost your sales. So, always create an emotional connection with the user when they see your outstanding product on the shelves. Once they have this emotional connection, your brand has made the impression it needed to make.

13. You’re Not Getting Professional Help

If you’re not a professional designer, it might be worth your while to hire one. A good designer can help you create eye-catching and functional packaging. They can also offer helpful insights and suggestions based on their experience.

Remember, your packaging is often the first thing people see when encountering your product. So make sure it’s making the right impression. Their professional skills can change the way your packaging works and looks.

So, you need to contact them from the start of the printing process to ensure they can provide you with the specifications you are looking for. Also, they can help you with several factors that play a supreme role in choosing the right packaging products.

Things To Avoid When Making Your Packaging Impeccable

Make It Interesting To Sell Always Look To Create Curiosity For Your Product With The Packaging You Do.
Make It Simple Stupid Make Sure You Never Confuse Your Customers With Your Packaging And Let Them Know What The Product Is About At The First Glance.
Consistency is Your Branding Branding Needs Consistency, So Keep Your Branding Elements Consistent With All Packaging Essentials.
Poor Quality is The Worst Option You Can Not Sell High-End Products With Low-Grade Packaging, So Look For The Best Material And Look For Your Packaging.
Use The Space Right  Try To Use The Maximum Space To Deliver The Perfect Impression Your Packaging Design Should Create.
Environmentally Friendly is Your Friend People Care So Much About The Eco-Friendliness Of Products, So Look For Environmentally Friendly Products.
Test Before You Send  Always Test Your Packaging Before You Send IT To Your Customers.
Creativity is All You Need Always Look To Create Something That Is Super Striking And Creates A Lasting Impression With Sheer Uniqueness
Keep Track Of Trends Keep Up With Trends In Your Industry As It Helps Your Products To Be Up To Date
Avoid Wasting Material  Use The Designs And Packaging Sizes That Go With The Material Effectively, And Do Not Just Waste It.
Get Professional Help Getting Professional Help At The Right Time Can Help You Plan Ahead Of Time And Before You Waste Too Much Energy, So Use That.

Don’t Let Bad Packaging Ruin Your Product’s Chances

These are just a few of the most common packaging mistakes that could cost you sales. But by avoiding these mistakes and thinking carefully about your packaging, you can finalize a product packaging type that will help you boost sales and grow your business.

Author Image
Steve Harsh
Steve Harsh, a packaging and printing expert who has been working in the field for over a decade. It has been my privilege to write on this topic, which I have been doing for years to help people learn about this essential field that helps millions achieve their business goals.

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