The lockdowns forced most people back into their homes. This spurred on a need for increased delivery services, and with it came the requirement for better packaging for different types of products.
Liquids, perishables, breakables, and unbreakable items – all called for unique packaging. Poly mailers became even more useful. They saw widespread use, and eCommerce businesses were happy, given their versatility.
But packaging evolved in many other ways, too. Some of them have been discussed below.
Sustainability
With a younger, more educated, and sophisticated clientele, the motto of “reduce, reuse, and recycle” is gaining traction.
Sustainability, conservation, and environmental challenges have come into the limelight due to demographic changes in the consumer market. Zero-waste packaging is all the rage. Other more ecologically friendly packaging materials have found popularity too.
Organic substances such as sugar cane, coconut, mushrooms, corn starch, and paper have become popular in plant-based packaging.
Minimalism
For some companies, providing a more gratifying experience for their customers means doing less. This often perfectly complements the eco-friendly packaging trend. However, more durable packaging such as poly mailers carries out minimalistic efforts better.
These designs are often eye-catching in unusual ways. They allow the product to stand out by itself. Furthermore, some eCommerce businesses have discovered methods to market their items around their low-key packaging initiatives.
Branding through packaging
Smithers, a globally recognised provider, specialising in market reports, has shown incredible numbers for printed packaging. It valued the market at an impressive $420 billion in 2019. The number has since grown manifold.
Every type of labelled packaging has become a point of contact for the consumer. Retailers are repurposing previously unused space to promote their business. Every box a store sends is an ambassador for the brand and a chance to advocate for the products.
To completely capitalise on this marketing opportunity, stores that prefer to ship in generic brown boxes to save money can add a large customised label or brand stickers on multiple sides.
Doodles and graphics are other dynamic trends. Its hand-drawn graphics inform clients about what’s inside via text and images. Not only is it engaging, but it is also accessible. Furthermore, doodles appeal to both young and old consumers. The simple visuals appeal to consumers with vision impairments. Younger shoppers find it appealing and to their taste.
Innovative and creative packaging
Exciting innovation is always in trend. Some of the innovative ways designers have kept packaging interesting and practical are as follows:
- Designs that serve two functions
- Boxes that convert to different shapes
- Packaging that can be repurposed
- Geometric patterns that save space
Creative packaging transforms a plain container into something that attracts attention, emphasises its contents, and promotes a brand. An exciting box can, at times, be more helpful or entertaining than the product inside. Nevertheless, it helps greatly in marketing.
Final thoughts
With a growing understanding of their importance, eCommerce packaging is experiencing a much-needed face lift. Packaging items such as poly mailers and cardboard shipping boxes are evolving into more than just that.
Moreover, growing concerns around environmental degradation have brought sustainability and minimalistic packaging to the forefront of the industry.
Packaging is a form of advertising for many eCommerce platforms. This realisation has also helped it become even more creative. The eCommerce and packaging industries are only looking at a way forward hereon.
