Obviously, 2021 was tricky, swinging back and forth with bad news of post-pandemic problems. However, many businesses learned a thing or two from the preceding year’s events which they may look to incorporate in 2023.
One of the big mover advantages we will address in this article is “packaging.” We will see how packaging is helping many businesses grow and some of the top packaging trends that many retailers and businesses will apply in their product and supply chain subsequently.
This article may be a bit lengthy, but we’ve added a bonus tip to help you successfully package a product that sells in 2023. Let’s get on with it!
How is Packaging Helping Many Businesses Grow?
Packaging is not foreign to many of us, and in most cases, its contextualized usage is not far from products, services, or businesses. However, colloquialized usage may include additional motives not connected to this content.
That said, packaging brings a lot to the table. It projects your business identity and plays a role in the psychological aspect of consumer interaction.
For example, after you may have packaged your product with different color designs, you may take a survey to discover that some colors performed better based on the season or demographics of your business location.
There are many benefits of packaging to businesses, and some of them may include:
1. Reflects Brand Identity and Increase Recognition
Branding and packaging go together. As you face many competitions, packaging will be one of the ways you may stand out, as your custom packaging will definitely bear your business logo, product information, etc.
Many customers tend to associate with a brand. Therefore sticking to a consistent packaging pattern makes it easier for consumers to differentiate your products from competitors’ products.
2. Promotes Intent and Season
Packaging makes it easy for consumers to tell what you have in store for them. The type of package you use for your product, the associated design, and the theme say more about the company’s plan at every point in time.
For instance, during festive periods like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and so on, you may design your packages with white and red colors or more to show solidarity with the season.
Also, if you need to pass a message to your customer, your packaging is the best way to do that.
3. Protects or Preserves Your Products from Spoilage
Another undisputable benefit of packaging is preservation and protection. The way you package a product may depend on the kind of service.
There are different custom packages for different content: Paperboard boxes, corrugated boxes, paper bags, rigid boxes, etc. The one you use depends on the associated occasion or product.
However, we do not package products for protective purposes all the time. Many holiday custom packages are temporary, so their materials are flimsy for easy opening. You don’t want to get stuck on the surprise, do you?
The Top Packaging Trends for 2023
We have seen some of the possible reasons why good custom packaging is good for business. Now, let’s look at some of the huge packaging trends, as promised earlier, for 2023.
Pandemic-Certified Packaging
The pandemic was such a blow for many businesses and activities that it forced the government to establish overseeing bodies in various economic and socio-cultural areas it affected.
With the Omicron and Delta Variants hitting different jurisdictions, including safety measures in your packaging is important. Pandemic certified packaging ensures that products and items are pandemic-proof and certified okay by regulatory bodies like AIB International.
Tamper-proof Packaging
Tamper-proof packages are quite similar to the pandemic-certified types. Most edible goods require quality packaging to prevent direct or indirect contamination along the supply chain.
Freight or expensive items like quality wrist-watched, drinks, phones, etc., also require tamper-proof and protective packaging materials to prevent spoilage.
As a retailer into eCommerce or dropshipping, your products would be reaching many far ends and cross-countries. You do not want to risk sending contaminated or broken goods to your customers abroad. Therefore, ensure every packaging trend you apply is tight-fitted and free from possible contamination.
Digital Packaging
As mentioned earlier in this article, sales extend to services and not just products. The world is getting more digital than ever, and many businesses are shifting their focus to selling service-oriented products.
The competition in the fintech and digital space also gets crazier by the day!
Digital packaging is prevalent in the gaming, blockchain, and many software-as-a-service (SaaS) industries. Products such as AVR technologies and software would need proper digital packaging to scale in the coming years as competition heightens.
3D Packaging
3D printers are becoming popular in many manufacturing and construction industries. You, too, may adopt this technology for printing your product packages.
Packaging has never got any easier, especially for a growing company. 3D printing helps you handle the haggles of creating a whole separate office for your product packaging demands, leaving you with the option of basically designing the content of the packages.
Artistic Packaging
With the rise in aesthetics and luxury, artistic packaging is gaining large followings and momentum. You can mostly find this kind of packages in drinks, food, and beverages brands.
Artistic package designs are also shifting to calligraphic and text-centric kinds of designs. This form of packaging adds flavor to brands and could be used to add information about the product on the package stylishly.
Examples of these packages are the Faux 3D Deco and text-centric designs.
Simple/Smart Packaging
Simple or smart packaging models will continually rule the packaging sector, especially for instant packaging, food, and courier services.
We expect to see even more smart packages in 2023 as long as the retailing and dropshipping businesses thrive. Smart packages make it easy to send out goods without thinking twice about the perfect packaging design to use.
Transparent Packaging
Transparent packaging may likely involve shelving goods or products in transparent boxes or paper bags, showing part of the content. This will make consumers buy it easily without any off-heart thought of the content.
Transparent packaging offers an additional advertisement platform for a product. In this case, there wouldn’t be a need to color or design its pack stylishly.
This type of packaging is popular among luxurious and edible brands such as chewing gums or wristwatches, and so forth. Let me guess: your SUV probably didn’t come in a box!
Vintage Packaging
If you’ve observed closely enough, many popular trends are revisiting old classical models and rebranding them to suit a more modernized style. The entertainment, luxury, and fashion industries are the ringleaders.
Vintage packaging gives us the feeling of nostalgia about life in the oldies. Many drinks and beverage brands integrate the ‘60s Psychedelia packaging design and style to bring back this feeling.
Luxury Packaging
The world is getting more design and fashion-centric, and this trend is gaining momentum in the packaging sector.
A recent report estimated the current market value of luxury packaging at over $16 billion with a CAGR of 4.8% in 2020, in which we expect the market to reach over $22 billion by 2026.
A low-budget retail business can rebrand its packaging style to fit into the luxury packaging trend to beat the competition.
However, you must have the resources and funds to accommodate this packaging model to avoid overspending. If possible, leave it to the fashion and luxury brands. Don’t be overwhelmed and lose money; there are other packaging trends you may adopt.
Minimalist Packaging
Often referred to as “In Your Face” packaging style. Minimalist packaging remains a hot pick. You can find this kind of packaging in ceramic products like plates, flower vases, etc.
Minimalist packaging can be direct designs on packaged materials such as rigid boxes or paper bags or on the products we use directly, such as plates or cups.
Designs on minimalist packages are styled with typography, color, and aesthetics. Users get attracted to these designs and may purchase the products on impulse.
Eco-friendly Packaging
Recently, the “Save the Planet” movement has been the hottest global topic. Many governmental and NGOs have taken upon their necks to ensure that industries use eco-friendly materials to produce their goods and services.
The packaging industry is a major sector that injects non-biodegradable material into the environment causing many environmental problems.
However, this rate of non-biodegradable material usage will decline aggressively by 2023, leaving room for more eco-friendly packaging models.
Contract Packaging
As businesses continue to rebound from the impact of the pandemic, contract packaging may take shape in 2023.
Contract packaging implies that a company hires another company to handle its packaging needs. Many packaging companies are within your reach, and you may hire them online.
Like pure economics of demand and supply, discounts apply to contract packaging models. The more packages you demand, the more discounts you get, and vice versa.
With contract packaging, you can plan your packaging budget, allocate funds, and have enough time to handle other business activities.
Packaging Automation
One of the solutions to retail and distributive industries post-covid is automated packaging. You can agree that all fingers right now points towards reducing the risk of spreading the virus while maintaining constant consumer interaction.
Packaging automation includes using robotics and software in warehouses to package products and track their flow in the supply chain.
A solution like Arka is partnering with other top innovations to effortlessly implement this packaging model and facilitate retail businesses and packaging across borders.
Reusable Packaging
Like eco-friendly packaging, reusable packaging will be an alternative. In cases where using bio-friendly material is not possible, businesses may use reusable materials.
Reusable packaging means that consumers may return or recycle the packaging materials used for the product they purchase to be used again for other goods.
An example of reusable packaging is crates and bottles used in the drinks and beverage industries. Retailers and manufacturers will look to simulate more use cases like this in the future.
Incentivized Packaging
Many businesses in the retail and supply chain felt the huge negative impact of the pandemic. While some are already back on track and scaling their services, others need some time to rebound.
A good way to add the rebuilding plan of your business is through incentivized packaging. Incentivized packaging is the introduction of bonus items inside the packaging of your product.
A good example of incentivized packaging is the introduction of toys in some snacks packs, and this addition may become a mover advantage to beat the competition.
However, good knowledge and infographics of your consumers will help you decide which incentive is okay to use during your packaging.
Packaging A Product that Sells in 2023
To fulfill our promise on a bonus tip at the closing of this article, here are some important tips to successfully package your product in 2023:
1. Understand Your End Users
Get quality information about your customers or consumers, know their pain points, and know-how to resolve this in your packaging.
Sometimes all you need is good packaging with direct information to attract customers. Getting good information about your customers will help you keep them through proper packaging.
2. Be Ahead of the Packaging Trend
Always follow trends, know when to change your packaging style to suit what’s in demand. This listicle contains a comprehensive list of packaging trends for the coming year, so brace yourself and look out for any of them.
3. Choose Your Package Designs and Colors Carefully
Understand color theories and how they arouse emotions. Choose your theme carefully and the perfect package design for every product and campaign.
Trends are also another angle to tackle design choices. Understand what is in vogue and use it to your advantage.
4. Don’t Compromise on Automation
Packaging automation and contract packaging are two trends that will disrupt the packaging sector in the coming years. Many brands will look to automate their packaging and courier services while focusing more on other important business areas.
Automation will help reduce the cost of getting labor. It will also help businesses track their goods and services in the supply chain, including how these services and products perform at every point in time.
Conclusion
A good practice would be to plan ahead of the coming year. To stay ahead of competitors, you must package and brand your products to stand out.
A reality check would be to know the packaging trends for the coming year and join the moving train before it gets clouded. This listicle and tips will help you stay ahead of the curve.
At Arka, we offer premium packaging options: you can check our custom mailer boxes and custom shipper boxes that ensure excellent unboxing experience and boost sales.
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