Product packaging is something that people typically don’t think about when making daily purchases, but it is something that has profound implications for both manufacturers and consumers. Good product package design does much more than just store and protect the product. Failure to have quality package production at a company’s disposal can lead to suffering profit margins and poor customer satisfaction. Incorporating product packaging services into the product planning process will not only increase total sales but will also increase customer value by positively influencing purchase decisions. Why is packaging important in product planning?
1. Design
Product package design can directly influence consumers’ perception of a product, causing the product to succeed or fail. Packaging materials, uses of color, size and shape, and even weight of packages are all contributing factors that make products stand out among their competitors. Companies like Apple have perfected the brand packaging experience by making it a special event unto itself, giving way to the “unboxing” movement on social media. Marketing researchers need to be surveying the target market for the exact way to create quality packaging, otherwise the product launch plan will end poorly.
2. Quality
When you receive a package, have you ever been disappointed or frustrated because poor quality packaging ruins your product inside? In order to create quality product packaging, the package itself becomes a part of the final product. This also includes the secondary and tertiary packages within that contain multiple parts of the product. Materials used for the packaging can represent the manufacturing company’s values and can serve as the company’s “stamp of quality” upon a product. When the package is cheaply made and damages easily, it does not only ruin the product inside, but also the consumer’s perception of the manufacturer. The product packaging requirements for good packaging includes all information and labels on the product packaging, the storage capabilities of the packaging, and the composition of the materials used.
3. Efficiency
Product packaging companies must have cost efficient processes to create their many variations of packaging, whether that be single-product packaging, industrial product packaging, or custom product packaging. Managing internal material production flow and packing logistics is critical to the sorting and handling of raw materials, assembly of package, and the disposal of all waste products. Streamlining processes can make it cheaper to create and ship products, giving your company the competitive edge in the market.
4. Environmental
As well as streamlining package assembly processes, product packaging services also need to consider environmental concerns when organizing their waste reduction. This includes recycling waste created from product packaging and reusing those materials for maximum cost savings. An environmentally friendly product packaging company will strive to create the highest quality packaging using the least amount of material necessary. Also, most companies are required to have ISO 14001 certification for their production and operation. Here at NewStream, we carry the ISO 14001 certification in house, proving our commitment to green practices in our work environment.
5. Distribution
Product planning should also account for the distribution of the product and how the specialized product packaging impacting shipping processes. This can be done in-house, or outsourced to an external logistics center. The product package design should allow for the package to be easily moved, lifted, stored, stacked, and stowed on pallets or cargo units. A simple design shape leads to a maximum amount of storage capacity, allowing for more units to be stored, both saving space and reducing costs. Larger packages, such as industrial product packaging, should be easy for manual carrying or forklift transportation.
For many businesses, product packaging is the hardest part to nail down in the product planning process because of its high price tag and disposition to create excess waste. Research has shown, however, that investing into advanced packaging strategies and technology vastly improves both the operational process and customer relations.
How can NewStream improve your packaging? At NewStream Enterprises, LLC, we do not only think outside the box, we also make our own boxes. By having our own box machine, we are able to create custom on demand boxes, eliminating the need for unnecessary fillers and increase cost-efficiency for our customers. Additionally, within our in-house cardboard shop, we have the ability to create custom packaging for heavy duty products such as Engines, Suspension, and Drivetrain Components. Our in-house engineering provides customized kitting and packaging solutions with customer branding in mind to meet customer requirements and expectations, as well as ensure our compliance with Quality Management Commitment ISO 9001:2015 and Environmental Management System 14001:2015.
Contact our experts today to learn more about our packaging solutions that can help your business reduce your production cost and materials.