It’s easy to assume that if your packaging is robust, it showcases your logo and information relatively well, and customers don’t complain about it, you’ve pretty much nailed it. Of course, that could be the case. Second-guessing yourself when no problems are presented is not always a fruitful endeavor.
That being said, there’s always room for improvement, and proactive businesses understand that. For this reason, learning to better your packaging and avoid packaging design mistakes over time, once you learn more about your identity as a business and who you hope to serve, can always be a wise journey to take.
Of course, there are some obvious improvements your packaging could take. If it’s not entirely sustainable, getting as close to that as possible could be key – perhaps you might have to forgo the plastic window looking into the product and help the outer casing seem more attractive as a compromise.
But of course, while sustainability is an essential pillar of good, modern design, it’s not the only thing to focus on. So let’s consider some of the most common mistakes businesses make as far as this goes:
These Are the Most Common Packaging Design Mistakes:
1. Too Much Empty Space
Packaging that has too much empty space can feel wasteful and even misleading. Customers might expect a product to match the size of the box it comes in, and when it doesn’t, it leaves a bad impression and may lose you another sale or perhaps a lifetime of them. Not to mention, extra packaging materials add unnecessary costs and aren’t great for the environment. Taking time to streamline your packaging to better fit your product will help you reduce that waste, but also shows customers you’re thoughtful about the details. Checking for folding carton manufacturers near me can help you fix this issue before it becomes a problem.
2. Unintuitive Opening Mechanics
Most people have a package type they hate. That tends to be vacuum-sealed plastic packaging such as those you get for remote controls or razer blades. These need to be protected of course, but if opening leads to frustration then you’ve already left a bad impression. This could include hard-to-open boxes, excessive tape, or fiddly seals that can frustrate people. If your package is at all unique for safety purposes make certain to present careful instructions that can be understood in multiple languages.
3. Limited Ergonomics
If your packaging is awkward to hold, carry, or handle, it’s not doing its job, and can annoy people before they’ve had the chance to open it. Ergonomic design is often ignored in these products, but it’s worth reinvesting in, because it can make for a huge improvement in how customers interact with your product. In this case it might mean adding a handle to a heavy box or designing a shape that fits comfortably in hand. This way, small adjustments can help your product go from being a frustration to one that could stack or lead to multiple purchases out of convenience.
With this advice, we hope you can more easily avoid packaging design mistakes and move forward with confidence.
