The Ultimate Unboxing Guide to Custom Product Boxes
What is Unboxing?
So, what exactly is unboxing, and what’s all this hype surrounding it? Well… unboxing is exactly what it sounds like. It’s when Youtubers record and talk their viewers through the opening or unveiling of a custom product box they’ve received.
Unboxing videos have a huge audience that varies based on what is being unpacked. Young YouTube stars have considerably large audiences who tune in to watch them unwrap custom product boxes, or open special things that they’ve ordered.
According to an article from Influencer Marketing Hub, one of the most popular unboxing channels on youtube is Ryan Toys Review, where a kid named Ryan unpacks and plays with toys. Of course not all unboxing videos are done by kids. Unboxing videos have a wide array of audiences and recorders. There’s an unboxing video out there for everyone.
With all this attention, unboxing videos have become a great way to spread brand awareness. Not only do these videos have a broad audience, but they have a big one. Some channels gain billions (yes that’s right, billions) of views from these videos.
So why does this matter for a small business owner’s brand? Think about the marketing impact for a company that ships out custom product boxes and then get featured in unboxing videos. That’s billions of people seeing their brand in one of the easiest ways possible.
Here’s what you need to know in order to create the ultimate unboxing experience for your customers.
Why is the unboxing experience important?
Packaging is more than what it seems. Your shipping box protects your product from harm. It serves as a cohesive container for all your items especially if you’re sending more than one. And you might not realize it, but the most important thing your shipping box does is represent your brand.
Your box is the first physical piece of your brand that your customer will see. That's why it's important to make sure it represents your brand well. You want to pack your boxes as if each of your customers is going to film an unboxing video for millions to watch. While they probably aren’t filming that video, the point is that you want each experience to be special and well crafted for your consumer.You want your custom product box to represent your brand well before it is even unboxed.
You probably don’t realize how many people will see your custom product box before it gets to your customer. Think about the amount of eyes that will glance over your box at the post office when you send it, during the shipping process and even waiting with the other boxes in your customer’s mail room. Do you want your box to simply blend in with the other plain, boring boxes or do you want your box to stand out and be memorable? Your brand deserves to stand out and packaging is how you can help make that happen.
What are the pieces of an unboxing experience?
To figure out what you need to create a great unboxing experience for your customers, take yourself back to your sixth birthday when you’re opening your birthday presents. Try to remember the level of excitement you felt tearing apart various bags and boxes with your gifts. You want your customer to have that same giddy, child-like excitement when opening your package. You don’t want them to be bored, do you? Think back to the unboxing videos… would your plain brown box get a million views?
Here’s what you’ll need to make sure your custom product box is stuffed to perfection and far from boring.
- Tissue Paper
Back to the earlier example of your sixth birthday. Presents with tissue paper were always more exciting because they added an extra level of mystery. You may think the idea of colorful tissue paper is a little much but it can be tastefully done. Make sure to choose a tissue paper color that fits your brand. You can also consider investing in branded tissue paper.
- Box Fillers
Everyone loves that satisfaction of popping a fresh roll of bubble wrap, and maybe you want to grace your customer with that popable gift. It should be noted that bubble wrap isn’t always the most visually appealing option. Instead, think of how visually appealing an Easter basket can be when well designed. You want your package to have the same look. Consider the use of that same colored crinkle-cut paper used in Easter baskets. This can add a level of excitement and color to your package.
- Promotional Content
An easy way to add a personal touch is to include a personalized letter thanking them for their purchase. This simple task can bring your brand to life, making it more than just a business machine, but actual people working behind this brand.
- Easy Return Slip/Product Instructions
Make sure the entire process stays as simple as possible. If something goes wrong in the order your customer should be able to contact you easily, allowing the issue to be resolved. If they want to leave a positive review on your site, positive post-purchase customer care (ha, say that 5 times fast) is a great way to stand out in a customer’s mind. You should leave them with a follow-up action to be able to leave that review. Think about a short-link or email follow-up.
Where can I get my hands on packaging?
So now that you understand the magnitude of having these custom product boxes, you’re probably wondering where to buy them, right? You’ve come to the right place, young packaging padawan.
You have a few options when it comes to custom product boxes. You can go with a simple branded box, which is a brown box with your logo on one, two or four sides. This choice is clean-cut, simple and environmentally friendly since our kraft brown boxes are made from 100% recycled materials. Another option is using fully custom boxes. A fully custom box takes longer to produce, but would have your very own look with wraparound or flap printing. The benefit of this option is the uniqueness and ability for your box to stand out in the crowd. Your custom shipping box would get the unboxing views it deserves
Wrapping It Up
You’ve worked hard to create your product and your brand, so why not do everything you can to show off that hard work? A positive customer experience starts with the packaging and now you have the tools to make that experience a great one.
They say good things come in small packages… we think they come in custom boxes! But don’t just take our word for it. Try some of our custom boxes to create the ultimate unboxing experience for your customers.
This article was written by our digital marketing intern, Redding Byrd.