Packaging Those Items
It's quite often part of the process that we don't think of as business people. It's natural to assume that research, development, promotion and advertising will take up a fair portion of the time and effort required to get a product to the customer, and it's easy to overlook one of the more essential elements that will make or break a product or service and that's the packaging. First off, people often need to change their perceptions about what constitutes successful product packaging.
Of course we all like to tear the bright shiny packaging off Christmas presents and get to the gifts underneath, but in the business world and particularly when we're dealing with products that are sold by direct response television (DRTV), the packaging needs to send a different message. To increase the benefits of word-of-mouth positive responses, the packaging needs to convey a sense of value as well as worth. As well, all thoughtful companies need to consider the fact that the product could well be traveling for some distances and will therefore need to be packaged to keep it safe through all the jostling and bumping that can happen in transport.
The experts in the field all agree. It's best to balance design with practicality. The cost of the packaging needs to be weighed against the cost of the transportation. This means that there is obviously little or no use in shipping something with a cheap carrier if there is a chance it will arrive damaged. It is also necessary to decide what kind of final destination the product will arrive at. Whether it's destined for a trade show, direct mail, or some other use, it's necessary to decide how much of the cost will be spent on aesthetics. It stands to reason that something bought on DRTV and destined for a product launch does not necessarily need to have anything but the most functional packaging.
The choice of materials is also extremely important. Especially in today's climate, many people prefer to package with environmentally friendly materials. Still, most suppliers report that the corrugated box is still the most popular choice, but the important point to consider is that no matter what packaging you use, the products must arrive in pristine shape.
Of course we all like to tear the bright shiny packaging off Christmas presents and get to the gifts underneath, but in the business world and particularly when we're dealing with products that are sold by direct response television (DRTV), the packaging needs to send a different message. To increase the benefits of word-of-mouth positive responses, the packaging needs to convey a sense of value as well as worth. As well, all thoughtful companies need to consider the fact that the product could well be traveling for some distances and will therefore need to be packaged to keep it safe through all the jostling and bumping that can happen in transport.
The experts in the field all agree. It's best to balance design with practicality. The cost of the packaging needs to be weighed against the cost of the transportation. This means that there is obviously little or no use in shipping something with a cheap carrier if there is a chance it will arrive damaged. It is also necessary to decide what kind of final destination the product will arrive at. Whether it's destined for a trade show, direct mail, or some other use, it's necessary to decide how much of the cost will be spent on aesthetics. It stands to reason that something bought on DRTV and destined for a product launch does not necessarily need to have anything but the most functional packaging.
The choice of materials is also extremely important. Especially in today's climate, many people prefer to package with environmentally friendly materials. Still, most suppliers report that the corrugated box is still the most popular choice, but the important point to consider is that no matter what packaging you use, the products must arrive in pristine shape.
posted by DRTV Blogger at
6:42 PM
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