Retail Packaging Printing: How to Design Packaging That Sells In-Store & Online

Packaging plays a fundamental role in sales strategy, both for individual products and a brand as a whole. The way it looks, feels, and functions all communicate information to shoppers. It can encourage them to become buyers, build rapport with them after receipt, and even boost word-of-mouth advertising. But the only way to get this kind of marketing mileage out of your packaging is with thoughtful design. 

In this blog, we’ll cover how custom packaging can be designed to target particular shoppers and encourage particular responses. We’ll discuss what makes a packaging design ‘instagrammable’, why it’s worth the effort, and what exactly goes into making packaging ‘custom’ - from material selection to custom die cuts.

How Packaging Influences Buying Decisions on Retail Shelves

Snap judgements are human nature. Our brains form opinions within seconds of catching sight of something (or even faster, in many cases). This instinct evolved for survival, at a time when making the right call quickly might mean the difference between eating or being eaten. But these days, packaging design can harness this instinct to make a controlled impression on shoppers, even in crowded retail environments. 

It starts with understanding how each visual element is likely to read with your target audience. These elements need to work together to send a clear, compelling impression through:

• Color
• Saturation
• Shine
• Typography
• Imagery
• Negative space
• 3D structure

To illustrate, we’ve curated three examples of packaging that makes a big impression, but each does it in a very different way. Those differences are what help these products stand out to their ideal demographic, boosting the chances of a successful sale.

Example 1: Luxury Packaging for Chocolate

Chocolate comes in every price range, which can make it tough to attract and persuade customers to spring for the high end stuff. But this colorful, confectionary-like packaging, complete with artistic illustrations, elegant serif font, and subtle foil details, gets the job done in style. It makes the chocolate it holds feel more valuable purely through high-end, appealing presentation.

Example 2: Eco-Friendly Packaging for Toilet Paper

Bamboo toilet paper is a more sustainable option than TP made from tree pulp, but how do you attract a casually eco-conscious shopper to give it a try? With packaging that deftly communicates sustainability, of course, with unbleached cardboard, nature imagery, and a restrained use of ink that creates thought-provoking negative space.

Example 3: Budget-Friendly Packaging for Canned Cocktails

Catching the eye of budget-conscious shoppers looking for a treat can be rough. Aisles are crowded with numerous other products fighting for the same limited funds. But this drink collab packaging does a great job leveraging its design options to stand out, specifically highlighting its two beloved budget-friendly brands with branded fonts, logos, and colors on a no-frills box.

Designing Retail Packaging for Both Shelf Appeal and E-Commerce

These days, packaging design does more than just influence a shopper’s decision to buy. Instagrammable packaging, like the pr boxes seen in unboxing videos, is a great example of this. Its design encourages consumers to show off your products even before they’ve been unboxed and used, both through strong visuals and effortless interactive elements like:

QR Codes

Inserts

Hashtags

‍

Easy interactivity can help generate buzz and organic sharing, either through traditional word-of-mouth or via social media.

Choosing the Right Materials, Finishes, and Packaging Strategy

If you’re looking to boost your brand’s reputation, increase visibility, and encourage repeat sales, custom packaging is a much better fit than plain stock packaging options. But it’s important to balance practical concerns against your aesthetic aspirations. For example, if your packaging will be shipped directly in the mail, you’ll want to prioritize sturdy, stable finishes. Investing a lot in gold foil and super-detailed imagery won’t pay off if it’s been excessively scuffed and chipped by the time it arrives. Reserve higher-end and fine-detail finishes for packaging that will sit inside other containers during shipping, or be picked up by shoppers directly from store shelves.

Customizing also gives brands the opportunity to pursue sustainable printing options whenever possible, such as vegetable inks and recycled print substrates. These materials are often comparable to their less sustainable counterparts cost wise. But promoting their use can give you a marketing advantage, raising your brand’s reputation as responsible and forward-thinking every time someone so much as glances at your product on a shelf..