Have you ever wondered what difference bespoke packaging makes to your customers? You may think it’s a straightforward question, but there are, in fact, many different avenues and contributing factors to look into when deciding whether standard or bespoke boxes are right for your business.
Packaging is often the first chance a customer has to engage with your brand in a tangible way, so you want to make the experience both positive and memorable by selecting the right type of packaging. That’s why, in this guide, we’ll take a closer look at the differences between standard and bespoke packaging options, and consider how selecting the right materials and design options can help your business create packaging that both protects your product and presents your brand in a positive light when it arrives to your customer.
Before we get into the benefits and drawbacks of each, we will first explore what the difference is between a standard and bespoke piece of packaging.
Standard boxes are a ready-made packaging option that only come in a range of common shapes and sizes. The boxes are usually made from standard cardboard or corrugated board, and tend to be a cheap and simple packaging solution, especially for businesses with a fairly standard range of non-fragile products.
The biggest benefit of using a standard packaging box is its convenience, as they require very little time or thought to assemble, but that is unfortunately about as far as the benefits go. While they may be cost-effective in the short term, you could be paying in the long term for returns and replacements of damaged products due to the one-size-fits-all box not actually fitting as well as it should. This damage is most often caused by movement in the box or pressure on the product, leading to it breaking in transit. So, if you are happy to make those sacrifices, then standard packaging may be for you, but if not, we can move on to what bespoke packaging is and how it can avoid the issues of standard box packaging.
You may think that what makes a bespoke box ‘bespoke’ is the print or design on the exterior, and while that is part of it, it also refers to the shape, material, padding, and other personalisation options that can be made to the packaging.
With bespoke boxes, the main benefit is that, instead of trying to fit products into pre-existing packaging, businesses and their packaging partners have the freedom to design boxes that perfectly accommodate their products and showcase their brand without the fear of avoidable damage being caused on the way to the customer. On top of that, bespoke packaging also offers fantastic opportunities for branding. When you create a custom-printed box, the design can feature anything, such as logos, brand colours, messages, and unique design elements like embossing and foiling, all of which help your business maintain a consistent and memorable visual identity across all of your brand touchpoints.
Another benefit that we haven’t yet mentioned is the environmental impact of choosing bespoke packaging. When you begin designing your bespoke packaging, you are able to tailor it to the sustainability goals of your business and pick the amounts of materials that best suit your product without any excess. In the long run, this may also save you money by not paying for materials you don’t need, and by freeing up warehouse space with smaller packaging to store.
One of the main things you need to think about when considering custom packaging is the cost. Standard boxes can be a sensible choice for those with smaller packaging needs, irregular orders, or products that comfortably fit within the commonly available box sizes. This is because they are usually cheaper and easier to buy since they don’t require the extra planning and design work that bespoke packaging does, but as we mentioned above, it’s worth bearing in mind that the cheapest option upfront isn’t always the most cost-effective over time.
Overall, standard boxes are the best options when packaging needs to be sourced quickly and cheaply or when branding and presentation aren’t the top priorities. If you are looking for quantity rather than quality, then standard box packaging is for you.
However, if you are looking for quality, bespoke boxes are definitely worth investing in. Custom packaging is especially valuable for businesses that ship products with unusual sizes or shapes, or fragile or high-value items, as the bespoke shape and padding of the box minimises the risk of damage during transit. This, in turn, reduces returns and replacements, which will save you time in repackaging and shipping, as well as the cost of the replacement item. Having custom boxes can also be worth the investment if you want to support your brand's visual identity and enhance your customers’ unboxing experience. Custom packaging shows that you put thought and care into how a customer interacts with the business, setting the expectation that you put the same care into your products before they have even seen them.
So if you want packaging that puts your business's best foot forward and creates a positive journey for how customers experience your product before they even open the box, then investing in a bespoke packaging solution is the way forward for your business.
If you are ready to take the next step and improve your packaging, then it's time to speak to
the experts at Design Packaging. We offer a one-stop shop for all your packaging needs, from design to call-off storage, until you need it, so click the link below to take the first step in your bespoke packaging journey:
https://www.designpackaging.net/contact
