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The art of stealing customers’ attention and leaving no choice other than your brand lies in how creatively you customize your packaging boxes. However, sometimes this might not work well due to the many mistakes brands commit in custom packaging.
Packaging plays a vital role in attracting customers to your product, where choices are infinite. It all comes down to how visually appealing your packaging is, how much it helps customers in their buying decision, and the rate of checkout from the store.
In this blog, we are going to take a look at some of the common mistakes in custom packaging and how to avoid them. But first, let’s take a look at some of the statistics and studies revealing the impact of packaging on consumer buying behavior. Let’s get started.
Statistics Product Packaging 2025
- 81% of consumers have bought a new product because its packaging caught their eye, and 72% agree that packaging design influences their purchasing decisions. About 63% have repurchased a product specifically because of attractive packaging.
- Packaging affects consumer perceptions of product quality and price: 63–67% of U.S. shoppers think products look pricier when packaged in cardboard or paper, and 52% have switched brands due to packaging differences.
- Packaging influences repetition and brand loyalty; 52% of customers are more likely to buy again from online retailers if items arrive in premium packaging.
- Eco-friendly packaging strongly influences consumers, with 39% considering the environmental impact of packaging very important and 82% willing to pay more for sustainable packaging, especially 90% of Gen-Z consumers.
- Other small-scale studies show that packaging color and material quality influence consumer behavior, along with cultural factors. Some packaging features, like easy-to-tear designs, might negatively affect buying behavior.
(Source: Business Dasher)
From the above statistics, you might have gained some clarity about the importance of packaging for small businesses and big brands. Now, let’s shed some light on common packaging mistakes, every brand must avoid.
The impact of packaging on consumer decisions is obvious. But the question is how to avoid those mistakes that would tarnish the image of the brand and leave the customers looking for alternatives. Let’s have a look.
1. Poor Design and Branding
What’s the first thing people notice when searching for a product while walking around in different aisles? The first thing they come into contact with is a packaging box, where the chances of accepting or rejecting the product are based on the design and branding.
For instance, you are selling a highly demanded product with no compromise on quality. However, when selecting the packaging box, you saved some bucks by compromising on the design and branding of the box. The results are obvious: your product may not get enough attention.
Solution: In the era when choices are infinite and consumer expectations are touching the roof, settling for an ordinary packaging box isn’t going to do any good. Spend time researching the custom packaging box company in your area and get them done professionally with all the branding elements, catchy graphics, the brand’s slogan, and product information.
2. Excessive Packaging Material
Utilizing packaging boxes in the best way means that there is little to no waste in the process and provides enough protection to the products. For instance, if a delicate or fragile item like a glass or an electronics item is damaged in the process of shipping or handling, the company`s useful resources have been wasted in the process. It also includes packaging boxes kept in stock for future use.
The purpose of packaging is to serve functionality, protection, and branding. Failing to do so results in packaging waste.
Solution: If your packaging boxes aren’t serving the major purpose, make sure to review the basics and figure out what needs to be addressed. However, if you are unable to figure out the problem, just contact IMH Packaging for all your packaging needs.
3. Failing to Provide Protection
The primary purpose of packaging boxes is to protect them from external factors such as air, moisture, heat, and light. Moreover, during shipping and handling, most products are vulnerable to damage and breakage.
Failing to provide enough protection to the product from external factors means your packaging boxes are not manufactured according to standard practices. Providing enough cushioning to the products, especially fragile and delicate items, requires extra care in making those boxes.
Solution: Before ordering the boxes in bulk, make sure to ask for free samples and test them. Once you are fully satisfied with the rigidity and cushioning of the boxes, order them in bulk from a top packaging manufacturing company.
4. Wrong Size, Shape, and Dimension
The customization of packaging boxes heavily depends on the nature of the product. What are the dimensions, size, and shape of the product determine the size, shape, and dimensions of the packaging box.
However, some brands might not take the customization seriously, which leads to huge financial losses, annoying customers, and wasting useful resources. In addition, the unboxing experience is going to be ruined, which ultimately leads to losing customers and a bad reputation.
Solution: When picking the right packaging box for your products, make sure to measure the size and dimensions. You can measure the dimensions and sizes through YouTube and blogs. Moreover, if you hand over the responsibility to a custom packaging box manufacturer, all of it will be handled by the packaging company.
5. Text and Product Information are Not Clear
Customization of packaging boxes is not only about size, shape, and dimension. The branding elements, such as logo, product information, and slogans, are also important packaging elements. Failing to provide clear text is a huge turn-off, as it helps customers to make a purchase decision.
Moreover, when the retail shelves are filled with hundreds of products from different brands, the chances are that people might not add products due to the opacity in text.
Solution: When deciding on the color and tex, make sure that they both synchronize with each other and make it easy for consumers to read. Too small or too large fonts can prove to be a huge turn-off. Moreover, the information provided must be factual and should not contain any fluff.
6. Ignoring Eco-friendly Aspect
When it comes to product packaging boxes, presentation plays a key role in attracting customers. However, another major factor is the eco-friendliness of the packaging box. If you are using harmful and hazardous materials for your product packaging, you may lose a large chunk of consumers.
Solution: When ordering custom packaging boxes for business, make sure to inquire with the packaging company about the material used for producing boxes. For instance, kraft, corrugated, and cardboard are mainly used for manufacturing boxes that are eco-friendly, sustainable, and recyclable.
7. Abiding Regulatory Compliance
Packaging boxes need to be attractive, eco-friendly and easy to unbox. But if the packaging boxes fail to meet the standard practices, laws and regulations, and other legal matters, you may suffer hefty fines and legal complications.
Solution: To keep things under control, make sure to update yourself with the latest packaging regulations. Audit packaging materials after every quarter and make sure to meet the desired standards to mitigate the risk of hefty fines and legal matters.
8. Complex Unboxing Experience
One of the reasons customers avoid purchasing your product is that the unboxing experience is not pleasant. From opening the package to taking out the product, each step requires struggle and isn’t possible without the use of tools such as cutters and scissors.
Solution: To provide a seamless unboxing experience, you can use rigid boxes with sleeves or tuck ends. Moreover, a flap on the top of the packaging box can also be helpful in providing a seamless unboxing experience.
9. Strategic Use of White Space in Packaging Design
When developing packaging for your product, the use of white space (or negative space) plays a critical role in achieving visual clarity and brand impact.
Overcrowding the design with graphics or text can dilute the message and overwhelm the end consumer, while overly minimalistic packaging may fail to capture attention or communicate value.
Effective packaging design strikes a balance design, purposeful, and visually compelling. Strategic use of white space not only enhances aesthetic appeal but also improves readability and directs focus to essential elements such as the product name, logo, or key messaging.
Solution: By leveraging white space thoughtfully, brands can create packaging that stands out on the shelf, communicates professionalism, and reinforces brand identity.
10. Choosing the Wrong Packaging Materials
Selecting inappropriate packaging materials can compromise both the integrity and performance of your product packaging. It’s necessary that materials with the specific requirements of your product’s lifecycle and distribution journey.
For instance, products destined for long-distance shipping demand strong materials like corrugated cardboard to ensure protection in transit. Conversely, items intended for retail shelves often require lightweight options such as folding cartons, which facilitate easy stocking and handling.
Solution: Selection of material tailored to your product’s needs ensures cost-efficiency, enhances customer experience, and maintains brand reputation.
Also Read:Unique Packaging Insert Ideas for Small Businesses
Summing Up
In this post, we have discussed some of the common packaging mistakes brands commit. If you are looking for visually appealing boxes that provide a seamless experience and force customers to add your products to their carts, make sure to avoid these mistakes.
