Paul Watson
Do you need to improve your packaging design?
Companies deliver millions of packages in the United States. Yours won’t stand out without the right product packaging. It also applies when displaying it on store shelves.
It results in poor brand recognition. It becomes more noticeable when your product is in a saturated market.
Fortunately, we made a guide about the most common product packaging mistakes around. Read on and avoid these pitfalls today:
- Unclear Product Packaging
Your packaging will tell your consumers what your product is. It’s why you must ensure your design is clear. If it looks misleading, your potential consumers won’t choose it.
Most customers have no time to read labels. It’s especially when they’re picking products on a grocery shelf. They mostly buy their products based on how the packaging looks.
It’s why your product’s purpose must be noticeable at first glance. For example, if you’re selling juice, ensure the typography, colors, and design are clear.
- Wasteful and Non-Sustainable Materials
Nowadays, a lot of consumers support businesses with eco-friendly products. They pay more attention to products with recyclable packaging more than ever.
These customers expect more from bigger companies. However, even as a small business, you’re not exempt from this scrutiny. It’s especially when you’re in the food industry.
Do your best to have an eco-friendly product. Your consumers will recognize every effort, as long as you emphasize it. A good place to start is through your packaging.
If you have biodegradable packaging, indicate it in your product labels. When wrapping your products, ensure it isn’t wasteful. For example, using biodegradable tea pouches is great, but wrapping each in plastic won’t do your brand favors.
- Crowded and Difficult Package Designs
Take note, minimalism isn’t always applicable to every product. Some brands use colorful designs to their advantage. It depends on your brand identity.
Regardless, some package designs are painful to the eyes. It won’t matter if your brand is vibrant and energetic. These patterns could make you cringe no matter what.
For example, you might sell some food products for babies. Never use an entire rainbow of colors for the box color and then complement it with Comic Sans. Avoid putting a lot of pictures and other design elements.
Check out this mistake to have a better idea of what we’re talking about.
Aside from the design, a lot of people complain when it’s hard to open product packaging. It plays a big role in customer satisfaction. Even when you have the greatest product, it becomes a let-down if your packaging takes ages to open.
It’s understandable when some fragile products need sturdy packaging. However, you know your company did something wrong when a box of cereal requires scissors and force to open.
- Typos and Illegible Labels
A lot of consumers are aware of obvious spelling and grammar mistakes. Prioritize avoiding these packaging design mistakes. If anyone finds even a single error, they’ll see your company as unprofessional, inattentive, and ignorant.
It might seem too harsh, but clear communication is the key to a civilized society. It’s one of the main avenues to build trust. You can’t expect anyone to trust your products if you don’t put in the time and effort for proofreading.
Aside from proper grammar, your labels must be legible. Your customers will find your product useless if they can’t read warnings or instructions. It’s especially when you’re selling food containing allergy-inducing ingredients like tree nuts.
Illegible prints or labels also make your customers feel you lack attention. They might think you don’t care about your final product’s details.
- Incorrect Box Type and Sizes
Your corrugated cardboard choice matters in packaging design. These materials are the functional aspects of your packaging. It prevents damage during the shipping process.
If you choose the wrong material, your products might sustain damages. It could happen before they reach the grocery shelves.
It’s worse when you’re shipping it directly to your customers. It costs you money since you’ll have to replace it.
Damaged products also tarnish your reputation since it sends the wrong impression. Learn the critical variations between single and double-walled corrugated cardboard materials. It determines the right packaging for your product’s weight and fragility.
Aside from the material, your packaging size matters. It serves two roles: ensuring package protection and avoiding misunderstandings. The latter arises when customers get oversized packages.
Improper-sized packages trick customers into thinking your product is larger than it is. It’s the best way to lose your customers’ trust.
- Generic Designs and Uneven White Space
Generic designs are unappealing and make customers forget about you. These do nothing to improve your package marketing efforts. They can’t represent the uniqueness of your brand because they look like any other box on the grocery shelf.
One of the primary purposes of packaging design is to captivate your audience. It’s all about setting yourself apart from your competitors. Without creativity, you can’t expect any impact from your packaging design.
Your brand will lack substance, resulting in a forgettable first impression. It pushes lots of potential customers away. Like other mistakes on this list, they’ll feel your brand lacks effort.
If you go beyond the generic design, consider the white space layout in your packaging. This design element is critical if you want your aesthetic to remain balanced. Placing white space in strategic areas allows you to achieve a neutral contrast.
It makes your branding message easier to recognize without becoming too overbearing. Otherwise, you’ll also make the above-mentioned mistake of overcrowding the design.
Improve Your Packaging Design Now
These are some of the most common packaging design mistakes around. Use them to guide your next product’s package designing plan. If your current products suffer from these mistakes, fix them as soon as possible.
If you have no time, it’s best to hire a package designer instead. Look for the most reputable expert in your area. Otherwise, they’ll likely commit the same mistakes.
Did you find this guide helpful? Read our other posts to learn more.
