Unboxing – Best Practices

If you search for the term #unboxing on social media channels, you will find lots of videos of happy shoppers unpacking their newly purchased goods. However, the real experience is not only created by the contents, but above all by cleverly designed packaging.

The perfect packaging already increases the anticipation of the product for the buyer. We can differentiate here: Is it about the individual product packaging, which we also find like this in the retail trade, or about the online shipping of goods, i.e. also different products in one packaging.

The unboxing trend on social media channels is mainly about online shopping. The brand owners use the "child-in-us" here. We all know the feeling of eagerly waiting for the delivery service to finally ring the doorbell and bring our recently ordered goods.

The trend clearly shows that if a brand manages to design the packaging in such a way that the unpacking alone becomes an experience, it has another marketing instrument to bind its customers.

Just as in retail, the same applies to online shipping: material is brand. For a high-quality product, equivalent materials are selected. For a sustainable product, ideally a recyclable material is used. 

To be part of the unboxing trend, the brand must also pay attention to the arrangement and surprise in the packaging. The inlay as well as the filling material are crucial and also how the products are presented.

For example, brand manufacturers often use tissue paper inside for luxury goods. The buyer gets the feeling of giving himself a present.

The Chanel brand, for example, focuses on the protection of its product. The luxury bags are encased in a protective bag of the appropriate size, lie, surrounded by tissue paper, in a high-quality cardboard box with a magnetic closure. Every single element underlines the brand values.

Anyone who has ever bought an Apple product knows that unboxing becomes an emotional experience. The packaging, the product and the arrangement within the box are consistent. At the same time, the type of outer packaging emphasises the brand values. The carton is just as high-quality as the contents. The feel is adapted to the product. When you open the carton, the product lies, well protected, in the centre of the moment. There are no distractions. The product speaks for itself.

Both brands have one more thing in common: the packaging usually does not simply end up in the wastepaper basket. In most cases, the packaging is kept or even reused.

With an individual insert, brands bind their customers. The buyers feel flattered when they find a personalised attention in the package. Many brands address their customers with a personal greeting in the package or include an individual goodie. Digitalisation makes it possible for mail-order companies to use their customer data for precisely this process. The personal greeting can make Programmatic Print processes easier for us.

We also expect innovative and clever packaging ideas to inspire us at drupa 2024. We are excited to see what other trends await us on this topic.