We’ve talked a lot about how packaging can define your brand and truly appeal to your customers, and while that’s absolutely necessary, the simple truth is that there’s more to it than that. Packaging also has to serve a rather functional side. It’s the container in which your product will ship, and understanding how to design packaging to be as functional as it is eye-catching is a bit difficult.

Functional Product Packaging Must:

• Protect the Product From Breakage During Transit.
• Protect the Product as It Sits on the Shelf.
• Easily Dispense the Product to the Customer.

There are some real add-ons in terms of function too, though. Sometimes it can do a better job of preserving the product. Sometimes it can serve as a container for after-purchase uses. Sometimes it can even display the product in a unique manner. How can you choose an option that handles all of this with ease? You may want to consider the following as you build out your ideas.

• What Is the Biggest Risk to My Product? If that biggest risk occurs during transit, make certain you design a package that will survive the process. Think about how far your products have to go and how they’re actually shipped, then test your ideas to see which one is best going to protect your product. If that bigger risk, though, happens when it’s actually in the store, then you’ll want to address that issue in a very different manner. Risk assessment can be one of your biggest brand movers into the retail world, too, as stores are far more likely to buy into a new choice if there’s very little risk for them.
• What’s My Price Point? Packaging can actually add quite a bit of cost to your overall product, so you need to think about that before you decide among your options. For example, if both bags and roll stock might work for your package, you’ll want to be sure that you select the one that most matches your total price point.
• Time to Market: The sooner you get your products on the shelves, the sooner you can start selling them, so don’t neglect how long it’s going to take your packaging company to put your ideas together. If there’s a less complex option that puts your products on the shelves faster, go with that above all else.

To learn more about how to increase the functionality of your packaging, contact us today.