Does your package still pop?

Posted by Megan Moyer

Just what is it that makes your product package stand out on the shelf? Can you pinpoint the elements that help consumers decide to choose it over a competing product?

We’ve worked with multiple manufacturers that successfully secured distribution and were accepted into stores but then had problems selling their product. Of course, there are a number of factors that can impact this – price or lack of promotion, for instance – but there is a lot to be said for the visual aspect of a product during a purchase decision.

I found a statistic that said 65% of us are visual learners. I’m not sure about the validity of that statistic, but I do believe visual learners are in the majority. Given that, think of what kind of visual impact or subtle impression your packaging has on your target consumer. Perhaps you did market research that informed your packaging, so you know exactly why and how each element on your product package is where it is and how it might connect with a shopper. If you didn’t have the resources to conduct market research on your packaging, whoever designed it hopefully created it with some knowledge and logic to inform the final layout. In short, is it working to draw attention and tip the consumer’s decision toward purchasing it?

How often do you reassess your product’s packaging? Because of the minimal amount of time you have to convince a shopper to pick up your item, revisiting the design and message are important to do on a regular basis. The review should be done by an objective party and ideally combined with consumer market research if you are able to fit it in the budget. In any case, you want to find out if the benefits and/or features you highlight are still relevant and meaningful and stand out over your competitors’. You should evaluate whether the design and layout are still impactful. Particularly in the context of the surrounding competing products.

The appearance of your product can be the deciding factor whether a consumer gives it a try or not. Shoppers generally take 4 seconds to make a decision when they are standing in front of the shelf. Take the time to review your product line packaging and verify that it’s helping and not hurting your sales.