Table of Content
- Unique Shapes and Concepts
- Go Green Packaging Solutions
- Packaging Accessories
- Minimal and Affordable Designs
- Takeaway
For retail businesses that are just starting out, getting the attention of customers and potential is not easy at all. There are many different methods, like spending hundreds to thousands of bucks on advertisements. A traditional, effective, and inexpensive approach to do so is by making your products more noticeable. That can be simply achieved by working on your packaging. If you want a quick answer to how to do that, it is by ditching boring premade packaging solutions and investing in custom packaging. After closely observing the market trends, and preferences of both retailers, and customers and working alongside a veteran packaging design team, we have made a list of packaging ideas that make the customers more inclined to purchase your products.
Unique Shapes and Concepts
The shape and form of your product packaging are the aspects customers are quick to notice. Up to 99% of the packaging boxes we see in the market have a generic square and rectangular shapes. So, using a different shape of product packaging can be a serious game-changer. First, it will make your product an instant head-turner, and second, such a presentation can pique customers’ interest. Here are three styles of boxes with unique shapes:
Hexagon Boxes
When it comes to a unique design, hexagon boxes are among the top choices. Their six-cornered shape is a refreshing change from generic packaging boxes. Besides the presentable outlook, they are excellent for packing different types of small and medium-sized products. Within this style of packaging boxes, you can find two types: hexagon boxes with attached lids and detached ones.
Pyramid Boxes
Like a hexagon, the pyramid is another shape that people do not expect to see as boxes. So, it is a pleasant surprise and a nice break from routine ones. Most applications of these boxes in the market are for packing chocolates and gifts. But it is up to you and your creativity how you prefer to use these boxes.
Pillow Boxes
Of all the styles mentioned in special shapes and forms, pillow boxes are arguably the most famous. You can find their applications in packing different foods, accessories, jewelry, wedding favors, and various small-sized products. Presentation-wise, these boxes are one of the best choices ever. With a collective experience of working with different names in the packaging industry, I have found the demands for this shape the most out of the mentioned three styles.
Go Green Packaging Solutions
Besides giving your box a new non-boxlike shape, changing your materials can also be a positive step. For example, switching to eco-friendly Buxboard and Kraft packaging solutions can help your brand have a green reputation. It may not seem a lot, but the use of such packaging boxes has become a huge selling point. So, it is another idea that helps both your business and the environment simultaneously.
Kraft Boxes
Kraft is the most mainstream and commercially successful option for eco-friendly custom packaging solutions. This material is recyclable, biodegradable, and mostly made with recycled stocks. Therefore, it is the most commercially successful box-making material. Boxes made with Kraft material are now seeing unprecedented demand as their simplistic outlook and eco-friendly nature attract a lot of attention. However, where there are many positives, there are a few limitations as well. First and foremost, the printing results on Kraft boxes are not as vibrant as cardstock. Also, there are no options for gloss and matte laminations. 
Kraft Bags
Packaging solutions made from Kraft are not limited to boxes; you can also get Kraft bags. You can get Kraft Tote bags, standard grocery bags, and others. Again, the pluses and minuses are the same, and the advantages outnumber the minuses. These bags are now wildly popular among various brands for their eco-friendly aspect.
Kraft Wraps
Wraps are an underrated packaging solution with increasing applications in the retail industry. These products have a versatile nature that allows use as both secondary and primary packaging. In addition, you can print your company details, patterns, and signature artwork on these wraps. Other than nature-friendly qualities, they also have another major plus affordable pricing.
Bux Board Boxes
Bux Board is another eco-friendly material that is not much different from Kraft, and even the appearance is not much different. However, it is nowhere close to Kraft stocks in terms of popularity. But the best part about this material is its easily biodegradable nature. You can get an idea of its easy to breakdown nature that I have seen plantable plant pots made of Bux Board.
Packaging Accessories
Another rising trend in product packaging solutions is the use of packaging accessories. Minimal packaging boxes with attractive accessories are adopted by many small businesses nowadays. With these additions, your products appear more noticeable and attractive to customers. Thus, you can score more sales. Following are some of the best accessories in terms of pricing and presentation you can get for your packaging:
Sleeves
Packaging sleeves, glued sleeves, and sleeves are all names of these unique products. A lot of businesses use generic plain boxes with custom printed glued sleeves. This simple duo goes a long way in giving your product a more customer-winning and sales-scoring presentation.
Jute Ropes and Strings
Another minimalistic, inexpensive, and amazing category of accessories is of ropes and strings. All types of ropes offer a stunning product presentation. Among others, jute ropes have been catching a lot of attention. You can see hundreds of presentation-enhancing ideas on Pinterest made with these ropes.
Ribbons
Ribbons are among the oldest and most well-known packaging accessories that fall in the same category as ropes and strings. No matter if you buy them straight from the market or go with personalized ones, they offer a head-turning presentation and product appeal.
Sticker Labels
Sticker labels are an extremely underrated packaging accessory that has several uses in the retail industry. Not all businesses go with custom-made boxes; some use plain white or brown boxes and paste these stickers on them. For businesses with smaller budgets, sticker labels are one of the best options out there. You can have your company’s branding details, signature artwork, patterns, and product information on these label stickers. Otherwise, if you have all such details already printed on the packaging, you can get decorative stickers too.
Label Tags
If you want to take a different approach from sticker labels, cardboard and Kraft label tags also serve a similar purpose. These labels make a killer combo with plain packaging boxes. Everything from product descriptions to eye-catching details can be added to a product using such tags. They are not as affordable as stickers but are still very cost-efficient when it comes to pricing.
Enveloped Notes
If you want to stand out from the crowd in product presentations and take a totally different approach, then enveloped notes. Such notes add to the whole experience associated with a product which can benefit a brand in many ways. As for the prices and the hassle, both premade and custom-made envelopes and notes are super affordable.
Minimal and Affordable Designs
Besides all the above-mentioned design ideas, sometimes a minimalistic approach also gets the job done. For example, here’s a packaging industry secret for you: boxes made with a single die have lower prices than those with two or more dies. Following are two affordable and minimal designs that can be used to pack hundreds of retail products:
Straight Tuck End Boxes
Straight tuck end is a wildly famous design of boxes. These boxes have a simple design that consists of three flaps on both ends. Besides the design, their setup is also super simple. They are shipped flat in either pop-up assembly or require pasting one side. So, no need for tedious setup labor. And the best part is that these boxes are suitable for several retail products in daily routine. Lastly, you can have these custom-made and premade boxes at affordable prices.
Reverse Tuck End Boxes
Reverse tuck end boxes have almost the same design as straight tuck end boxes, with the only difference being the direction of the main flaps. The main opening flaps open in opposite directions to each other. As for the uses, reverse and straight tuck end boxes are suitable for products sold by most small businesses. For enhancing their overall presentation, you can add customizations like die-cut windows, unique finishes like foiling and holographic, and options like embossing and debossing.
Takeaway
The above-mentioned ones are all excellent packaging ideas that give your products a Pinterest-worthy appeal. And the goal of this article was to show you how the budget is not a constraint; there are many creative cheat codes. So, be creative with your ideas and get a product packaging that customers can not take out of their heads.