Whether you’re setting the Thanksgiving table, giving a briefing during a team meeting at work, or wrapping a gift for the holidays, presentation matters. Ecommerce brands looking to stand out amongst competitors and enhance customer satisfaction need to keep this in mind so their orders foster unforgettable unboxing experiences. 

This post-purchase measure has received a lot of attention in the last few years thanks to social media unboxings. However, a top-tier unboxing matters to everyone, not just folks trying to be influencers. To be successful you, as an ecommerce brand, want every person who gets a delivery from your company to be thrilled like a kid on Christmas morning when they open that anticipated box. If executed correctly, the magic of that magnificent unboxing can lead to repeat customers, referrals, and extra publicity.    

ShipMonk is a 3PL fulfillment partner dedicated to ensuring all ecommerce products are delivered to customers in optimal condition, and we will gladly incorporate your unique customization requests to foster a fantastic unboxing experience. Keep reading for our TOP SEVEN recommendations for building an unforgettable unboxing experience this holiday season and beyond.

1.)  Stay True to Your Branding

Branding is one of the key factors that differentiates ecommerce companies within the same market. Half of branding is messaging (Who are you? What does your ecommerce brand stand for? How are you unique? What problem do you solve?). The other half is visuals (colors, logos, fonts, mascots, graphics, and other company-wide consistent design choices). 

Both the messaging and visual sides of branding should be represented in the way your products are packaged. These cohesive elements hammer your ecommerce brand’s uniqueness home in the minds of consumers as they open their anticipated orders. It definitely makes more of an impact than a neutral, could-be-from-anyone brown box with no specific customization. 

Packlane Custom Packaging 

2.) Tell A Story 

It can be tempting to add a dozen bells and whistles to make any order stand out. That’s great if you can afford it, but at the end of the day regardless of your ecommerce brand, you don’t want extra unboxing elements to take a dramatic toll on your bottom line. Which is why we recommend the more cost-effective branding tactic of “telling a story”. What do we mean by this?

Have you heard the saying: “Work smarter, not harder.” It’s kind of like that. Be shrewd with your ecommerce branding selections for an unboxing, utilizing those that really make the experience memorable by not focusing on the specific order inside, but the story of where it came from. The most effective way to do this is to lean on emotion-provoking assets related to your ecommerce brand.

• Whatever inserts you include, have them emphasize what your company stands for or is passionate about.
• If your company has any “green” elements, like using recycled packaging, call attention to that. 
• Draw attention to it if orders play into a charitable aspect of your ecommerce brand (like, for every order we donate a ___).

Note – We suggest hitting the ground running by highlighting the story your band is trying to tell on the outside of your packaging, decorating the box itself. This leads to a great first impression right away!

Lumi Custom Packaging 

3.)  Pack with Purpose

Despite what the term “unboxing” suggests, there is more to unboxing than the box itself. The wrapping materials inside any package are just as important. 

A crucial factor for this is choosing packaging that correlates to the products inside. Make sure that packaging comfortably matches the size and fragility needs of the ordered product(s). For example: a large item in a larger, sturdy box or a clothing item in a smaller package not reliant on durability like a polymailer. 

These choices impact the unboxing experience by ensuring the items aren’t damaged and also aren’t using unnecessary space. Customers are unhappy when an ordered item is damaged due to insufficient packaging. However, they’re also not thrilled when they have to open box after box—going through more layers than a Russian Nesting Doll to reach their order inside. 

Then apply the same logic from your outer packaging to your inner packaging. There are many different types of dunnage you can utilize to encase your ecommerce brand’s assortment of SKUs. Protection should be the first priority when making your selection, followed by budget and green/sustainability choices. Just like with outer packaging keep in mind the ease of opening for an epic unboxing experience. You don’t want to frustrate your customers with prolonged or messy openings, like if they have to dig through a sea of packing peanuts. Moreover, there are some amazing eco-friendly packaging options to consider to really make an impact with your unboxing goodwill!

Once you’ve considered all these base points, you can effectively reinforce your branding and story with customized packaging and dunnage. Examples include boxes or tissue paper in your brand’s color scheme, branded boxes or tissue paper, and even some fun extras like ribbons and custom-logo tape.

Stickermule Custom Packaging 

4.) Include Extras

Who doesn’t love a freebie? Inserts can make a positive impact on an unboxing experience. These extras strengthen the connection a customer feels with your ecommerce brand, heighten the experience, and increase the odds of repeat purchases. A few of our favorite sweet-somethings that shoppers can remember you by are:

• Coupons for use on the next purchase 
• Educational inserts about the ordered product(s) or other products that the customer may be interested in
• Handwritten and signed notes thanking the customer for the purchase
• Free samples related to the product(s) ordered from your ecommerce brand
• Other freebies cohesive with your ecommerce brand and its product line

Packwire Custom Packaging 

5.) Feng Shui Product Presentation

Your products reached the customer on time and intact. Yay! The buyer is pleased, so time to build on that satisfaction (not derail it) by ensuring the products inside are arranged properly. 

Part of that means making certain the products are going to stay in place with the right dunnage so things don’t roll around or get smushed into each other. The next part of that is the order in which customers discover the items inside.

You don’t want the first thing a customer sees inside an order to be the receipt, invoice, or return label. You also don’t necessarily want the extras or inserts to come first and take away from the star of this show. Have customers find what they ordered first so as not to detract from that and not risk tempering that initial excited reaction. Other items included should be found after. All in all, a well-packaged, organized ecommerce order creates an experience vs. everything piled together in a box with no order, which is just a bunch of stuff in a box.  

6.) Stress-Free Delivery

The joy of an unboxing experience can often start before the box even reaches the door. A strong shipping game is a hugely determining factor when it comes to unboxing satisfaction. Why? Because even if a customer is ecstatic about a purchase, the excitement can be dampened by any stress related to receiving it. Customers can already be in a bad mood when an order arrives if:

• Shipping was delayed
• The shipment was later than foretold
• The original delivery was lost and this is a replacement
• The package arrives in a displeasing way (thrown over a gate, hidden in an obscure bush where a customer can’t see it, etc.) 

ShipMonk has made a name for itself thanks to the premier shipping solutions we provide ecommerce brands all over the world. So in regards to this element of the unboxing experience, fear not. We’ll be sure your packages are in the best hands in terms of actually being packed and the shipping process, so they can reach your customers in a safe and timely manner. We also offer extra ways you can secure those orders with package protection, post-purchase suite options, and advanced 3PL software where you can monitor all order statuses and send out delivery status notifications to buyers.

7.) Minimize the Chance of Mistakes

This should be the behind-scenes element of the unboxing experience. Nothing throws a bucket of water on the fires of order-opening joy like finding the wrong item inside. With any luck, your ecommerce brand will never have to deal with this kind of negative unboxing experience. 

While mistakes do happen, the chances minimize tremendously when you utilize omnichannel fulfillment and 3PL fulfillment services from an industry leader like ShipMonk. We aren’t just known for award-winning customer service and our 4X faster industry picking/packing rates. Our fulfillment team proudly has a 99.9% accuracy rate that leads to a higher percentage of happy unboxing experiences across the globe!

Unbox Your Ecommerce Brand Potential

First impressions are important in life and ecommerce. The unboxing experience is an important tool your ecommerce brand can harness to make a great impression on new and old buyers, encouraging them to buy again and share the joy of their experience with others (in regular life and online).

At ShipMonk, we understand the value this kind of customization brings to the table, and we are here for it and here for you! Whatever custom packaging and dunnage choices you’d like to go with to enhance your ecommerce brand’s unboxing experience, let us know and we’d be happy to work with you to turn those into realities. You can also trust that we will take care of quickly and accurately picking and shipping your orders with the utmost care so they reach customers on time and in ideal condition!

The unboxing experience is an amazing opportunity to build a connection with your customers; don’t be boxed in by humdrum packaging and delivery standards that affect this any longer. Contact our 3PL fulfillment team to get your ecommerce brand orders in the hands of people who will give them the care they deserve before they reach the hands of your customers!