As a company specialized in the import and sourcing of Asian-made products, we wish to highlight in this post the concept of packaging, a key feature in order to strengthen the brand image and value of the brand itself, to differentiate the business from the competition and, of course, to help increase the overall sales.
Packaging is a key part of the product focusing on the overall presentation of the goods. Precisely for that reason, and taking into account that the first impression the final customer gets is the most important one, it is an element that should be truly taken care of in detail, since it is a key element in the marketing strategy of any brand or business.
Packaging itself can come in many different formats: from a simple plastic bag to a carton box (that in itself in a variety of shapes and sizes), but, if it is well conceived, it will make the customer always think about the brand and the product.
In this context, it is important to take into account that, in most cases, packaging is also crucial for imported goods. Therefore, the packaging that accompanies the items we sell should comply with two basic jobs: it should be functional (to protect the products) as well as communicative (i.e., linked to the brand).
Main types of packaging
Before going over the different types of packaging, it is worthwhile to consider that precisely the type of product we wish to sell, will definitely determine in part the type of packaging we will need, as well as the associated cost and difficulty in terms of procurement.
In general, we could say there are three main types of packaging, all of which can be differentiated based on their respective relation to the product itself.
Primary packaging (also known as independent packaging): it is generally used in businesses where goods or services are provided for their direct consumption and they are usually inseparable from the product itself. This type of packaging, one might argue, is in essence the product itself as well and therefore its design is critical. A good example would be the beer glasses that certain brands offer in bars or night clubs.
Secondary packaging: in this type of packaging, the main objective is to join a number of small units into one larger unit. A clear example would be a set of milk packs, in which we will find a number of grouped units.
Tertiary packaging (which we usually refer to as ‘packaging’ itself): these are all types of packaging and the like we use to solely protect the goods, although often they can contribute to help improving the brand image of the product. In both cases and in order to strengthen the overall marketing strategy, it is critical that it contains a number of clearly identifiable elements, like the logo or corporate colors of our company.
What should we take into account when designing packaging?
Packaging is much more than an element linked to transport or distribution. It may actually have a major impact on and potential for our brand, even for private label products where the sole differentiation from the competition is the mere presentation of the goods.
As part of the marketing strategy, it should be considered which is our main target audience, which actions can be taken in relation to the packaging and how our audience will react to all this. Social media and certain new trends like unboxing force the brands to dedicate maximum attention to the packaging that accompanies the products.
Additionally, it should be noted that packaging may be a highly powerful tool in order to increase the brand loyalty of our customers. This can happen by means of QR codes that give access to exclusive experiences, user manuals, contact forms for customer service or discount coupons for future purchases; they are all great options we can print on our product’s packaging.
Shall I import the packaging or shall I get it made locally?
To be truly realistic, it should be noted that, depending on the type of packaging we need, the prices of some packaging types have become more and more economical in the countries where we might sell the products.
This is mainly due to the fact that companies that until a few years ago were primarily focused on editorial designs are now expanding their offerings and, thanks to digital technology, they can provide nowadays a wide variety of products and services linked to publicity and the like, at very competitive prices, without having to order high volumes (which can be ideal for A/B tests in marketing) and supply the goods in just a few days’ time.
Nevertheless, in case we need a specific format for our packaging and, on top of that, we need large volumes, importing packaging from China or other Asian countries will surely be the best option. E.g., his is the case of one of the leading perfume producing companies in Spain, who decided to select the sourcing services of our team to import glass bottles, chromed caps, spray mechanisms and sample valves, each of them critical parts in the personalisation process of the products.
As specialists at sourcing in Asian countries, at S3 Group we are not only able to manage the import processes for the packaging needs of any type of company, but we can also offer consulting services related to the best competitive options depending on the products for which we wish to reinforce both the protection and brand image with a personalized packaging solution.