Online, you can explain your product at length. On a shelf, you cannot. Your packaging has a few seconds to tell a passing shopper what the product is, who it is for and why it is worth picking up.
Lead with the main benefit
Decide what the shopper most needs to know and make it the clearest thing on the front of the pack. Supporting claims can follow, but a package that tries to say everything usually says nothing.
Make the difference visible
Look at the products beside yours. If your package could be swapped for a competitor without anyone noticing, it is not working hard enough. Distinct color, shape or structure helps shoppers find you again.
Design for the shelf, not the screen
- Check legibility from several feet away
- Keep the product name and benefit large and uncluttered
- Test next to competing products in a real store
- Make sure required labeling is accurate and easy to read
Think about handling too
Packaging also has to survive shipping and stocking. Case packs, shelf-ready formats and sturdy materials protect the product and make it easier for store teams to display.
Good packaging is part design and part strategy. When it is right, it does some of the selling for you.