One aspect of merchandising that is often overlooked except by large manufacturers is packaging. Many producers think that putting the product in a box that can be displayed on the shelf with colorful designs to attract the buyer eye is enough for it to sell. It may have worked before but not anymore. Today consumers are more discriminating and there are more choices to choose from in systems and materials, most designed specifically for certain products such as fruits and vegetables. Wax packaging, for instance, are usually used for foodstuffs, seafood packaging use vacuum packs to preserve flavor, while poultry boxes are for eggs, naturally.
Given the bewildering choices, mistakes in packaging designs are quite commonplace resulting in slow-moving products. Below are some errors and suggestions to correct them:
Misread market niche: The packaging design did not appeal to the intended market due to incorrect market research information. Product flops due to wrong packaging are quite common, appearing and disappearing without much fuss. With a new research of correct design that rectified errors, a few products managed to stage a comeback and flourished. It is a good idea to do an extensive market research when designing a packaging design especially if it is appealing to a worldwide market. Simply redesign the package can target the largest niche and design take off packaging for corollary markets.
Too small or too large package: For some products, single-serve packaging may work very well, but not for others. Women may prefer easy-to-carry sizes they place in their bags or purses, but older people may only care for easy-to-open packaging designs. Many manufacturers adapt to the market by noting which package size sell best and produce more of them.
Opening the package is too difficult: Nobody wants to struggle just to open a product package, but nobody wants to have a tampered one either. So a compromise between tamper-proof and easy-open (as well as other factors) package is in order. For some, however, this will be a too-tall order and will settle for one end or the other.
Outdated packaging: In this fast-paced world it will be too much to tote home from the store a 20-pound sack of potatoes. Most will prefer just five pounds or maybe a ten-pound bag once in a while if the need is great. In fact, the fast-moving foodstuff items in supermarkets are those of the easy-tote, a-few-days-consumption varieties.
Additionally, many product manufacturers are redesigning their packages to cater to present customer needs and preferences, not only in foodstuffs but in many other kinds of products.
Overdecorating the package: Keep the design and product information simple. Sometimes too much product information can lessen the visual impact. When people do not recognize your product in one glance they will proceed to the next one on the shelf Product descriptions must be clear and easily readable to maximize visual recognition.Product packaging errors are not limited to those above, however, inasmuch as there are millions of products in the market. These are just examples to give you an idea of the problems you face in packaging your product.
On the other hand, if your product sells satisfactorily, why bother?
