How can digital printing help brands to achieve differentiation through differentiated cartons in the new E-Commerce environment?

How can digital printing help brands to achieve differentiation through differentiated cartons in the new E-Commerce environment？

E-commerce has proved to be a lifesaver for many brands during the epidemic period. With various digital initiatives, e-commerce enables companies to continue to operate and provide services to consumers during the peak of the pandemic. Nowadays, as enterprises are thinking about next steps of the e-commerce development, a particular area has attracted more and more attention which is packaging. It is particularly how brands can use their e-commerce packaging to delight customers and provide a differentiated shopping experience, thus increasing customer loyalty and engagement. While the role of digital printing in creating new opportunities for brands to develop innovative and visually appealing e-commerce packaging is obvious, which is sufficient to enrich the consumer experience and bring broader brand awareness and marketing plans.

A Changing Market

According to the research of Euromonitor International, e-commerce was proved to be one of the most powerful sales channels for retailers during the epidemic, and the global online product sales increased by 26% in 2020. The food and beverage industry witnessed the most significant growth, with an increase of 53%, and an absolute value growth of more than $80 billion. Research shows that the online growth of digital sales will continue to accelerate, accounting for more than half of the absolute value growth in the global retail industry from 2020 to 2025, equivalent to $136 million.

Although e-commerce sales are growing overall, the competition between brands is very fierce because they seek to take advantage of this opportunity. This raises questions about how to differentiate consumers and interact with them to provide a positive brand experience to drive reviews, recommendations and repeat sales. The moment consumers receive the products they buy becomes a critical moment in their memory, and the moment they will share it with their contacts on social media platforms.

Once upon a time, as far as corrugated cardboard boxes were concerned, the only purpose was to transport products from A to B in good condition. However, the times have changed. Now the packaging of e-commerce provides a new way for brands to achieve differentiation and interaction with consumers. Attractive, consumer-focused packaging can be used to provide an out-of-the-box experience that expands the brand story, support broader marketing activities, provide a modern and personalized consumer experience during product delivery.

Out Of Box Experience

The idea of providing an impressive, complex and creative unpacking experience is not new. For at least the past decade, luxury retailers in the high-end fashion, jewelry, consumer electronics and automotive sectors have offered this experience. The idea of recording and sharing online unboxing experiences isn't new either. The first unboxing video appeared on the Nokia E61 mobile phone on Yahoo Technologies in 2006.

However, the challenge in the past was that the cost and availability of printing technology prevented all brands except the most luxury brands from participating. Nowadays, with the increasing popularity of digital printing technology, small brands and the brands in industries with low profits can also compete and offer innovative experiences to today's e-commerce shoppers. With digital printing, the printing method is flexible, plate free, and requires minimal setup time. Therefore, the previous restrictions (such as cost and minimum print volume) are no longer barriers to creating attractive packaging for e-commerce.

Technology Leads the Way

With digital printing, brands can integrate seasonality, loyalty, and broader marketing plans into their product packaging. Short-run printing can produce 100-10,000 packs at competitive prices. The Vibrant Forest Brewery located in New Forest National Park in the UK has celebrated its 10th anniversary with a limited edition beer gift pack using digital printing technology - the packaging developed is attractive and colourful, helping to commemorate this moment with creativity and talent.

Digital printing also creates a more personalized experience for recipients. For example, PostmanPooch offers a gift box mailing service for pet dogs that can be customized according to the breed and occasions. The brand is also promoting the unpacking experience for its shoppers on its website by quoting Instagram posts and published reviews, highlighting the potential of unpacking experience.

The small batch printing promoted by digital printing enables brands to control the consumer experience. The information printed on the carton can directly invite consumers to share their thoughts online, and the QR codes printed on the carton can be used to provide additional product information, promote loyalty programs, and further encourage social sharing. When consumers record their product unpacking experience, you can browse multiple social media platforms to watch the process.

Digital printing also has considerable environmental benefits. This technology overcomes any excessive waste problem caused by the minimum printing volume of traditional Flexo printing systems, enabling brands to produce smaller printing volume when needed. In addition, creating specific a brand for e-commerce packaging can actually reduce the overall packaging used by the brand. In the past, retail products may be delivered to consumers in a common carton for logistics. Now the traditional carton packaging can become part of the visual creative unpacking experience, and reduce the number of non-essential packaging.

Conclusion

Short-run, creative, personalized packaging is no longer the monopoly of luxury brands. Digital printing provides a significant opportunity for all industries to directly face consumers and e-commerce brands, and offers the potential to enrich consumer experience and establish contact with consumers at a more personalized level. Unpacking and personalization, along with creative consumer marketing, engagement, and packaging strategies, are likely to drive consumer relationships in ways that provide repeat business, increase consumer loyalty, and build better brand awareness. Digital printing is democratizing this potential for brands. And companies are only now touching the surface of what is possible. For brands that have not yet considered digital printing for e-commerce packaging, it may be time to reevaluate the existing consumer experience and participation and "go digital".