Why Good Protective Packaging Is Essential for a Great Brand

When you think about packaging, what comes to mind? Perhaps it's the shape, the color, or the aesthetic appearance. But packaging’s primary role is to protect your product.

Protective packaging is any material used to shield your product from damage during shipping, handling, storage, and delivery. It's a critical element that ensures your product reaches yourcustomer as intended without any damage.

When done right, protective packaging plays a dual role: it protects your products and simultaneously protects your brand by delivering on consumer expectations. By investing in quality protective packaging materials, you not only safeguard your products but also preserve your brand's reputation and relationship with customers.

When someone chooses to buy from you, they are choosing to trust you. That trust is a given until it is lost, and a broken product will most certainly result in broken trust.

The Roles of Protective Packaging

The journey from warehouse to customer is fraught with potential hazards. Boxes are stacked, shuffled, and sometimes mishandled. Protective packaging inside the shipper box serves as an essential buffer against these risks, cushioning your products in materials that can absorb shock, resist pressure, and prevent moisture damage.

There are many types of protective packaging and materials available, including a wide range of void fills, protective mailers, bubble, custom manufactured foam, suspension and retention packaging, and more. Selecting the “right solution” depends on your brand, your product(s), and the methods of shipping and distribution that will be used. You can dive deeper into selecting the right protective packaging materials here.

Protective packaging also plays a key role in the unboxing experience. The unboxing experience often shapes a customer's first impression of a product and is a key touchpoint for the brand. If the experience iscumbersome, inconvenient, ineffective, or not aesthetically pleasing, the disappointment can tarnish your brand's image and decrease the likelihood of repeat business. Conversely, if the experience is memorable and seamless, it can enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.

The Intersection of Protection and Branding

While receiving a product without damage is important, it's merely the baseline and an expectation from customers. It would be ideal for brands to start considering protective packaging as a touchpoint for branding and a prime opportunity to reinforce your brand identity. Every layer, from the outer boxing to the internal cushioning, offers the potential for you to impress your customer.

One of the key considerations with protective packaging is aligning the material choice, whenever possible, to your brand values (think recyclable materials for brands big on sustainability, or high-quality materials for luxury brands).

As consumers become increasingly environmentally conscious, opting for sustainable protective materials can reflect positively on your brand ethos. Embracing eco-friendly choices like biodegradable cushioning films, eco-friendly paper mailers, or recyclable void fill solutions allows your brand to reinforce its commitment to the planet to your customer.

Case Study

Good protective packaging solutions can not only improve customer experience but also reduce costs. Consider this case study from Pregis, for example:

A major national retailer employing "ship from store" encountered customer complaints and rising costs from damages and excessive packaging. A Pregis void-fill solution was implemented that yielded the client annual savings of $14.1 million, reduced storage requirements, and increased productivity. The solution not only minimized damages but also standardized processes, leading to significant cost reductions.

As a Pregis partner, The BoxMaker is your go-to supplier for cost-saving protective packaging solutions such as these.

Protective Packaging Solutions for Your Brand

Protective packaging is more than a functional necessity; it's a key player in the narrative of your brand. When done right, it communicates care, quality, and aligns with your brand values. As you reflect on your own packaging needs, consider the message you're sending with every package that leaves your door.

For brands looking to make a lasting impression, protective packaging should be a cornerstone of your strategy. If you're ready to enhance your packaging strategy, our Packaging Advisors can help. Contact our team to get started today.