5 ways to increase customer retention through unboxing

Increasing customer retention and customer engagement is a must, especially when growing your brand. But what is the appropriate approach to begin with? Well the perfect starting point is; customizing your packaging and maximizing your customer’s unboxing experience.

The unboxing experience can enhance your customer’s satisfaction and experience. Unique packaging that is practical with a look that represents your brand will elevate your image and your product’s perceived value. This will increase your returning customers and marketing through social media sharing.

You can customize your packaging in various ways, and to help you out we will guide you throughout the effect of captivating packaging to improve your customer retention and experience.

In this blog post we will look at:

• The power of captivating packaging
• 5 packaging customizations to enhance unboxing experiences
• Customized shipping boxes
• Free gifts
• Seasonal or campaign specific cards
• Scented notes
• Promotional Flyers and coupons
• Hive’s personalized packaging

The power of captivating packaging

Packaging is essential for many functional processes; from storing, preserving and keeping the quality of your products, but it can also impact your marketing mix. Captivating packaging can give your customers a well-rounded experience.

The packaging experience can make your customer feel excited, become enthusiastic about the products inside the box, and give them a sense of involvement. In fact, according to an IPSOS survey approximately 70% of consumers are influenced by packaging when making their purchase decision.

When you give your customers a memorable unboxing experience, you increase your customer loyalty. And loyal customers will provide you with lifelong value to your business.

Furthermore, good packaging can turn your customers into advocates for your brand. A captivating package can lead to social media sharing, which has recently bloomed into trending unboxing videos. These videos showcase the unpackaging of products, often emphasizing the quality and creativity of the packaging itself.

As your consumers increasingly turn to social media to share their experiences, your brand has the opportunity to use packaging as a way to create memorable and shareable moments. You only need to add some packaging inserts to make your customer happy and increase this engagement.

This is why we have compiled 5 packaging customizations to enhance your unboxing experience.

5 packaging customizations to enhance unboxing experiences

Packaging inserts are additional items that are added to a shipping order to help you engage with your customer more effectively. These inserts will help you communicate your brand’s message and assure them of your product’s quality.

Packaging inserts add an extra excitement and depth to your customer’s unboxing experience by making it possible for customers to experience your brand and feel appreciated.

Having an automated method to add your packaging inserts can make your process much more efficient. For example, if you work with Hive, you can use fulfillment add-on rules. These are rules you can implement that trigger certain add-ons when certain order conditions are reached. For example, you could create a rule where all orders over a certain value get a free gift, or that all orders from Spain get a thank you note in Spanish. You can find out more about them in this blog post.

If you are still unsure on which packaging ideas to start with and add to your product, we have some examples to maximize your customer’s unboxing experience.

1. Customized shipping boxes

A great way to start improving your customer’s unboxing experience is by customizing your shipping boxes. By designing a shipping box that reflects your brand identity you can give the customer a memorable and consistent brand experience.

The shipping box is often the first physical interaction a customer has with your brand, so it's important to make a good first impression. By incorporating your brand's visual elements into the design of the shipping box, you can reinforce your brand identity and make your packaging stand out.

You can even go one step further and add instructions on how to use the product(s) in the box’s lid, a QR code leading to your website or an interactive QR code for your audience engagement.

2. Free gifts

Adding freebies are amazing incentives to attract and retain customers.

Freebies can be given as a gift with purchase or as a reward for customer loyalty. You can also use them to encourage customers to try new products or services by offering a free sample.

Additionally, you can use freebies to encourage customers to spend more by setting a minimum purchase requirement above a certain basket value. Setting these specifics can be easily done with the add-on rules through our Hive app.

3. Seasonal or campaign-specific cards

Customers love feeling appreciated and special, and cards are just ideal for this. Seasonal or campaign-specific cards provide an opportunity for you to connect with your customers on a personal level and create a memorable experience for them.

For example, holiday-themed cards specific to a country’s holiday can create a festive atmosphere and help your international community feel valued and appreciated during a special time of year. Similarly, campaign-specific cards can help your brand communicate personalized messages behind your product and create a sense of excitement and anticipation.

You can even go one step further for your influencer packages and personalize their notes. For example, with the Hive add-on rules you can add a specific card to orders marked in your shop as “influencer”, which will help you connect with customers, build brand awareness, and drive sales.

4. Scented notes

Enrich your customer’s senses and heart by using scented notes and personalized messages. By engaging the customer's senses and making them feel appreciated and valued, scented notes and personalized messages create a positive emotional response that can leave a lasting impression.

You can even go one step further and increase the likelihood of cross selling by using scents that align with your brand values and personality. Use Hive’s personalized packaging and set a unique and cohesive brand experience that sets you apart from your competitors and reinforces your brand identity.

5. Promotional flyers and coupons

Last but not least, increase your potential customers' reach with flyers and coupons. These packaging inserts provide a tangible representation of your business's offerings and can be used to inform your customers of new products, promotions, and discounts.

With coupons you can offer a percentage discount on the total purchase price, which will encourage your customers to buy more items. Whereas flyers can be designed to showcase the benefits and features of products and services, provide pricing information, and highlight the unique selling points of a business.

Furthermore, these packaging add-ons are an ideal opportunity for your brand to do cross-promotions between a pool of companies.

Hive’s personalized packaging

Hive offers the perfect approach to your packaging inserts, so you can elevate your unboxing experience and leave a lasting impression on your customers. We offer 5 of the best packaging inserts to increase your customer’s retention and create a sense of loyalty among your audience.

So, take your unboxing experience to the next level with Hive.