Are you a business owner looking for small business packaging ideas?
You’ve come to the right place. We’ve been designing packages for five years this post will cover everything about my experience. If you’d like to have a look, check out our portfolio or contact us.
High-quality product packaging can provide an excellent customer experience. Custom packaging can also make all the difference when competing with more well-known brands.
I listed the best small business packaging ideas to help you establish your brand and boost your sales.
Let’s begin!
Types of Packaging for Small Businesses
Small business packaging ideas usually fall under one of these categories:
- Boxes
- Wraps
- Bags
- Pouches
However, these packaging ideas for small businesses don’t need to be plain and boring! You can create ways and means to enhance your brand and delight your customers when they receive your items.
1. Custom Printed Shipping Boxes
You might be one of many small business owners who hesitate to go for a customized shipping box. You might think personalized corrugated board boxes are unnecessary because they’re designed primarily to protect your items in transit.
Consumers have different opinions on custom boxes. According to one study, 72% of Americans agree that packaging design plays a significant role in their purchasing decisions.
If a customer comes across two similar products, one in a plain box and the other in a printed box, it’s likelier for the customer to buy the item in the printed box. Thus, custom-printed packaging has a direct influence on sales volume.
You don’t need to break the bank to make your products stand out. Some companies offer customized shipping boxes in smaller quantities and at more affordable prices.
2. Wraps with Custom Prints
Imokilly Cheese Packaging by Dieline
Sandwiches, pita wraps, clothes, and fashion accessories will look more attractive if you use branded paper wraps. Aside from increasing brand awareness, wraps are a great way to personalize small business items.
For example, you can wrap a scarf in custom tissue paper with your logo and other prints. You can also use stickers and some twine for added flair.
If you are a small business owner selling giftable items, you can also consider using custom paper wraps to ensure that clients will remember you.
3. Personalized Paper Bags
Printed shopping bags are not only good for increasing brand awareness. If you have high-quality and aesthetically pleasing custom paper bags, customers can reuse them any way they want.
You can also do more like wraps to give your paper bag a personal touch. Use soft tissue paper to add a luxurious look and feel. Add hangtags, inserts, and bows for a more charming look.
4. Labeled Pouches
If you’re selling edible products that need secure packaging to stay fresh, sealed pouches are for you. These pouches are also suitable for liquid or powder products.
A standup pouch is excellent for displaying your items on shelves or tabletops, while small flat pouches are great for sample-sized packaging.
These pouches can also double as storage bags, especially resealable ones. You can entice consumers to keep and reuse your product pouches by adding some pretty prints and designs to them.
Cute Packaging Ideas for Small Business
Want to go the extra mile and try creative packaging ideas? Here are some attractive product packaging options to help consumers easily recognize your items.
5. Boxes with Unique Shapes and Wrapped Illustrations
Why settle for rectangular or square boxes if you can package your stuff in ones with unique shapes and wrapped illustrations?
While expensive brands usually reserve oddly shaped packaging for luxury items, that doesn’t mean you can’t use unique shapes for your small business packaging. You can go for hexagonal boxes because they are as easy to stack and display as regular boxes.
Go for wrapped prints if you’d rather stick to typical packaging shapes. If you’re selling pet treats, you can print a cat silhouette on the product box with the cat’s tail extending to another side of the box.
6. Die Cuts
Die-cut branded packaging is an excellent option because they are cute and quirky. This packaging design also allows you to show a more significant portion of your product without exposing it to the elements.
Die-cut boxes and pouches make your products great for displaying on store shelves. Who wouldn’t notice a box of cookies inside a wide-opened mouth, right?
7. Themed Packaging
Themed packaging is perfect if you’re running a subscription-based small business. It’s also great for sending product samples or selling gift sets for special occasions and holidays.
It may be expensive, but themed packaging can significantly improve branding and customer satisfaction. Carefully crafted themed boxes can also encourage your customer to do an unboxing video, which translates to free promotion of your brand.
8. Custom Flat Mailers
Photo by Elyse Breanna Design
Flat mailers are suitable for small businesses that sell stationery or art pieces. This type of business packaging does not only offer extra protection. You can also add details to it to make it more memorable for your customer.
You can print some of your artistic work on it. Your personal touch can excite customers to receive your products in the mail.
9. Handpainted Paper Wraps
Who says simple protective packaging for small business items is bland? If you have some craft paper packaging, paint, and a lot of creativity, you can make your handpainted wraps.
Your customers can repurpose this packaging and use it as gift wrapping, making handpainted paper wraps an eco-friendly packaging option for your small business.
10. Pocket Packaging
Is paper folding your thing? Put your folding skills to good use!
Pocket packaging is an excellent way to package small business products and enhance customer experience.
Fold craft paper around your product to form front pockets, and then insert a thank you card, a business card, or some dried flowers into them. Use twine, tape, or one of your logo stickers to keep the wrapping in place.
You can also use eco-friendly packaging materials like recycled paper or old newspapers and magazines instead of craft paper.
11. Vintage Fabric Wrap
Vintage fabric is an attractive custom packaging option if you sell vintage items. You can also use vintage stationery and vintage scraps as inserts. Doing so will make your customers feel like they’re unwrapping a gift when they receive your product.
Fabric packaging is a clever packaging idea because it’s like a free item. Customers can reuse it to wrap another item or gift.
People can also upcycle custom fabric packaging by using it as part of a quilt or turning it into a handkerchief or scarf.
12. Canvas Bags and Pouches
Canvas bags and pouches are also cute packaging options for many businesses.
Completely control your packaging design by using DIY canvas packaging for your business.
If your store sells many different products, you can opt for canvas totes to give customers enough room for their purchases. For smaller items, you can use drawstring canvas pouches.
Your customers will be glad to reuse your canvas bags if the design stands out.
Packaging For Small Items that Small Business Owners Must Try
13. Unique Packaging for Jewelry
Small businesses selling small items like jewelry and accessories can go for low-cost yet cute custom packaging.
A good example is presenting a pair of earrings on a piece of cardboard printed with a woman’s head. On the other hand, bracelets can be “worn” by cut-out cardboard hands and wrists.
These unique packaging designs will attract new customers and ensure that your existing ones stay.
14. Pillow Boxes
Pillow boxes are easy DIY small business packaging for small items. They’re perfect for jewelry, food items, handmade soap, party favors, and cosmetics. Close the eye-shaped ends of pillow boxes with tape or ribbons.
Establish your brand identity by stamping or printing your logo on the side of the pillow box. You can also use logo stickers.
15. Custom or Recycled Paper Belly Bands
Belly bands are custom sleeves that wrap around the entire width of your products.
Many businesses use belly bands on items such as natural soaps and shampoo bars to prevent packaging waste. Small businesses even use recycled cardboard or paper to create sustainable belly bands.
Belly bands show off your products. Thus, consumers can see, feel, and even smell your items before purchasing them.
Product Packaging Design for Small Business
Want to encourage customers to do unboxing videos? These product packaging ideas can help you.
16. Fillers
Photo by Amazon Fashion
Fill your box with crumpled or thin strips of colored tissue or craft paper. Doing so protects fragile items and adds aesthetics to your packaging.
This packaging is also more environmentally friendly than other shipping materials like plastic bubble wrap or foam beads.
17. Include Inserts in your custom packaging
Photo by Cratejoy
You can improve your business packaging and make them stand out with carefully selected inserts like:
- Botanicals
Insert dried flowers and leaves in pocket packaging or include them inside subscription boxes for aesthetic purposes. They also work great with vintage packaging.
- Coupons
Including discount coupons in packages will encourage your customers to make repeat purchases.
- Custom notes
Show your customers that you see them and their needs. Write them simple thank you notes and include one in every purchase.
- Business cards
Insert cards containing your social handles and a call to action for leaving reviews to enhance the customer experience.
- Custom care instruction cards or sheets
This insert is essential when selling clothes and other delicate items because they tell customers how to take care of your products.
- Polaroid goodies
If you own a polaroid camera, you can create a simple polaroid photo for a more personal packaging insert.
- Art prints
You can also include works of art in your product packaging to connect with your customers.
18. Other Branded Elements to Make your Packaging Stand out
Another cute packaging option that can enhance your small business is packaging with branded elements.
You can get custom-made branded accessories or create one of your own.
Here are some elements that you can include in your packaging:
- Branded stickers
Custom logo stickers are an easy way to personalize your packages when you’re just starting and don’t have printed mailers or boxes yet. Stickers are also perfect for branding small items like candles, handmade soap, and shampoo bars.
- Hang tags
Aside from your branding, hang tags can also include care instructions if you sell clothes, candles, jewelry, and other items that require special care. Hang tags also work well with bottled items.
- Custom Stamps
Rubber stamps are great for personalizing canvas pouches and paper bags. Meanwhile, you can use wax stamps to add a touch of luxury to your item packaging.
You also need something to hold your packaging elements together:
- Personalized packing tape
Instead of plain adhesive tape, go for printed and colored tapes to encourage your customer to do an unboxing video of your package. The personalized touch will make your customers feel you care about them.
- Ribbons
Make every package feel like a gift with ribbons and bows. Use colors that match your brand.
- Twine
Paper and fiber twine work well with eco-friendly packaging and vintage-themed wraps.
Why a Small Business Owner Should Care About Small Business Packaging Aesthetic
Here are some of the benefits of using creative business packaging.
Protection
Your item should reach your client in one piece, free from damage. Otherwise, you’re bound to get bad reviews, which can significantly affect your reputation.
Corrugated boxes are available in different board styles, flute types, and thicknesses, each designed to protect specific items.
For example, you can use thicker boxes when shipping fragile products. You can also use fillers like paper or foam to cushion your items and prevent them from breaking.
Branding
Customers are more likely to remember your brand if they see it in your packaging.
Brand recognition is vital for small businesses since it enables them to compete with well-known companies. As you scale and improve the quality of your products, ensure that you have quality packaging options to match.
Customer Connection
80% of customers consider their experience as crucial as the product or service itself. Customers want businesses to treat them like people instead of just numbers.
Creative packaging is one of the many ways that can enhance customer experience. When you go the extra mile to package your products, they will feel like gifts rather than simple purchases.
That’s also why unboxing videos have become popular these days. People want to share their positive experiences with brands. You will likely get new customers if they see your product in an unboxing video.
Increased Revenue
When businesses connect with customers, they foster loyalty and encourage repeat purchases. You can also get free referrals and advertising from satisfied customers.
The Bottom Line
Not putting much thought into packaging and product presentation is a common mistake small business owners make.
Don’t make the same mistake in your own business.
Start improving your packaging today by choosing at least one small business packaging idea from my list.
Are you Interested in starting a business to use one of the packaging ideas I mentioned? Check out these ecommerce business ideas.
