Selling a product does not only depend on your sales team.
A few years ago, the most luxurious mall in London (and probably all over Europe) – Harrods – announced that it would focus on online sales. The decision is surprising because luxury shopping (especially in this place known for its splendid interior design and elegance) has never had a huge success in the field of e-commerce. Nevertheless, the owners of this iconic London center claim that this decision is the biggest investment of the brand since its creation.
Harrods is not the only luxury brand to put its hopes in e-commerce. Indeed, many apparel companies – Michael Kors, Versace or Gucci – have established connections with online sales platforms. For example, Zalando, which offered a very diversified range on its platform, has just launched its high-end version: Zalando Lounge. And this has also become a reality for many luxury brands. So, if they want to prosper and grow, they must work on their online presence.
What is the connection between the brands and the packaging?
As said by recent theory, a luxury product is no longer enough reason for it to be the first choice of a customer in the distribution. But, what does that mean?
At last, it is the customers who have really changed. Generation Youth will soon reach the peak of their career, making them the main client group. Generation Y likes to feel included in a brand and notices the slightest detail in a product.
In addition, nowadays, a product is better understood with a broader concept. Thus, the product becomes the customer service. It represents the values of the company. And this one, must be durable and deliverable.
So, you may have already figured it out – the packaging is an extension of the product.
So why do we call the packaging a silent business?
Let’s go back to the examples of luxury brands and Harrods. The experience in a store differs radically from that of receiving a product sent. When you set foot in a shop, you notice a lot of things. For example, the particular smell, the arrangement of lights and dark corners, the exposure of products, employees, their clothes, etc…
All of these things are part of the brand image. However, when switching to the e-commerce model, these factors no longer matter because they cease to exist. In their place, we find the design of the website, online customer service, and so on.
In addition, it is at this point that packaging begins to play an increasingly important role. Take this example: it is not difficult to send a package. Nevertheless, it is much more complicated to make the delivery and the opening of a box memorable! As a result, a luxury product requires a high-end packaging solution.
Moreover, even though it is not a shipping container, the packaging designs of the perfume industry are fabulous. Designers working on international flagship brands create real masterpieces – and imbue them with a real artistic aura.
What are the cardboard packaging solutions that fit the philosophy of a premium brand?
Sometimes, just simplicity is enough. Many brands that have been working on their reinforcement over the years, have no problem adopting a classic cardboard box with a logo printed in black.
The majority of luxury brands tend to incorporate minimalism into their designs. Indeed, in order to stand out, designers use a lot of new techniques. For example, some luxury brand packaging uses ribbons, others a special opening or a small window exposing the product. Also, they can play with the texture and the surface of the package to give the desire to touch it.
Luxury brands that have moved to e-commerce are proof that customer preferences are changing. E-commerce is constantly growing with real space available for new players.
As a result, the techniques used in the design of the packaging are increasingly diverse. In the end, all these changes enrich the user experience. In addition, once your product has reached the desired level of luxury, you will be able to meet the new expectations of your customers.
