Guide to Picking the Right Product Packaging

How you wrap, protect and present what you sell influences customer decisions

By Jennifer Baljko, Freelance Writer and Editor

1. Protect products
2. Reflect your business identity and brand
3. Attract customer attention — especially if the products are being displayed in retail outlets or sold online.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose packaging materials

Depending on your product, you may want to use a box, a plastic container, a bag, a can or some other material. Check into the kinds of materials your competitors use and use something comparable, or choose something completely different to make your product stand out.

I recommend: A good place to review the range of product packaging materials is Alibaba.com.

Get your package designed

Contract with experts who can design the graphics and text that go on the package. These pros can also help you evaluate which materials would most appropriately meet your needs and even provide insight about packaging for different geographical regions.

I recommend: Search for freelance packaging designers at Guru.com.

Find suppliers

Look for a supplier who meets your packaging needs. Things to consider are volume discounts, the ability to meet deadlines and quality of the packaging.

I recommend: Buckell Plastic Company provides custom plastic packaging for the health, beauty, retail, food and electronics industries. The Brenmar Company specializes in food packaging supplies. For a variety of bags and boxes, try the Retail Packaging Association.

Produce your package

Keep packaging production costs in mind when creating your design. Odd shapes or oversized packages could increase costs. Consider outsourcing production to a contract packaging firm. These firms may also provide design, warehousing and distribution services.

I recommend: To locate packaging firms, use the search engines at Package Design Magazine or at Contract Packaging Association.

Think green

Domestic and international recycling laws are cropping up throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia. Some regulations require companies (even small businesses) in certain industries to list the materials used in the product and related packaging materials, and have a take-back plan in effect.

I recommend: EarthShell.com sells eco-friendly food packaging supplies. For a variety of recycled retail packaging materials, go to EarthPack.com.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Your packaging will depend on how the product will get to the customer, if it will need protection during shipping and handling and how it's likely to be displayed in a retail environment — sitting on a shelf or hanging on a rack, for example.
• •  Select packaging based on the kinds of products you are shipping. For example, hazardous materials will need a different container than pencils or cookies.
• •  Look at how successful national and international companies have packaged their products, analyze why it works and why it doesn't, and apply the best elements to your product.