If you think a transaction is complete once you ship the product, you’re mistaken. The real culmination of the transaction happens when your customer retrieves the merchandise from the package.
Known as the “unboxing” process, this provides you an opportunity to both impress your customer and give them reason to shop with you again. The good news is you can do this even if you have only meager funds with which to work. Whether you sell cosmetics from home, bicycle parts, pet food or shaving supplies, creating killer unboxing experiences on a budget is doable and a very smart move.
Here’s how to go about it.
Astonish Them with Personalization
A thank you note expressing your appreciation for the customer by name, placed where they’ll find it first (on top of the inner wrapping), goes a long way toward creating a favorable impression. It says you’re human, value their patronage and you run your business with some class.
Smart ecommerce platforms, such as those offered by Shopify, make this simple to accomplish. Inexpensive to execute and highly effective, it’s a great opportunity to reinforce the personality of your brand by making sure the note’s voice is consistent with that of your site and all of your other customer-facing communications.
Make It Easy to Open
How do you think a customer would feel if they inadvertently damaged the product trying to open it? If it ever happens to you, it’s an experience you’ll always remember. To save your customers that worry, be certain your packages—while secure—are easy to open once they reach the intended recipient.
Add a Surprise
Everybody loves finding an unexpected treat. Ever worn a coat for the first time since the previous cold season, put your hand in one of the pockets and found cash? Doesn’t matter how much; it’s still a pleasant discovery.
You can do this for your customers by tossing in an inexpensive item or two they didn’t expect to get.
If you If you sell cosmetics from home, put a few samples in a little gift-wrapped box. Base the product choices on what their previous purchases have told you they might like. Smart ecommerce platforms, like those offered by Shopify, make gathering this information easy to do. You’ll look thoughtful and generous, while introducing them to something new they can buy from you.
Ixnay the Eanutspay (Nix the Peanuts)
People hate them. They’re bad for the environment and they go all over the place when the package is opened—after which they take forever to clean up. Nix the peanuts; you’ll save money and relieve your customers of frustration at the same time. Instead, if your product is something lightweight, like cosmetics, go with some white tissue paper sealed with a sticker featuring your logo. It looks classier, doesn’t cost much and protects the product while it’s in transit.
Arrange Multiple Items Artfully
If the three most important things in brick and mortar retailing are location, location and location; the three most important factors in ecommerce are presentation, presentation and presentation.
When your customer opens a package containing multiple items, put some thought into how the box is organized so it looks nice when opened. Send some items to yourself to make sure they look just as good upon arrival as they did when you shipped the packages.
These five tips will help you create killer unboxing experiences on a budget. But they are just the beginning; there are many more opportunities you can take advantage of in this regard. Even better, you don’t need the wherewithal of a Saks Fifth Avenue to make your customers feel special when they open your packages. All you need is some careful consideration and a bit of creativity.
