How Premium Packaging Can Increase Your eCommerce Sales
Wondering if premium packaging is worth it for your business? One of our customers, Writeyboard, uses unique packaging to not only protect and ship their product, but also deliver a special experience to their customer. (Note: Writeyboard is in the process of changing their name from Whiteyboard.)
The First Thing Customers See When a Product is Delivered
You’re more than likely familiar with the Zappos or Amazon box on your doorstep. But imagine getting a box on your doorstep that looks like a dry erase marker!
Writeyboard, a Mark Cuban company, makes lightweight, portable, stick-on whiteboards, and ship and package the larger sizes in the boxes above.
“From the beginning, our founder, Saachi Cywinski, envisioned a combination package and shipping box that looked like a dry erase marker,” says Josh Jennings, Writeyboard CEO.
The company built in the cost of packaging into the cost of the item. “Traditional whiteboards are expensive and heavy, so we were able to create a product with premium packaging that is competitively-priced and still gives us a healthy margin.”
From the beginning, the custom packaging was a challenge. “We went through a couple of iterations to get this right,” notes Jennings. “At first the paper was too thin and got damaged.”
“We worked with UPS, and eventually we were able to create this combination of packaging and shipping tube that protected our product. Now we just slap on a label and send it out.”
Retail Store Packaging
For eCommerce companies that also sell in stores, packaging is also an important sales tool. After receiving an investment from Mark Cuban two years ago, Writeyboard decided to move from online-only sales to retail distribution.
“We had to develop different packaging for retail. It had to be able to sit on the shelves and make customers say ‘Wow!’” notes Jennings.
The company developed different packaging for whiteboards less than four feet tall that would be sold in stores. While the larger size packaging is multi-functional (it’s packaging and a shipping box), so is the retail packaging.
“The smaller packaging tubes are actually carrying cases,” says Jennings. “You can use your Writeyboard, then take it down, roll it back up, put it back in the tube, and carry it to your next destination.”
Jennings says that the company gets many compliments on its packaging. And if you’re wondering — did the new retail packaging help gain the interest of retailers? “Yes,” he says. “Look for us in major retailers in 2015.”
If this story inspires you, consider premium packaging for your own business. It may be just what your products need to stand out from the competition!
