Don’t frustrate your customers! Pack simply

I’m sure you know, you’ve finally got what you needed and you’re full of anticipation and impatient to see how it will work, how it will look or whether you just want to simply unpack it and take it out of the packaging. But for this truly “unpacking struggle” it is often necessary to equip yourself with scissors, knife, pliers and other tools.

Is it really necessary to use so much packaging material?

Even with very simple logic and average perception of the matter, we can evaluate that, for example, a USB key wrapped in 5 times the plastic packaging is probably not the best solution. (Of course, there are goods that, due to their individual nature, really cannot be packaged in any other way, such as medicines, fragile items, etc.). Not only is this an inconvenience from the point of view of the end customer, but there is also a huge burden on the environment.

Amazon, one of the largest online retailers in the world, is aware of this problem. Amazon’s Vice President of Consumer Goods, Mr Herrington, says that he, too, has a problem with unpacking products from so much packaging. He also claims that if you decide to make a typical online purchase, there will be a huge amount of packaging waiting for you with a ton of work. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos says the same thing: “We’ve all experienced the frustration of trying to get items out of nearly impenetrable packaging, such as plastic boxes and products tied up with dozens of wire ties.”

But Amazon is taking action, and for the past two years has been grappling with a difficult task – how to get manufacturers to adopt “Frustration-Free Packaging” to rid their products of unnecessary packaging? At the same time, doing so would also solve the biggest source of customer complaints, who are frustrated by unpacking unnecessary packaging. Still, frustration persists because only 600 of the millions of products Amazon sells are in the “frustration-free” version.

What is the essence of “Frustration-Free Packaging”?

If a company is truly interested in eliminating this serious problem, it must recognize the fact that packaging goods can be done sensibly and in accordance with sustainable marketing. If we remove the barriers that consumer society imposes on us every second, sooner or later we will fully identify with Frustration-Free Packaging. This system should prevent wasteful packaging materials and also customer frustration. After all, a retailer should strive for complete customer satisfaction.

Same product, better packaging

New users of this concept may initially be a little uncertain and worried about whether their product will be sufficiently packaged and whether they will lose a part. However, all these negative barriers need to be broken down by a rational approach, as we can fill the bins in other ways…

Manufacturers who have embraced “Frustration-Free Packaging” package the same products that can be found on the shelves of regular stores in a style that is much more sophisticated.

What does this look like in practice?

The first products to be packaged in this way came from a children’s toy company. Specifically, it was the Fisher-Price Imaginext Adventures Pirate Ship. It is the toys that are usually packaged as logic puzzles. First we have to figure out how to open the pretty and colorful packaging and then we can “free” the toy. If you have children with you who already want to play, you need to arm yourself with iron patience and prepare to cry, because you won’t just unwrap this toy. The packaging that arrives at your home is a box within a box, the toy is attached with plastic cables and secured with various packaging. Amazon has eliminated all of this and instead of a puzzle, they deliver you a simple box that the product is directly packaged in with no waste and no need for a long unboxing process.

Image source: www.images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com

Don’t customers want our pretty packaging?

Of course, pretty and eye-catching packaging sells, but if it’s not functional and is downright unfriendly to customers, people will get frustrated. The success of this initiative is evidenced by the reviews of people on Amazon who are excited about this innovation. Companies such as Philips, Polaroid, Procter & Gamble, Bounty, Tide, Duracell, and others have started using this simple packaging method. It was Duracell that revolutionized their simplified battery packaging and people have become very fond of this system.

Image source: www.sustainableisgood.com

Easy unpacking, less environmental impact and a stronger market position

Customers who receive your goods in simple and easily accessible packaging will no longer be frustrated and will be able to use the goods immediately. Another benefit is saving the environment, so you can boast that your company is more environmentally friendly and not polluting the planet. But how can a simple change in packaging strengthen your position in the market? If you are a seller on Amazon and you are also the direct manufacturer or official distributor of the product, using “Frustration-Free Packaging” will give you a big advantage over other sellers. This is because unauthorized sellers will not be able to get verification to send such packages and their position will automatically be lower. Customers have already learned the system that companies that send packages without annoying packaging are authorized companies and they can count on always receiving the original product.

In case you don’t sell on Amazon, their frustration-free simple packaging system can be a great inspiration for you. People like the simple packaging a lot, as evidenced by the number of positive reviews. There’s nothing easier than implementing a system already proven by experience. You can test the accessibility of your packaging on a sample of people by A/B testing. Or test the original and new simplified packaging on people you know. People’s speed of unpacking and frustration will be your indicator of customer satisfaction at first contact with the product.

Simpler packaging = happy customers

If your customers have a negative first experience with your product and it takes them an unreasonable amount of time to unpack, don’t expect them to buy from you again. The first impression is crucial not only when meeting new people, but also when unpacking products. So bet on simplicity without unnecessary packaging that prevents people from using your products quickly. Products that can be unpacked in seconds and then used immediately are guaranteed to be a success. It’s not for nothing that they say simplicity is beauty.