Whether you need custom retail boxes or retail displays, you want a solution that will support your brand and maximize your ROI. To do that, you need a corrugated solution that will make a positive first impression that causes an emotional reaction. You need to wow the consumer! A prospective customer’s first interaction with your product needs to capture their attention. For retail packaging, online shoppers must be considered as well. Whether they pick your product up off the shelf or their doorstep, how they feel can impact their perception of the product and your brand.

What are Custom Retail Boxes and Displays?

While it may seem obvious, many people misunderstand what customization can entail. Often people think of packaging printed with their artwork and graphics. While that is part of it, custom retail boxes and displays are designed specifically for your product with your graphic and structural design requirements. Structural design is just as important as graphic design.

Material choice is the first element of structural design. Choosing the right material for your retail packaging is a crucial decision. There are many factors to consider, the product size and weight, the storage environment of the product (refrigerated or frozen), environmental conditions it may encounter (outside long-term, handled repeatedly, etc.), and if they will be palleted for shipping. Retail displays have additional considerations. They may have to meet specific retail requirements, which can differ between retailers. You may want them to be multifunctional, so elements of your display can function as a countertop display as the product sells.

Corrugated is popular for retail packaging and displays because of its versatility, strength, and recyclability. It is also easily customized to meet specific product needs. With various flute sizes and materials, the options are vast.

When selecting materials for your project, it’s advised that you consult with a professional packaging manufacturer who can help guide you toward choosing the most suitable materials available based on your individual needs and requirements. They have industry knowledge and expertise and can guide you in selecting appropriate materials. In addition, they can design your packaging to eliminate waste by sizing it to your product and the shipping conditions it may face. Your product will arrive to the retailer or the customer with no shipping damage or latent failures from shipping that can lead to future returns.

Choosing the Right Printing Methods

Even before a customer picks up a box, they will notice the printing. The print choice may depend on the look you are trying to achieve and the number of boxes or displays that are being printed. Flexographic is printed directly on corrugated but is limited to simple design and logos. Litho laminated is printed on liner board in full color that is laminated to the box.

For example, if a graphic-heavy design is printed directly on a large flute corrugated board, the fluting would show through, creating a striped appearance. This isn’t as apparent on micro flutes. Litho laminated always has a smooth surface.

If you supply the artwork for your box or display, work with your corrugated partner for artwork specifications, which may vary by print type. They will provide dielines to ensure the proper placement and size of the artwork. There are some general guidelines to follow:

• All images should be embedded and be high resolution (300 DPI for litho) at the final output size.
• The dieline should remain a separate layer — do not flatten into the image.
• Fonts should be converted to outlines, or the fonts should be submitted with the artwork.
• Artwork containing logos or drawings should be vector files (ai, SVG, or eps).
• Placed images and artwork should be set in CMYK colorspace. Check with your corrugated manufacturer if PMS, Pantone, or spot colors are acceptable.

Creating the WOW Factor for Your Custom Retail Boxes and Displays

A wow factor is something that makes people feel great excitement or admiration. “Feel” is the key word because emotions can be powerful tools for brands. Emotions play a critical role in decision-making as we affix values to the decisions based on previous related experiences. Positive emotions toward a brand can impact brand loyalty — more so than the brand’s attributes. Using packaging design to tap into these emotions can potentially increase sales.

Using color is another way to evoke emotions. Color psychology is a study of how color impacts how you feel. One study surveyed more than 4500 people from 30 countries and found people commonly associated certain colors with specific emotions. For example, Red and pink were associated with love by 68% and 50%, respectively; yellow was associated with joy (52%); and white with relief (43%). However, feeling about color can be personal and rooted in culture. For example, in Eastern countries, white is a symbol of mourning. While the study of color has been well-researched and shown to influence moods, signal action, create physiological reactions, and influence buying decisions, understanding your target buyers is critical to clarify how your color choices may impact them.