Survey Results

Packaging Can Make or Break the Sale

The edplay readers who responded to our survey value differing qualities in packaging, as well as different types. Some prefer no packaging at all, while others really dislike open stock. It is important that the packaging display well and provide easy-to-understand directions, but it also has to be durable. Packaging is important to the success (or failure) of a product’s sales, they all reported, having seen the results themselves. Here are the details.

1. How important is packaging in the sale of your products?
Very important – 83%
Somewhat important – 17%

2. Have you ever had a great product on your shelves that wouldn’t sell because of its packaging?
Yes – 100%

3. Have you ever had a mediocre product sell well because of its packaging?
Yes – 100%

4. If you had to choose one, what is the most important factor of packaging to you?
Attractiveness – 59%
Clear explanation – 22%
Not wasteful – 10%
Wraps easily – 9%

5. What do you think your customers find to be the most important aspect of packaging?
Clear explanations – 33%
Durability – 20%
Bright colors – 15%
Big pictures – 13%
Can be used for storage – 11%
Easy to open – 8%

6. What is the one thing that bugs you the most about packaging?
Doesn’t display well – 50%
Looks drab or boring – 24%
Too much packaging – 22%
Odd shape – 4%

7. What is your favorite type of packaging?
Full box – 33%
Box with cutout front – 23%
Open stock – 17%
Shrinkwrap – 15%
Hang tag – 12%

8. What is your least favorite type of packaging?
Open stock – 32%
Blister pack – 19%
Box with cutout front – 18%
Clamshell – 18%
Hang tag – 13%

Here are some comments from our readers

“We will not buy toys sold in blister packs. The best toys are sold without packaging, so that the customer can feel and touch the toy. When packaging is required, we prefer a full-color box. We usually display one toy out of the box and keep two or three others in the box available for sale.

“Ironically, Chinese-made toys are almost always packaged better than American and many European toys. My theory is that this is because importers are more interested in design and marketing than in the process of making the toy itself. For higher quality toymakers, marketing and packaging is more of an afterthought. Many American toys don’t even have a clear label indicating where they’re made, which is frustrating.”

“The most important aspect of packaging for our store is that the product be clearly visible.”

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