If you feel that something is probably going wrong and that it is too early, as an entrepreneur, to think about the brightest time of the year as of now, then we are here to remind you that 76% of brands are preparing for Christmas in the period October to mid-November. And they have 3+1 very important reasons to do so.

Reason No. 1 is related to the mistakes and reckless choices you may make if you leave your festive preparations for the last minute. In a time of panic and need, you will be called upon to make frivolous and under pressure very important decisions that may determine the reputation and prestige of your brand. But now, just before the big explosion of orders, it is the right time to prepare yourself in an organized and effective manner. So, among other things, businesses that want to make a difference, are looking for their options in festive packaging for their online or physical store. Whether it’s boxes and envelopes or bags and touch papers, think carefully about how to connect your brand more effectively to the most beautiful period of the year.

Don’t forget, and we move on to reason No. 2, that the pandemic has given a very intensive lesson to businesses and consumers, in terms of how purchases are or should be made in the future. Delays in product deliveries have now motivated consumers to provide for their gift needs long in advance. In this way, they feel safe that their order will arrive on time at its destination. So make sure that the Christmas present they ordered – earlier this year – reaches a nice and festive package that will pleasantly surprise them and put them in a Christmas atmosphere.  Of course, you should have provided for the stock of Christmas packages for your store.

We have talked several times about the sacred moment of receipt of the order that largely shapes the final image of each consumer for your brand. The reason No. 3 is therefore related to the fact that a carefully designed, festive packaging of excellent quality will excite your customer who will positively evaluate his experience with your store and then communicate it with his friends and acquaintances. Never underestimate the power of “word of mouth”.

And we come to the reason No. 4 which includes all the actions you will plan for the period in order to promote your business. There is no shortage of collaborations with influencers. Whether it’s nano, micro or macro influencers, focus your attention not only on communicating your products as the ideal choice for a gift but also on the wonderful packaging you use. Many brands tend to ignore the value of a perfect, festive packaging. But Christmas is inextricably linked to unique packages and bags, all placed under the Christmas tree. Give your prospective customers one more reason to choose you: beautiful gifts beautifully packaged. The sooner they know it, the more confident you can be that they will choose you over the competition.

At Cartabianca we give you the opportunity to create your own unique packaging without restrictions on materials, colors, treatments and dimensions. Look for your options in e-commerce packaging, handmade bags, industrial bags, boxes, touch papers, stickers and textile products.

For this reason, we are here to distinguish your choices and help you make the best decision always according to your specific needs and requirements. Questions such as: which print to choose? which one suits me the most? which print is it worth investing in? they are going to be briefly answered in the article below.

So here are 4 printing techniques that will help you get out of any dilemmas and will make your packaging stand out.

Option 1: Screen Printing

The technique with a deep history over the centuries that nevertheless became particularly popular when it was adopted by the famous artistic movement of Pop Art and main exponent Andy Warhol. It is based on perforated drawings which are transferred to a surface using a frame, ink and a spatula. Its main feature is that it can find application in a wide range of surfaces and materials such as paper, fabric, wood, metal, plastic, etc. You will prefer it if you need large quantities production in excellent quality.

Option 2: Hotprinting

The most elegant option for results that emit affordable luxury and unique quality. Thermocopy is carried out with the use of embossed metal plates (clichés) in which the letters or images you want to print protrude. This type of printing requires high temperatures and differs from other methods due to the metallic effect it ensures. The most popular color choices are gold, silver or pink. You will choose it for glamorous results with aristocratic finesse.

Option 3: Offset

When the quantity met the excellent quality! Offset printing technique is one of the most popular methods when you want to print large quantities at different intervals and the result always remains the same. It gives very clear images and detailed representation of each color and can be used for printing on many different surfaces or materials. The main feature that will make you choose it is that the greater your needs in quantity, the lower the cost of printing.

Option 4: UV  

Printing on any material without any imperfection. UV technology enables you to make a print on any material you need from plastic and plexiglass on wood and metal. Practically, there is almost no material or surface that you cannot print with UV. It achieves a finish that makes photorealistic printing much more feasible. It is a method that is distinguished by speed, accuracy in printing and attention to the smallest detail. For UV printing, Ultra Violet lamps are used that dry the ink at the exact moment it touches the print surface.

Whichever printing technique you choose to create the unique packaging for your business, we at Cartabianca ensure excellent results at the best possible cost. Before you make your final decision on the printing technique, we are by your side to guide you and recommend the method that best suits the needs of your business. The only sure thing is that your packaging will complete your corporate identity and will represent the quality of your products.

This new reality can function as a unique opportunity for every business while at the same time, depending on how it will take advantage or not of the new conditions, it can function as its “nightmare”. The competition between e-shops has increased rapidly and at the same time new markets – in addition to the Greek one – have entered dynamically in the palette of choices of each consumer.

While some e-shops around the world have invested in the speed of sending orders – which has plagued thousands of consumers and businesses in recent years – others have added “packaging” as their competitive advantage, realizing the important role they play in the “customer experience”. Every modern business, like yours, that wants to enter the e-commerce game dynamically and emerge unscathed from the competition, must redefine the attention it pays to the packaging received by the consumer.

But how does packaging affect consumer choices and why is it so important for your brand image? Here are the 3 strongest reasons that will motivate you to invest in a package that goes beyond the trivial.

1. Everything about “repeaters”

You may have wondered many times why some of your customers never returned to your e-shop for a second or third purchase. You may think that they did not need any additional product from what you offer for the time being or that you should invest in an email marketing strategy that will keep them warm or that it is the fault of the transport company that did not deliver the order on time.

We, however, will tell you that the packaging in which your customer finally received his order was to blame. According to a survey, 52% of online shoppers who receive their order in a great package, would return to this e-shop for future purchases (source: GWP Group). This fact confirms that a carefully designed packaging enhances the reliability and good reputation of your business while also acting as an effective way to improve the image of your brand. It helps you to get repeaters, i.e. loyal customers for whom you are the first if not the first choice for their future purchases.

2. Your brand image “in your hands”

We have noticed in recent years how social media and specifically UGC (user generated content) can take off or ruin the reputation of a business, an important person or a product. If you feel that you cannot control the UGC, we have good news for you. In some cases you can.

How; Through a perfect package. According to the Dotcom Distribution Packaging Report, 60% of online shoppers are willing to share a photo on their social media as long as the product is in a carefully designed package while 85% of millennials were influenced and proceeded to purchase a product through a similar item. content on social media (source: Marketing Dive). So, can you take the image of your brand in your hands through packages that will make you stand out online and offline and will be the reason for your brand to be advertised by your customers?

3. “Impression” build your brand

We have mentioned it and in the past, we repeat it again, that the moment your customer receives his order is probably one of the most important points to “steal” the impressions and stay engraved in his mind. Your backwardness is something you have to approach carefully.

It takes seven seconds for each of us to make an impression on something or someone. If your customer receives a simply and indifferent package, he will just tear it quickly and deal with its contents. But if he receives a cleverly and carefully designed package, he will invest time to process it, he will think a little more about your brand, that you are a brand that cares about its customers and he will be excited. In short, you will be forever engraved in his mind and therefore in his choices for the next order.

At Cartabianca, recognizing the importance of packaging in enhancing the reputation of each brand, we offer quality and excellent options that will help you stand out from the competition. Contact us to discuss your needs and suggest effective solutions that will strengthen brand awareness and increase your sales.

The shift towards a greener future is not just a fashion or a trend of the time, it is a necessity. Not only for the protection of the planet but also for the prosperity of every business that wishes to maintain or even increase its profitability rates. And if you are wondering how the ecological consciousness of a company relates to profitability, suffice it to say that “67% of consumers evaluate as the most important purchasing criterion, products to be in recyclable packaging” (source: GWI).

According to a survey held by Unilever, consumers, especially those in the category of millennials and Generation Z, now tend to show a clear preference for brands and businesses that apply a greener consciousness. Before proceeding to a purchase, they investigate the contribution of each company to the protection of the environment, placing particular emphasis on packaging and the origin of the materials used.

With a view to a greener future, over the past 25 years, the non-profit organization Forest Stewardship Council has been promoting responsible forest management of the planet. To achieve this, it has established two certifications, the FSC Forest Management Certification and the FSC Chain of Custody Certification. In order for a company to obtain an FSC certification, it must follow ten basic principles covering issues ranging from its environmental footprint to respect for the rights of workers.

Cartabianca, as a company that respects the environment, it has obtained the FSC certification by offering ecological solutions to its customers with environmentally friendly packaging. As a certified FSC can be characterized a wide range of packaging products such as paper bags, e-commerce boxes and cardboard boxes.

How can FSC certified packaging help your business?

1.Enhance your reputation

By choosing packaging that respects the environment, you have in the palette of your advertising activities another tool to promote your business. More and more companies are incorporating in their communication plan actions and campaigns that prove their environmental consciousness, strengthening their reputation and their brand. As we have mentioned, consumers tend to include in their purchasing criteria the ‘green’ consciousness of businesses.

2. Reach a wider part of consumers

At the same time, ecological consciousness enables you to penetrate a wider audience that buys products exclusively from companies that respect the environment. By choosing “green” packaging, you approach a larger portion of the consumer public, resulting in an increase in your sales and the securing of satisfied customers who will choose you for their future purchases. What’s more important than being the No. 1 choice of your customers because of a previous positive experience?

3. They stand out from competition:

Are you looking for ways to stand out from the competition and make a difference by adopting a new, “green” business philosophy?  Companies around the world are now realizing that embracing “green” entrepreneurial practices have an additional, comparative advantage over others that follow more traditional and established tactics. Of course, “green economy” is a process that requires strategic thinking and organization, you can start with small steps, adopting e.g. ecological packaging for your products.

At Cartabianca we can help you gain environmental thinking by turning your packaging into “green”. Contact us to discuss and suggest profitable solutions that will highlight the green consciousness of your business and strengthen your reputation.

You have created the ideal e-shop. You have considered carefully every step of your customer’s journey; from the first scroll to the order confirmation. Why don’t you still get an overall five star review from your customers?  Welcome to the club of brands that tend to underestimate the power of the Unboxing Experience.

“Unboxing Experience” What it is?

Maybe it’s not the first time you come up with the term. However, are you truly familiar with the concept around the unboxing experience?

The Unboxing Experience is the combination of feelings and reactions that your customer enjoys the moment he receives and unboxes a product. A creative branded packaging can make the unboxing experience memorable and your customer loyal to your brand.

Why the “Unboxing Experience” Really Matters?

First of all, it’s time to break down the myth that only the first impression counts. What about the last impression?

Here, we will share with you three top reasons why your brand should invest on packaging design. How you can offer to your customers an unboxing experience that will make you stand out from the competitors.

1. Brand Awareness

You may have spent a lot of time and money on building your brand awareness through relevant ad campaigns; maybe with doubtful results. We can feel your frustration. Imagine, for instance, if you could inspire your customers to recall and talk about your brand through a unique unboxing experience.

A carefully designed packaging gives you the opportunity to share your own story. Moreover, it helps you catch your customers’ attention at the most important stage of their journey and stick to their minds.

2. Loyalty. The key to your brand’s success

In addition, it goes without saying, that part of your brand’s success or not, comes from your loyal customers. Having already enjoyed your products and services, they trust you and they choose to become your valuable “repeaters”.

Moreover, we are certain that you have a great product. But isn’t there dozens of other companies that offer as spectacular products as your own? Beat the competition by offering to your customers an inspiring experience that it will make them feel valuable, unique and “wow”.

Above all, we know you want to make the difference! Invest on your packaging design, surprise your customers at the moment they receive their order and gain a spot on their hearts

3. Become the next trend on Social Media

You may have already understood that social media can build or ruin the reputation of a brand. However, do you actually know that customers are keen on sharing every unboxing experience via social media?

By offering a unique branded packaging, it’s more likely that your customers will share their experience with their followers, their friends or family. This is the world of mouth in the digital era!  And above all, you want to be on your customers “mouths” for the right reasons!

Conclusion

You have a chance to enhance your brand awareness, foster loyalty and increase sales through your customer’s unboxing experience. Are you ready for the next step?

Discover the variety of options you have on delivering a memorable unboxing experience. Learn our services, live the experience of perfect packaging and create your own brand story.