Product packaging innovation and consumer buying behavior

Product packaging innovation and consumer buying behavior

1. Introduction

Historically, Management has, therefore, considered packaging significantly only to contain the product and ad been in the past assigned to the production department. The modern marketing has, however, changed this narrative and contemporary marketing; it is considered a supplementary promotional tool for most companies’ products and, in the modern days, thought a silent salesman. Product packaging is considered as the ultimate opportunity for marketers of the various products to communicate the brand’s message visions and position themselves better for the elements of the competition. The modern consumer is being pretested with an ever-increasing number of alternatives, most of which places the consumer in a better position as a result of the brand packaging. A typical 30 minutes shopping session is all based on the element of attracting, impress, and take it. Most of the companies do pay attention to the aspect of good packaging to remain competitive in the crowded market by appealing to the various elements of the customers.

With so much of the competition, product packaging seems to be among the best marketing tool to directly communicate and influence others as well. Therefore, the purchasing behaviors of consumers are considered a factor of brand packaging. Consumer’s responses in the set of factors deciding on the purchase decisions. It is generally what the customer does with their products, what their expectations are, and how does he choose it. Among some of the critical measurements of the consumer behaviors that can see some recurring customers, the seasonality of the purchase or response to changes in the product design. Any design of the product’s packaging often includes various features. The features used in packaging for most products to influence the behavior of consumers include; color, brand name exposure, Labelling, print finish variant, and the added value. Each of the features plays a crucial role in the way the packaging will influence the behavior of the customer of the product.

2. Literature map and discussion

The figure below shows the literature map of the chosen topic. The left side of the picture is the features of a packaging design, which influences the customer purchasing behaviors.  The right side of the figure is the critical behavior change of the consumer as a result of the packaging.

The discussion that prevails about the chosen topic in the present’s academic literature can often be divided under key headings that are in line with the research objectives.

Change of the consumer behavior

A clear understanding of the impacts of the packaging on consumer behavior and buying decisions is essential not just for the manufacture and market but also for investors and retailers who often design, develop and sell various products. Customers’ packaging solutions not only catch the attention of the consumers but also convey volumes about the value of the brand and the benefits that are associated with the product to the consumers. For all of these reasons, therefore, paying more considerable attention to product packaging is vital for commercial success today in the overcrowded market.  In a survey conducting in the ten supermarkets in the USA in 2017, 40% of the consumers said that they would share the photo of a product on social media if the found he packaging unique and attractive. At the same time, over 30% of businesses in the same location did report an increasing interest of customers were when they paid more considerable attention to the aspect of packaging.

It has been estimated the close to 70% of buying decision is made in the stores. The consumer often leaves home to get back with products service a definite purpose in their lives; buy no strict arrangements has yet been made about the brand to go for. This could be anything. The final choices often depend on a variety of factors. Some costumers often go for the routine brand some grow for extensive research and a considerable massive size for impulse buying. On the spot decision making about choosing among alternatives is influenced by product perception often through the packaging designs, knowledge about the brad ad attitude towards the consumer’s personality, lifestyle, and culture, among other factors that can also influence such elements of the decision-making process. All these factors that consumers do consider while deciding to purchase the product are often termed e buying behavior of the customer and are related to the brand packaging in most cases.

According to the business insider, consumers of a product typically take about 7 seconds in making a snap kind of judgment based on the product packaging. The statistics clear a show that the product packaging must appeal to the target customers at all levels in scenarios where product packaging is done with the needs of the client in mind. Product purchasing behavior is often different. Packaging of a brand product has been related to the perceived quality buy the consumers. It, therefore, affects whether a product is noticed on the shelf, and this alters the purchasing behavior of the customer. A product which is neatly packaged with bright and attractive colors, messages, and other aspects does attract much of the attention of the consumers on the shelves. With this in mind, most producers do pay attention to the people’s lifestyles while designing the packing of the products. Most are integrating various types of buying influences into their packaging to remain unbeaten in the market in terms of competition.

Making the first impression

Most of the purchasing decision is often made within a split of a second. For this purpose, it is often essential for the branding of a product to be done in a manner that gives an attractive first impression to the customer at first sight. Product packaging should be designed to make a statement in a split of a second. For example, a Fiji water bottle does excellent work when it comes to calling for the first attention on the clients in a crowned space just from the shape of the container. A customer can notice the difference in the water bottle by the first look at it on the shelf. This can change the purchasing behavior of an individual client who is seeing the water for the very first time to purchase it.

Equally, poor packaging does create a wrong impression on the mind of the customer just within the first view of the bottle. A good example of a product packaging that makes a lasting impression is the goldfish tea bags ad ubiquitous cheese cracker sacks, which are much designed to attract the attention of the buyer just by the first look. The first impression created by the product brand through packaging often in lost cases tells whether a product will be bought or not.  When branding or packaging is done slowly, the customer does not usually get the attraction to read through it or look at the specific brand information even if the brand is superior to the others in the same category. Making a good impression ultimately governs the overall customer behaviors concerning the purchasing ability of the client.

Stimulation of senses

Buyers have a different element of reasons stimulation for the same products. When the sizes stimulate a buyer or a customer, the others are stimulated by color. As a company, it is essential to notice this variety of stimulation, which would be appealing to the customer differently. For example, a green milk carton may relay information of very sour milk compared to a white or pick one. Packaging should, therefore, be sensitive to the various elements of customer sense stimulation and should be done in a manner that encourages the buyer of the product to feel more encouraged. This aspect does affect the element of product buying.

3. Research questions, theories, and methods

References

Deo, M., & Hosee, N. (2017). Product packaging innovation and consumer buying behavior in Rwanda. International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, 7(6), 344-349.

Latif, Z., Zainordin, N. M. S. N. M., Muhamad, N., & Sannasi, P. (2018). Consumer Decision-Making Process in Purchasing Packaging Products in Malaysia. Canadian Social Science, 14(7), 23-27.

Hamdar, B. C., Al Dana, M., & Al Chawa, G. (2018). Economic Effects of Product Packaging on Consumer Shopping Behavior: The Case of Lebanon. American Journal of Theoretical and Applied Business, 4(2), 44-47.

Waheed, S., Khan, M. M., & Ahmad, N. (2018). Product Packaging and Consumer Purchase Intentions. Market Forces, 13(2).

Singh, H. (2016). Relationship between packaging and consumers’ buying behavior. International Journal for Innovative Research in Multidisciplinary Field, 2(5).