Remember the days when the eCommerce market was just beginning to develop? Back then, it took a couple of days and sometimes even weeks for a package to be delivered. While the wait for ordered products could intensify frustrations, it was also often associated with a feeling of excitement at the moment of receiving the package, which became a high point of the day. At the time, the shopper could feel as if he or she was opening a Christmas or birthday gift. Nowadays, in times when delivery of orders takes less and less time (sometimes even less than a day), is it possible to maintain such a level of excitement? The answer to this question is unboxing experience, the secrets of which are presented in the following article.
Unboxing experience - more than packing orders in an online store
There is no doubt that first impressions are important - in the case of products purchased online, buyers form their opinion of the actual product as soon as they unpack the package. So a lot depends on this experience - the overall service experience, the decision to repeat the order in the future or even the willingness to recommend the eCommerce offer to loved ones. How to make your eCommerce store be remembered positively by its users? Unboxing experience may be the key to achieving such an effect.
What is behind the term? Unboxing experience is more than the mechanical process of unpacking a shipment. Behind the term is the definition of all the customer's experience of unboxing a product. The popularity of this English-language phrase has been fostered by YouTube users who record accounts of unboxing shipments they receive. Each of us has certainly come across this type of content online at least once, and in the last quarter of 2022 it generated more than 500 million views (according to the Tubular Insights report).
What is the phenomenon of unboxing experience and how to use it in eCommerce?
The phenomenon of content based on unboxing products at first may be incomprehensible (after all, why do so many people choose to spend their free time watching unboxings?). However, unboxing videos allow to meet the basic needs of the consumer - they often act as an in-depth presentation of the product and an initial review of it. Those interested in buying an item can thus see it from all angles, check what the contents of the package are, or see details not visible in the photos on the website.
Unboxing also simply satisfies curiosity and arouses the desire to buy a copy of their own. In this way, sometimes products are presented just before their official release, which makes them even more anticipated. For these reasons, the power of unboxing experience in marketing is used on a daily basis, for example, by commissioning famous influencers to record such videos.
However, the unboxing experience is primarily designed to enhance the excitement of unwrapping products purchased online through their creative and distinctive packaging. In this way, the very process of opening the package will be part of the shopping experience, thus increasing the chances of the buyer returning to the online store.
How do you design the e-customer experience of receiving a shipment?
The growing number of online stores on the market makes it necessary for eCommerce owners to take increasingly complicated steps to stand out from the growing competition. Designing a distinctive unboxing experience can go a long way in attracting the attention of potential customers and encouraging them to make a purchase. How do you take care of the consumer experience at the time of delivery?
Personalization of the shipment
The customer is sure to feel special and will long remember the shipment, which will be addressed only to him. Personalization of the order will be ensured, for example, by attaching a flyer with a dedicated discount code or (in the case of smaller eCommerce items) a hand-written note. It's also a popular practice to tell the story of a particular product from the inception of the idea itself, through production, to packaging and shipping to the end customer. An example of a company communicating based on storytelling is cosmetics brand Lush, which puts the names of the people who made them on product labels.
Packaging that matches your brand
Packaging a product for shipment is not only a necessity, but also an opportunity to strengthen the image and smuggle the visual identity of your eCommerce. Thanks to a unique graphic design, the customer has a chance to know the brand values from the first moment. An unquestionable example of this practice is Apple - each package of this company is made with attention to detail and maintaining the company's characteristic minimalism.
Quality and workmanship
Your product is of the highest quality, but the packaging in which the order was delivered leaves much to be desired? Such a mistake may be considered trivial and obvious, but such situations still occur in practice. A poor-quality carton or an unenvironmental shipment can develop in the buyer the belief that its contents will also be made at a similar level
Element of surprise
An additional gift for shopping that the customer didn't know about before, a fragrance-filled package, or a non-standard package shape - such elements will undoubtedly catch the consumer's attention and make your eCommerce stand out from the competition.
Not only unboxing - what else do e-buyers pay attention to?
The customer has easily completed the list of products he is interested in, added them to his shopping cart and placed the order. What next? Before the shipment reaches his hands and he can experience the unboxing experience, there is still a longer or shorter waiting moment (depending on the speed of preparation of the package and the chosen form of delivery). It is worthwhile to stay in touch with the buyer during this time as well. How else to ensure a positive experience during the final ordering stage?
- Informing about the status of the shipment in real time - push notifications or automatic generation of emails informing about the status of the order is the basis that customers expect. To automate this process and reduce the risk of errors or delays in the flow of information, it is worth integrating your online store with an external Customer Management System. You can read more about this in a separate article.
- Provide additional knowledge - while the package is on its way to the buyer, his curiosity about the product increases. It is worth taking advantage of this moment to present your brand as an expert and provide him with useful knowledge, for example, in the form of a newsletter with blog articles.
- Provide easy handling of returns and complaints - although the desire to return a purchase is not desirable from both the buyer's and the seller's perspective, it is important to provide effective and quick assistance in case of problems with the product. Therefore, it is worthwhile to ensure a clear and easily accessible returns policy and to provide an easy way to contact customer service in case of complaints or other questions.
Bet on emotions - unboxing experience in your eCommerce
The eCommerce customer experience doesn't end the moment the customer receives the message that the package has been delivered to the pickup location - on the contrary, this is when the important stage in building customer relationships begins. An excellent tool for enhancing them will be the unboxing experience. This is evidenced, for example, by the results of a study by Sealed Air, according to which more than 50% of consumers consider the provision of a positive unboxing experience to be positive and beneficial from their point of view.
That's why the proper design of the package's appearance is especially important if you're looking to build customer loyalty to your brand and extend the so-called "lifespan" of your customers. So, if you are planning a long-lasting effort focused on the development of your online store - it is worth betting on the element of surprise in the form of unboxing experience!
